Welcome to Pad for Hope: Orientation and Introduction

My journey through the Pad for Hope starts in Chengdu, China. On the first day, the organization leader Linda provided us with a series of engaging introductions and the background of this NGO, as well as their courses and efforts in these years. The focus was on hope and changing, which also inspired me a lot. Activities were also held for us to know each other better. We became more like family than simply volunteers.

Visiting local schools: the Deepened Gap and Cruel Reality

One of the most important memories of my first week was visiting local schools in Yanan, which is a small village in Sichuan Province. On Wednesday morning, Linda took me there with the donations from Pad For Hope, and we donated the resources to these schools, as well as having conversations with the heads of the schools. We visited three local schools in total, what's cruel was the deepened inequality of education in China, that most girls would even quit school at the age of 8. This reality made me heartbroken. Learning about this foundational situation did drive me to write these down.

Challenges and Reflections

Despite the knowledge and comprehensive information, this week we struggled a lot with the challenges faced by rural schools. Going to their living areas is my privilege; listening to the facts is also painful. How to improve? How can we provide more opportunities to the girls? How can we really do something instead of performing? These challenges are questioning me again and again.

Expectations

Through this intensive week of visiting and the picturing of Chinese society, I do feel a growing sense of sociology wish in these six weeks. I did know that change might be hard, while we should do something. The complex feelings of learning, conversation, and documenting have all given me solid wishes to take action. And I am eager to fully engage in this project.

Next week we will take action:) Hope that everything goes well.