Our One More Year (OMY) Scholarship Program aims to support 500 girls from impoverished backgrounds for one more year. We closely work with and mentor these girls to break the chain of extreme poverty in their families. One of those girls is Li Ming (18). Here’s her story.
Many impoverished families do not see the importance of education as they see it as a mere barrier to their survival. Luckily, Li Ming’s family is not like that. They believe that education is the best way to change one’s destiny, allowing them to persevere in their studies and find good jobs in the future. But the problem is, their household income barely gets them by. Their family of seven only makes CNY 70,000 (USD 9,761) annually, always leaving them little space for everyone’s needs.
We met Li Ming when she was younger. Her parents divorced, and she currently lives with her father in a small, rented house. She did not have a room of her own and only slept on the living room floor. She thought this was okay since she studied far and only went home during holidays. When she is home, she helps with the household chores and looks after her brothers. With her love for children, she wishes to become a teacher in her hometown in the future, becoming the kind of teacher that she would have wanted to have.
We talked with Li Ming more and found her to be a thoughtful and considerate child. Before we reached her home, she helped us by sharing her WeChat location and waited for us by the roadside so we would not get lost along the way. In our conversations, she mentioned how grateful and motivated she is to study harder because there are kind-hearted people who are rooting for her success. In two years, she sees herself going into university to pursue her educator dreams.
Be a Part of the Solution
RMB 3,200 | USD 40 a month is all it takes to keep a girl in school for ONE MORE YEAR, giving her the chance to learn, grow, and succeed.
Sponsor a girl today and invest in her future.
