The two-year initiative in Yunnan Province aims to equip 1,000 primary students, with a focus on girls and ethnic minority youths, with future-ready digital skills and promote inclusive STEM teaching practices across Ruili City and Yingjiang County
gender-responsive learning session
KUALA LUMPUR, 5 NOVEMBER 2026 — RYTHM Foundation, the social impact initiative of QI Group, has launched its inaugural community development project in China through a two-year partnership with Plan International Hong Kong (PIHK) to deliver inclusive, gender-responsive STEM education in Yunnan Province.
Implemented by Plan International China from 15 October 2026 to 14 October 2028, the initiative reaches five rural primary schools directly, and around 95 primary schools indirectly across Yingjiang County and Ruili City in the Dehong Dai and Jingpo Autonomous Prefecture. More than 60% of students in the region belong to ethnic minority communities, including the Dai, Jingpo, and Achang.
The project aims to directly support 1,000 primary students aged 10–12 and train 30 local educators in gender-responsive STEM pedagogy. School-based activities and an annual STEM Tech Festival are expected to reach an additional 11,750 students, bringing total anticipated outreach to more than 12,750 beneficiaries.
Empowering the Next Generation of Innovators
“Enabling girls and young people to build the skills and confidence to shape their own futures is at the heart of this initiative in China,” said Datin Sri Umayal Eswaran, Chairperson of RYTHM Foundation. “Every child deserves an equal opportunity to thrive in an increasingly digital world. By investing in rural girls and ethnic minority youth, we aim to help them develop the critical thinking and digital skills to pursue new opportunities, participate in the digital economy, and drive positive change in their communities.”
“Girls and minority children in remote regions face distinct socio-economic hurdles that often discourage their participation in the sciences,” said Dr. Kanie Siu, Chief Executive Officer of Plan International Hong Kong. “Through this partnership with RYTHM Foundation, we are dismantling stereotypes, equipping teachers with inclusive tools, and creating supportive environments where every child can realise their full potential in STEM, regardless of gender or background.”
To foster long-term community transformation rather than short-term intervention, the project integrates three core operational pillars:
- Interactive STEM Resources: Establishing after-school clubs and supplying tech-enabled learning materials across the five participating schools.
- Teacher Development: Training 30 educators in gender-sensitive instruction and digital safety, guided by a STEM Club Guidance Manual.
- Policy recommendation for Inclusive STEM Education: Share the project’s model, best practices and technical resources with local education authorities in Yingjiang County and Ruili City to support establishing sustainable, gender-inclusive STEM education integration in more than 100 primary schools across the region.
Sustaining STEM Learning Beyond the Two-Year Grant
To support lasting impact beyond the two-year grant, trained educators will serve as master trainers within a coordinated cross-school teacher network, sharing resources and teaching practices to sustain gender-responsive STEM learning.
By embedding these practices into the local education ecosystem, the initiative aims to make inclusive STEM learning an enduring part of participating schools, benefiting rural students and teachers for years to come.
