“When I was young, my favorite character was Sanmao—an Oliver Twist-like Chinese comic character who is optimistic, and who lives not only for himself but for others,” says Shen Xiaodong (China), an alumnus of the Institute of Education, who now works as principal of Jinzhai Guangai School in a remote mountainous area, teaching and living with homeless children.
A visit to Beijing Guangai School a few years ago sparked an interest in Xiaodong to support children’s education in impoverished areas. With the help of countless people and organizations, the Guangai schools have helped over 1,600 children complete their schooling in the past 16 years. In 2016, the death of the charity school’s founder inspired him him take on the founder’s mission, bringing him to where he is now.
Recalling his graduate studies in Tsinghua, Xiaodong believes Tsinghua provides students with unlimited possibilities, and that education is about cultivating diversity, not similarity. “As long as I can, I will carry out my beliefs without hesitation,” said Shen, who is glad to see more volunteers from Tsinghua pour into impoverished areas to help local children better prepare for the future.
