By Jiang Chenrong, Photos by Liu Xiao

A narrow path winds its way through mountains to reach Gaojiecun School in Gaojiecun Township, some 400 km away from Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province. Within one year, the school's enrollment of primary and junior middle school students is surging from 18 to 249. Besides, the geographically remote school is attracting pupils from neighboring Shanxi Province.

For local households, the average income is less than 10,000 yuan ($1,600) per year, mostly supported by traditional farming. Almost 30 percent of children in the township cannot afford tuition. In order to improve the situation, Headmaster Li Xinyuan, 40, called on people to donate money to enable admission of needy students.

In the past year, Li's team of teachers has reached out to five townships in Shaanxi and six in Shanxi, encompassing over 500 villages. The money collected through their charity efforts pays for free meals and maintenance costs.

Li's school is the only one in the township with a population of about 13,000. More schools need to be established in mountainous regions to provide opportunities for rural kids with parents working in urban areas away from home, Li said.

"I hope that these kids can pass entrance examinations into competitive high schools. When they accomplish their studies, they can come back and contribute to their hometown," he added.