Teacher Du Oulu's Unforgettable Basketball Tournament

To bridge the education gaps of children in remote villages in China, we started our Send A Volunteer Teacher Program for newly graduated teachers and retired educators. One of these is Teacher Du Oulu (22), a Chinese language and music teacher for 50 4th graders. She began teaching in September 2024. We are fortunate to hear her story through a letter she sent us.

“I’m a volunteer teacher, and it’s been a year since I came to Ermaqian Aimu Primary School in Meigu, Liangshan. The most unforgettable experience this semester was our school’s basketball tournament.

Most of the players were sixth-grade students. Even with heavy academic loads, their love for basketball never wavered. They trained consistently, with many of the girls playing in a competition for the very first time. For them, basketball wasn’t easy. The teachers started with the basics—dribbling, passing—and patiently guided them every step of the way.

Our school’s basketball court is just a cement slab with a single hoop barely over a meter high, without even proper court markings. But whether under the scorching sun or in the fading twilight, there were always kids out on the court, practicing with all their heart.

In May, they finally had a chance to compete. After a long, bumpy journey, we arrived in Xichang. For many of the children, Xichang felt like a distant world—some had never traveled that far or even taken a long bus ride. Many got carsick and spent the ride vomiting, but not one child complained. To them, it was worth it—because this journey let them see a world beyond the mountains and opened their eyes to new possibilities.

On the court, facing teams from other schools, the children were nervous at first. But they remembered the hours of hard training, their determination to do their best—and that gave them the courage to run, pass, break through, and shoot with power and purpose. In the end, our girls’ team narrowly missed the championship. Tears fell as the final whistle blew, but I know those tears were not just from disappointment—they were also from pride, courage, and growth.

I believe this experience planted something deep in their hearts. No matter how high the mountains or how far the road ahead, they now carry with them a spirit of perseverance that will take them even further.

For me, being able to walk alongside them on this journey, to witness their fight, their light, and their dreams—that is the most precious gift of my teaching experience. This is our story, one of dreams, determination, and growing up together.”