In 2009, to finance outstanding social enterprises and to promote vigorous development of NGOs and public welfare undertakings in China, the Culture and Education Department of the British Council, the China Social Entrepreneur Foundation, and the Narada Foundation appraised and selected China’s most promising and successful welfare foundations. To participate in this national review of social welfare, a total of 170 social enterprise NGOs submitted applications and business plans for evaluation. On March 19, 2010, the Women’s Development Association in Xixiang County won the outstanding social enterprise maturity award, which included 100,000 RMB from the Narada Foundation. This is the first time a NGO funded by Plan China has achieved China’s most authoritative public welfare award. 

The Women's Development Association was registered and established in Xixiang County by Plan China and the local Women's Federation in 2005. Since its establishment, it has been committed to providing micro-credit services to rural and urban poor women. By March, 2010, it had issued micro-credit loans of no more than 3,000 yuan to 5,840 women, an accumulative investment of 12.2 million yuan. Through ongoing micro-credit services, the association has improved the living conditions of women in poverty through enhancing self awareness and self development and promoting the harmonious development of families and communities. It is the efficient operation and outstanding influence of the association that has ultimately contributed to its success and national recognition. 

On March 12, 2010, the Secretary-General of the Women’s Development Association traveled to Beijing to attend the interview. The association won the judges’ unanimous recognition and praise for its “services to poor women, regulated organizational operation and sound financial operation, 100% repayment rate over the last five years, institutional sustainability, and operational development objectives”. After interviews with the other 17 social enterprise finalists, the Women’s Development Association of Xixiang County was awarded the grand prize, and became the first local NGO funded by Plan China to receive China’s authoritative public service award. The association is, in fact, one of only three winners of the outstanding social enterprise maturity award given by the Narada Foundation. Miss Qin Xiuping, President of the association, proudly accepted the award with gratitude. 

Since March of last year, the co-sponsors of the award - the Culture and Education Department of the British Council, the China Social Entrepreneur Foundation, and the Narada Foundation - jointly organized skills training sessions in Beijing and Xi’an for Chinese welfare organisations. More than 170 social enterprises from around China participated and gained valuable knowledge and opportunities for exchange to promote better preparation and operation of their innovative projects. In March, 2009, the President of the Xixiang County Women’s Development Association, Miss Qin Xiuping, attended the first seven-day training session in Beijing and was awarded the Gold medal for her speech. In November of that same year, she was also nominated to attend an in-depth social enterprise skills training session in Shenzhen. Such results highlight the excellent performance of the association’s leaders, a decisive factor in the success of the association and the granting of the outstanding social enterprise maturity award.