Recently, Pagoda and Zespri, in collaboration with The Amity Foundation, conducted the fourth offline philanthropic visit of the Zespri & Pagoda Activity Room initiative at Mengqiao Primary School in Mengqiao Township, Jinping County, Honghe Prefecture, Yunnan Province.
Launched in August 2021 by Pagoda and Zespri in partnership with The Amity Foundation,The Zespri & Pagoda Activity Room initiative is a charitable program dedicated to Fostering the Growth of Rural Education. By establishing multifunctional activity rooms in Township Central School—equipped for reading, music, science education, and more—the project aims to address gaps in infrastructure and teaching resources, broaden students’ horizons, and promote a well-rounded education that integrates academic and personal development.
To date, the initiative has funded the construction of 32 Zespri & Pagoda Activity Rooms in Liangshan Prefecture and Nanchong City in Sichuan Province, as well as in Honghe Prefecture, Yunnan Province, benefiting over 25,000 rural teachers and students. The fourth phase of the project, launched in September last year, supports the establishment of eight new Zespri & Pagoda Activity Rooms in eight rural schools across Jinping County and Hekou County.
According to Pagoda, the fourth phase of the project was funded with a donation of 500,000 RMB, raised from the joint sales revenue of kiwifruit by Pagoda and Zespri. This means that every customer who purchased kiwifruit unknowingly contributed to this charitable initiative. At the visit ceremony, Tommy, Vice President of Sales for Zespri China, and Peter Zhu, Senior Vice President of Pagoda Group, delivered speeches reaffirming their commitment to supporting rural education and expressing their respect for rural educators.
Tommy, Vice President of Sales for Zespri China, expressed his hope that the Zespri & Pagoda Activity Room would serve as a starting point for children to explore the unknown. “May every dream take flight, ride the waves, and soar to great heights!” he remarked. During the visit, Pagoda’s Heart Enjoy membership volunteers conducted an engaging interactive class on “dreams” for the students. The session featured the inspiring story of Yuan Longping and his development of hybrid rice, encouraging students to share their own dreams. They also wrote their aspirations on dream cards and placed them on the “Dream Tree” in the schoolyard. Through this class, students gained a deeper understanding of the importance of dreams in personal growth and were encouraged to start planning their own paths toward achieving them.
During the event, Zespri and Pagoda donated 620 fruit gift bags—including Zespri RubyRed™ kiwifruit—along with other essential supplies to Mengqiao Primary School.
Peter Zhu, Senior Vice President of Pagoda Group, expressed his hopes for the initiative, stating: “We hope that this activity room will help children expand their horizons, acquire more knowledge, and ignite their curiosity and aspirations, serving as a gateway to a broader world.” He further emphasized that the Zespri & Pagoda Activity Room is not only a testament to the two companies’ shared commitment to rural education but also a reflection of the generosity and goodwill of consumers.
Zhu reaffirmed Pagoda’s dedication to its core mission—”Focusing on one thing for a lifetime: fruit.” He underscored the company’s ongoing efforts to support rural education and announced that Pagoda will continue working alongside Zespri, The Amity Foundation, and other philanthropic partners to enhance educational environments in rural areas, providing children with greater learning opportunities and improved educational resources.