Telling the Story of Rural China
Laotu is a social enterprise shaping green consumption in emerging markets, promoting a cutting-edge sustainable development scheme for China and the world.
Rooted in environmentalism, Laotu fosters conversations between urban and rural China through local stories. It is in this dialogue that Laotu inspires sustainable cultural, environmental and economic development for all of China. Through a blend of ecotourism, education, and cultural programs, Laotu helps to create new public perceptions about rural areas and development. With this education, Laotu informs and excites advocates of policy change, consumer education, and community-based conservation.
FOUNDER & CEO
Yi Luo
From Shenzhen, China
Master of Social Sciences, University of Chicago
Bachelor of Environmental Analysis and History, Claremont McKenna College
TEAM MEMBERS
Echo
Project Manager
Once a Course-in-the-Mountain alumna, Echo is now the project manager of Laotu. She graduated from Sydney University, majoring in Sociology and Political Economy. Having lived, studied, and worked across three continents, she is now looking for the next destination in life.
Estelle
Operations Director
Graduated from Sun Yat-Sen University, Estelle has a stoic exterior but is soft on the inside. She has worked in marketing for several years and now uses data to communicate the principles of sustainable lifestyles. She is responsible for existing project management at Laotu.
Dong Yangpeinachen
Project Planner
Graduated from Renmin University of China, Dong is responsible for project management and operations at Laotu. She is primarily concerned about social innovation and enjoys language learning, blogging and podcasting. She also produces Laotu's podcast: You Yisi.
Dan
Youth Fellow
Despite growing up in a small city famous for classical gardens and slow-paced lifestyle, Dan decided to expand his horizons and move to eSwatini. This two-year experience helped him realize that the future depends on connecting the livelihoods of the city and the village. Inspired by Laotu, he joined the team to begin creating these connections.
Past Team Members
Sam
Youth Fellow
Sam is a lover of classical instruments and pop music, attending Houde Academy in Shenzen. He knows nothing about dancing but is fond of Theatre and productions from Quentin Tarantino and the Nolan brothers, and his idol is Ernest Hemingway. He grew up in Shenzhen, but now lives in the US.
Thea
Youth Fellow
Studying at Rhodes College, she is a programmer specializing in the harp. She has taught herself in more than ten musical instruments, and participated in the acting and directing of theatrical performances. She loves acrobatics, archaeology, and criminology and is always looking for new fields to explore.
Ashley
Youth Fellow
Studying the Economic Tripos at University of Cambridge, she mainly investigates development economics. Besides having directed drama, films, and documentaries, she has also been a devotee of Musicals and Rock Music. She always embraces the opportunity of meeting new friends and trying new things.
Doris
Youth Fellow
A Gen-Z girl with broad interests, including humanities, fashion, and food, Doris has always been on the path of trying new things. She grew up in Hangzhou, and is a student in the Smith College Class of 2024.
THE HISTORY OF LAOTU
Projects incubated at Laotu have repeatedly placed in the top ten of both the China Charity Fair Top 100 Public Welfare Projects and the Youth Entrepreneurship Competition in Shenzhen Longhua District and Yantian District.
Laotu is a…
Board member of Shenzhen Yantian Youth Federation
Outstanding Cooperative Organization of the Shenzhen Youth Federation
Board member of the International Youth Musicians Association
Employer Representative of the University of Chicago Yuen Metcalf Internship Program
Partner of the International Youth Forum on Ecological Civilization, California, U.S
Strategic Partner of Xuebaoding National Nature Reserve, Sichuan Province
Laotu is also a...
Research team and director of documentary for CCTV on the 40-year anniversary of Reform and Opening Up
Curator of the 2017-2018 Shenzhen-Hong Kong Biennale of Urbanism and Architecture
Curator of the special exhibition “Wenxin” for the 10-year anniversary of the Wenchuan earthquake
Co-manager of the symphony concert in Enshi Tenglong cave, the largest natural cave in Asia
Curator for HUI, the first Chinese female clothing brand to be featured in Milan Fashion Week, organizing a multimedia video exhibition on the traditional culture of China’s ethnic minorities for 2019 Milan Fashion Week
PORTFOLIO
Click on the pictures to learn more
LAOTU IN MEDIA
(At a Glance)
Mainstream media, such as Global Times, New York Times, People.cn and Guangming Daily consistently cover Laotu and our work
New York Times:
We are also featured in......
LEADING THE CONVERSATION
We at Laotu love to share our experiences in social enterprise, rural vitalization, and natural conservation. To turn this knowledge into a dialogue, Laotu representatives have spoken at multiple forums and conferences. Here are a few of the places that have heard from us firsthand:
2018 Social Innovation Forum, Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation
Tübingen University, speaker on sustainable agriculture and social entrepreneurship in China, at China Center
United Nations Champion of the Earth China ceremony
Top 10 Under 30 Social Innovator of China award ceremony
“Rebuilding Hometown” Panzhihua Idea Meeting
“Leading: Chaoshan NGOs in ten years” Forum speaker
Guangzhou University, speaker on non-profit and social innovation
Global Environmental Institute
Dragon Cloud forest school
Center for Rural Vitalization and Social Innovation at Tsinghua University
SOME PARTNERS
SEE Foundation
Shenzhen-Hong Kong Biennial
Ricedonate
Friends of Nature
Developers 4 Development
Luohu Social Innovation Space
Yu Foundation
China Agricultural University
Naturland e.V.
China Central Television
Chinese Communist Youth League
One Foundation and One Lab
China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation
Phoenix Satellite Television
China Environmental Protection Foundation
Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation
Stoooges Education
The United Nations Development Programme
United Nations Environment Programme
China Climate Change Action Network
Vanke Foundation
China Association for NGO Cooperation
Stiftung Asienhaus
Stiftung Mercator
Robert Bosch Stiftung
807 social innovation space
Green Circle Zöld Kör
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Homeward Bound
The University of Chicago
University of Tübingen
Sanjiangyuan Ecological Environment Protection Association
Storyteller
One Way Street Bookstore, Beijing
Cantonese Farmer’s Market
Four Seasons Share Organic Farm
Chengdu Roots & Shoots
Rural Women Development Foundation
Tomoroe Education
ACE Youth
The Nature Conservancy
UChicago Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation
More...
Asian Youth Musician Association
Waldkindergarten Eichhörnchen e.V. Tübingen
Dr. John Cobb Jr.
Jiannan Si Ma
Professor Hu Yuegao
Xuebaoding National Nature Reserve, Sichuan Province
Wolong National Nature Reserve, Sichuan Province
Wanglang National Nature Reserve, Sichuan Province
Pingwu County Government, Sichuan Province
Lichuan City Government, Hubei Province
Communist Youth League Committee of Futian District, Shenzhen
Communist Youth League Committee of Longhua District
Political and Law Committee of Shenzhen Futian District
Publicity Department of Shenzhen Futian District
Lichuan Municipal Committee
Lichuan Municipal Committee Publicity Department
Panzhihua Municipal Committee
Lishui, Zhejiang
Sanjiangyuan National Park
Qilian Mountain National Park
Liangzhiyuepin Organic Farm
Puhan Cooperative
EACHWAY HUI
Shenzhen Vanke
Meisha Academy
Shenzhen Houde Academy
Shenzhen Middle School
Shenzhen Cuizhu Foreign Language Experimental School
Shenzhen Donghai Experimental School
Guangdong Experimental School
CONTACT US
Address: Chicago, Illinois, U.S. /Shenzhen, China /Chengdu, China
Email:laotuadmin@laotu.info
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