Shenzhen Love Desk donates 30,000 sets over 15 years. How are legal compliance and donor rights in public welfare projects guaranteed?
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In August 2026, the "Love Little Desk" public welfare project under Shenzhen Care Action held a distribution ceremony in Liudu Town, Zheng'an County, Guizhou Province, where 279 desks and learning supplies were delivered to five local rural schools. The project was initiated in 2011 by Sun Ying, a National Moral Model, and over the past 15 years has raised more than 4 million yuan in total, donating over 31,000 desks that cover remote mountainous areas including Guizhou, Guangxi, Yunnan, and Jiangxi. When heartwarming stories flood the screen, we need to examine them with a sober eye: behind the efficient operation of public welfare projects, how can every act of goodwill be precisely implemented within the legal framework? As a Shenzhen lawyer long focused on public interest legal practice, this article will break down the legal code embedded in this typical case from the perspectives of charitable fundraising compliance, performance of donation agreements, and protection of donees' rights.
I. Public Fundraising Compliance: Examining the Legal Threshold for Charitable Fundraising through the "Love Little Desk" Initiative
The "Love Little Desk" project has raised over 4 million yuan in total, a figure backed by years of public fundraising campaigns. According to Article 22 of the Charity Law of the People's Republic of China, charitable organizations conducting public fundraising must obtain public fundraising qualifications; charitable organizations that have been lawfully registered for at least two years may apply to the civil affairs department with which they are registered for public fundraising qualifications. If the project operates under official institutions such as the Shenzhen Care Office, it typically possesses the corresponding qualifications, but fundraising organized spontaneously by society requires vigilance regarding legal risks.
In practice, many public welfare projects initiate "personal appeals for help" or "charitable fundraising" through internet platforms, and the legal nature of the two is completely different. A personal appeal for help refers to an individual seeking help from society for difficulties faced by themselves or their family members, and is not regulated by the Charity Law. Charitable fundraising, however, must be initiated by qualified charitable organizations and requires a written fundraising agreement that clearly specifies the fundraising plan, purpose, and the method for handling remaining funds. Lawyers remind the public that when participating in projects similar to the "Little爱心 Desk" initiative, they should verify whether the initiator has public fundraising qualifications and require the disclosure of the fundraising plan, so as to avoid falling into the trap of "fake charity."
Furthermore, over the course of the project's 15-year duration, whether the use of donations is transparent directly affects public credibility. According to Article 73 of the Charity Law, charitable organizations shall publicly disclose annual work reports and financial accounting reports to the public each year, and where a public fundraising cycle exceeds six months, the fundraising situation shall be disclosed at least once every three months. If the project fails to disclose in a timely manner, donors have the right to demand that it make corrections, or even to file complaints or reports with the civil affairs department.
II. Donation Agreement and Property Management: Though the Desk Is Small, Rights and Responsibilities Are Clearly Defined
Each set of charity study desks traveling from Shenzhen to the mountainous regions of Guizhou represents the fulfillment of donation agreements. Under Article 657 of the Civil Code, a gift contract is a contract under which the donor gives their own property to the donee without compensation, and the donee expresses acceptance of the gift. Public welfare donations constitute gifts with attached obligations, requiring the donee to use the donated funds for the agreed purposes. If the project organizer unilaterally changes the use of the funds—for example, diverting money intended for purchasing study desks to other purposes—the donor may exercise the statutory right of revocation under Article 663 of the Civil Code and demand the return of the property.
The "Love Little Desk" project is coordinated by the Shenzhen Care Office, which, as the trustee, must strictly comply with the provisions of Article 54 of the Charity Law regarding the management of charitable property: the property of a charitable organization shall be used entirely for charitable purposes in accordance with the provisions of its articles of association and donation agreements, and shall not be distributed among the founders, donors, or members of the charitable organization. Lawyers recommend that public welfare projects establish independent financial accounts, ensure that funds are used exclusively for designated purposes, and introduce third-party audits. For example, the unit purchase price and logistics costs of each desk should be documented with vouchers to ensure they can withstand both legal and social scrutiny.
It is noteworthy that the project's 15 years of continuous operation involved multiple cross-provincial material transportations. Legal documents such as procurement contracts, transportation contracts, and donation agreements must all be duly executed, with clear specifications of quality standards and delivery timelines. Should the desks have quality defects, the recipient schools may hold the manufacturer liable in accordance with the Product Quality Law, while the project organizer, as the purchasing party, must likewise bear the corresponding contractual management obligations.
III. Protection of Donee's Rights and Interests: Safeguarding the Privacy and Education Rights of Left-Behind Children
The beneficiaries of the "Love Little Desk" project are mostly left-behind children, and the protection of their personal information cannot be overlooked. During the activities, sensitive information such as the list of assisted students and home addresses is collected. According to Article 28 of the Personal Information Protection Law, when processing the personal information of minors under the age of 14, consent shall be obtained from the parents or other guardians of the minors, and dedicated processing rules shall be established. Charitable organizations should minimize the collection of information and adopt measures such as encrypted storage and access control to prevent information leakage.
At a deeper level, the project aims to improve the learning environment for left-behind children, which involves the provisions of Article 33 of the Law on the Protection of Minors concerning the protection of minors' right to education. The lawyer believes that public welfare projects are not merely about material donations but should also pay attention to children's psychological needs. For example, if photographs of children showing "great joy" at distribution ceremonies are publicly disseminated without the consent of their guardians, this may infringe upon their portrait rights. Public welfare publicity should follow the principle of "the best interests of the child," avoid excessive exposure, and respect the dignity of the assisted children.
From judicial practice, if a public welfare project causes harm to the rights and interests of beneficiaries due to poor management, it may give rise to civil litigation. For example, if formaldehyde in desks exceeds safety standards and harms health, the beneficiary family may pursue product liability under Article 1207 of the Civil Code. Therefore, the project operator should strictly conduct acceptance inspections during procurement, retain test reports, and purchase appropriate insurance to mitigate legal risks.
4. Long-Term Development of Public Welfare Projects: The Cornerstone of Trust under the Legal Framework
The "Love Little Desk" project has persisted for 15 years, relying not only on passion but also on institutionalized operations. From a legal perspective, for a public welfare project to achieve sustainable development, a three-tier safeguard mechanism must be established: first, a compliant fundraising mechanism, ensuring that every fundraising campaign is filed in accordance with the law and that the flow of donated funds is traceable; second, a transparency and disclosure mechanism, regularly publishing project progress and accepting public oversight; third, a risk prevention and control mechanism, guarding against unexpected incidents through contract review, insurance arrangements, and other measures.
Taking Shenzhen as an example, as a city of charity, Shenzhen already has multiple charitable organizations qualified for public fundraising, and institutions such as the Municipal Care Office have established comprehensive regulatory systems. Lawyers suggest that projects like "Little Love Desks" could explore cooperation with professional legal institutions, with lawyers providing year-round legal advisory services, reviewing contracts, handling disputes, and safeguarding public welfare undertakings.
For ordinary donors, the following should be noted when participating in public welfare activities: first, verify the authenticity of the project by checking the filing information on the "Charity China" platform; second, retain donation receipts in order to enjoy tax benefits (pursuant to Article 9 of the Enterprise Income Tax Law, the portion of an enterprise's donation expenditures not exceeding 12% of its annual total profits is eligible for deduction); third, pay attention to project feedback, and if violations are discovered, rights may be pursued in accordance with the law.
Conclusion: Let Goodwill Travel Far on the Track of Rule of Law
A small desk set carries Shenzhen's deep affection for children in the mountains. But goodwill without the protection of law may struggle to go far and steady. From fundraising compliance to property management, from privacy protection to long-term oversight, every step requires professional legal support. Guangdong Zhiming Law Firm has long focused on public interest legal services and can provide comprehensive support to charitable organizations and donors, including compliance review, contract drafting, and dispute resolution. May every act of kindness reach its intended destination with precision, and may every good deed blossom in the sunlight.
(This article is written based on public news reports, intended for legal education and does not constitute specific legal advice. If you have any questions, please consult a professional lawyer.)
