More than 30 people and 20 units were awarded by the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Central Committee of the Communist Youth League of China (CYLC) and the All-China Journalists Association for their outstanding work in poverty relief through science and technology on December 9 to celebrate the 64 anniversary of "12.9" Patriotic Students Moverment.

Since the ministry and the CYLC Central Committee started sending young intellectuals to promote poverty relief in rural areas in 1997, 483 young volunteers have been to 25 poor counties in Hunan, Hubei, Jiangxi, Shanxi, Henan, Hebei and Anhui provinces and Ningxia Hui and Inner Mongolia autonomous regions.

They have provided help in science and technology, education, culture, health care and management, and solved many technical problems.

At the beginning of this year, 34 scientific innovations were introduced to 413 counties as free donations.

The two sponsors of the activity established a science and technology branch of the China Young Volunteers Association as a special organization in charge of volunteers in scientific and technological circles.

A new group of young volunteers for scientific and technological service started a two-month assistance project on December 9.