Educate and Equip Girls in Rural China

This year CWEF held a ceremony for its new scholarship recipients in Yunnan, and Bangmei, the student representative, gave this speech with gratitude for your support:

Hello everyone! I am Bangmei from Class 515, Grade 10. I am honored to stand here, still trembling slightly as I hold the microphone. I know that the light before me is the result of countless warm hands pushing aside the clouds for me. The ability to calmly share my dreams today is because you have paved my path out of the mountains with love. Please allow me to first bow deeply to all the caring individuals from the CWEF and Kunming Yixing Public Welfare Development Center — thank you for making dreams come true. 

I used to be a child struggling in poverty. My family's financial difficulties were like a heavy yoke making it hard for me to pursue my studies. Watching my father work day and night to cover my tuition and living expenses, seeing his growing white hair and bending back, I asked myself countless times: Must my educational path be forced to end like this? Must my small dream be shattered by reality's cruelty? In my confusion and helplessness, your support came like a warm ray of sunshine, bringing me hope and strength. 

It is you who, with selfless love and generous support, have allowed me to study in bright classrooms and pursue my dreams without distraction. You have shown me that there are many people in this world who care about poor children like us, making me believe that as long as we do not give up, we can overcome difficulties and move towards a better future. 

Thanks to your support, I can devote more time and energy to studying, read more books, participate in more activities, help more people, and pursue my dreams. 

When it comes to dreams, I have always held a firm belief: I hope to become a people's teacher, using my knowledge and love to nurture more children, so they can go out to see the wider world and find their own value. I hope to become as warm-hearted as you in the future, illuminating the path for more people children to realizing their dreams. I know this road will be full of thorns and twists, but I firmly believe that faith will guide me to my ideal destination. In future studies, I will work harder and stay grateful, passing on your love so that more people can feel the warmth and care of society. 

Finally, I want to say again: Thank you! It is wonderful to have you! 

-Bangmei

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Did you know that most of the scholarship recipients you support live on less than 20,000 yuan (less than $3,000USD) per year?  That most of them come from single-parent homes or homes where a primary caregiver is disabled or chronically ill?  Many of them spend nearly half of their modest income on educational expenses. Your generosity is relieving tremendous burdens and bringing light and hope to these young people and their families.  Thank you for giving CWEF the honor of your partnership!  Thank you for giving education and hope to girls from rural China!

Links:

• Read more stories of young people in China overcoming adversity