Taobao showcases philanthropic aspects of internet marketplace

Taobao, China's premier online marketplace, recently launched a philanthropy channel (link in Chinese) which brings together the various ways in which the organization is already involved in or facilitating charity work. These include:

• Hosting online shops for NGOs such as the China Children and Teenager's Fund, International Fund for Animal Welfare, and China Charity Federation. Most of these NGOs sell goods to earn money for supporting their work, but some are more creative: the China Green Foundation sells e-trees for 5 yuan each (link in Chinese).
• The Magic Bean initiative, which helps disadvantaged mothers earn money by giving them a computer and funding to open their own shop on Taobao.
• Accepting online donations for the Magic Bean project and One Foundation.