A tough task

SWEATING FOR SCHOOL: Yang Aijing, initiator of the barter relay to build Dream School, works at the construction site of the school on June 1 (LI JIAN)

After signing the contract, Yang felt more stressed out than relieved. Knowing almost nothing about construction, she was at a loss at how to monitor the process and whether it could meet the deadline.

Yang went to the construction site weekly to take pictures for her public Weibo page. On May 17, Yang released a list of the construction material prices and labor prices to let netizens judge whether they were reasonable or not.

During the process, individuals and organizations from all over the country offered help and donations. A designer from Shenzhen in southern Guangdong Province drew the design for the building for free. A group of netizens from Hangzhou in eastern Zhejiang Province bought 700 books and donated them to the school. A company from Wuxi in eastern Jiangsu Province donated 100,000 yuan ($15,988) on subsidiary facilities in the school.

"All this made me feel greater responsibility," said Yang, who even participated physically in the school's construction. Villagers and children in Kunzhai also volunteered to work on the construction site.

Unfortunately, summer rain hit Kunzhai in June and July and went on for one month, delaying the deadline to build Dream School from July to August. On August 24, construction finally completed and on September 3, the school was put into use. "We thought that since we built the new school, all the 150 children in the village would be most eager to visit and study, but we found the parents were the most interested," Yang said.

Li understood this attitude. "The building is just a start. There is a lot more to do in running the school. Teachers are typically more important and it is what the parents are concerned with," he said.

Finally, five teachers came to the school, four of whom are young people. Ye Chengguo, who graduated from college in 2011, came to Dream School from another village primary school. He lives now on campus while the other teachers stay in villagers' houses. Ye's room has no furniture except for a bed and table.

"I knew what the condition would be like before I came here," Ye said. "I come from a rural family and I'm used to this. I don't think I will quit because of the harsh conditions."

Ye's view was echoed by Shang Mei, a female teacher in the school. "What I want to do now is convey as much knowledge as possible and help them go to a much bigger world and have a wonderful future."

At the opening ceremony on September 22, there were already 170 students enrolled in the school, including some from other villages.

"Five teachers are definitely not enough for 170 students, and it is important to keep the teachers here as well," said Li, who saw some teachers quit due to the difficult conditions in the villages. "It is a long process but no matter how hard it is, we have to proceed—for the children."

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