Bursary helps scholars complete senior schooling
Yang Cuiying, Chu Huanying and Yang Zurong are three names to remember. They are to be the first of many scholars – we hope – from Pingzhang Administrative Village to benefit from an annual scholarship instituted by participants of the Global Young Leaders Programme.

The scholarship was initially conceived by Young Leaders touched by the welcome they received by some of the poorest people in China, but since has been integrated into the business plan that they developed with the villagers.

Pingzhang, in Yunnan province, has only one primary school for its children in five natural villages and eleven village groups. The seven teachers teach the six levels in three combined forms. But, though the enrolment rate is over 90%, children are forced to leave the village if they wish to attend junior high or senior high school. The nearest junior high school is 15 kilometres away. On mountainous roads often unsurfaced this is as good as a lifetime away.

In 1986 the state made the first nine years of school compulsory, and tuition free. Yet, with average incomes in Pingzhang just shy of 800 renminbi a year, often families are overwhelmed by the costs of continuing their children’s education in out-of-town schools. Even though tuition is free, they must cover expenses for books, and accommodation, food, and travel since the children board for the week and return home at the weekends.

All too often, sending away children to school leaves farming families short of hands in the field. A 50% junior high school drop-out rate and an enrolment rate for high school of only 3% reflect harsh struggles for families and their children.

GIFT’s partner NGO at Pingzhang, the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF), reports that poor education is one of the biggest barriers facing the villagers in beating poverty. Very early in the week that they worked with the Young Leaders, the villagers from Pingzhang’s Xinzhaizi and Lujiadi natural villagers said one of their dearest wishes was to be able to send their children to school. And like a series of hurdles in a race, poor transport, water shortages, and old farming techniques line up to compound the villagers’ outlook.

The villagers and YLP team decided to make the bursary for senior secondary education: the Young Leaders contributed more than 10,000 renminbi for the very year. A generous, anonymous donor gave GIFT founder and chief executive Chandran Nair HK$2,000 at the Canadian International School after he made a YLP presentation. GIFT rounded up the total to 15,000 renminbi (about US$2,000), which will secure tuition and living expenses for three students.

It was left to Su Yufang from the Kunming-based Centre of Mountain Ecosystem Studies, ICRAF-China, and Qu Chunxia from the Baoshan Forestry Department to identify the first three recipients, whose brief biographies appear below. Ms Qu will manage the scholarship. Tuition is to be paid directly to the schools, and each student will receive a monthly stipend.

Ms Qu said, “It is my greatest delight, and the least I can do, to help these students in need. On their behalf, I would like to thank all those who have visited the village, or have contributed to the scholarship.”

MEET THE SCHOLARS

Yang Zurong
Age: 19
Village: Baishuihe
School: Baoshan Chinese Medical Professional School. Zurong started here in 2005 and is expected to finish in 2008, and then begin his placement the following academic year.

Family background: Zurong’s father is forced to work as a carpenter to supplement the family’s income from only small farm holdings. It still falls shy of RMB 700 a year. Although Zurong has been awarded partial scholarship, there remains a shortfall, with around RMB 2000 in school fees outstanding.

Education: Zurong’s optimistic outlook and his perseverance have helped him do consistently well at school, showing improvements with each term, and in spite of lingering difficulties from the after-effects of polio.

Chu Huanying
Age: 20
Village: Xinzhaizi
School: Higher 2 (Arts stream), Baoshan City Lower Village Secondary School.

Family background:
Both of Huanying’s parents suffer from long-term illnesses; Huanying herself is weak, and needs to take medicine regularly. Her younger brother is attending junior secondary school in Yangliu Township. Annual family income is less than RMB 700.

Education: Huanying was admitted to secondary school on good grades, and her results are consistently excellent. She is ranked 11th in her grade of more than 400 students, and has a high chance of being accepted in to top-tier university next year.

Yang Cuiying
Age: 19
Village: Lujiadi
School: Higher 2 (Arts stream), Baoshan Xinjie Secondary School

Family background: Cuiying’s father passed away and her mother has married again. Her elder sister, Yang Hungying, is responsible for supporting the family. Annual family income is around RMB 690

Education: Cuiying entered the Baoshan Xinjie Secondary School with a marginal passing mark. After a year of hard work, she has become one of its top students, and has a great chance of being admitted to university next year.