In 2023, Walmart’s Childhood Guardian Project sought to provide sexual assault prevention courses to about 3,500 children in Yunnan, and donate 1,000 personal hygiene products to five elementary schools in remote areas. Walmart’s Childhood Guardian Project, jointly launched by Walmart China, Beijing All In One Foundation, and the Girls Protection Fund of the China Foundation of Culture and Arts for Children, aimed to raise children's awareness about self-protection to curb sexual assault, and enhance society's attention to and vigilance in preventing sexual assault against children. Since the launch of the project, Walmart China associates have actively participated in promoting the initiative and fundraising in Walmart stores and Sam’s Clubs in multiple cities across China.

Walmart associates deliver personal hygiene packs into the hands of elementary school children.

9-year-old Xiaoju (alias), a fourth-grade student at Hexi Elementary School in Tonghe County, Yunnan, was a beneficiary of this project. Although her parents would usually teach her to protect herself, it was the first time she received such specific and clear advice about "what to do in case of sexual assault". "After the lecture, the changes in the children were very noticeable. They no longer felt embarrassed or ashamed when discussing topics of sexual harassment and sexual assault. Correct prevention and protection awareness is crucial on their path of growth," said Jiao Zhou, a counselor at Hexi Elementary School.

Christina Xiaojing Zhu, President and CEO of Walmart China, said: "Having been deeply rooted in China for 27 years, Walmart has always served and helped develop the communities in which we are based. We have continued to focus on children’s well-being. With the development and changes in the social environment, the social problems and challenges faced by children have also changed. Walmart hopes to mobilize more social forces to provide practical and comprehensive support in different stages of children's development to protect their growth, especially in some easily overlooked areas. In the future, Walmart will continue to upgrade community support projects, to become a force for good in our society, and help people live better."

Yingqian Zhang, Secretary-General of Beijing All In One Foundation, said: "As a non-profit organization deeply rooted in the field of child protection, we hope to attract more public attention to this social issue and hope for more participation from diverse groups and industry forces caring for children. Our collaboration on Walmart’s Childhood Guardian Project is based on not only financial support, but also integration of our respective advantages and resources to form a joint force. Through our innovative approach of promoting community well-being, we extend the concept of public welfare to a wider audience, thereby generating more social awareness."

Building children’s awareness of self-protection as a primary line of defense

Children’s lack of knowledge about sexual safety is one of the important reasons for sexual assault against children. Therefore, prevention and education are the most effective protective measures. "What are the private parts of our body", "What is sexual assault", "What should we do when we encounter sexual assault" were the themes taught in the classroom of Hexi Elementary School in Tonghe County, Yunnan. These topics were communicated by a “Girls Protection” volunteer lecturer through games, questions, examples and other interesting interactive methods as she delivered the sexual assault prevention course "Love Our Body" that was supported by Walmart’s Childhood Guardian Project.

A Walmart’s Childhood Guardian Project class 

Yang Zhaokang, Deputy General Manager of Fresh Department at Walmart’s Linyuan Road Store in Puer, was a participant in Walmart’s Childhood Guardian Project. As a store representative, he donated hygiene packs to an elementary school in Xuelin County, close to the Chinese border. "Most of the children here have been left behind by their parents who went to work in bigger cities. Therefore, enhancing their self-protection ability is very meaningful. Seeing the happy smiles on their faces, I recognized that the entire society should do everything possible to protect this innocence, as well as their aspirations and goodwill for the future. We should let them feel loved, and make sure they have access to support and assistance when they face challenges or feel confused. This sense of security is very important to them."

A Walmart associate together with a student in the classroom

For years Walmart China has focused on and invested in caring for children’s healthy growth. Since 2011, Walmart China has paid attention to children’s healthy growth by participating in "Children’s Nutritious Meals" program every year. The program seeks to improve child nutrition, providing a "box of milk plus an egg" to children in underdeveloped areas. In August 2023, Walmart continued to work with the China Rural Development Foundation, and together with multiple brands and partners, carried out a public fundraising campaign. The goals of the campaign were to supplement children’s nutrition in rural areas, equip rural schools with electric kitchen appliances, and promote nutritional knowledge education. The campaign was carried out through multi-channel and multi-platform outreach, inviting more public participation.