Wu Yue Xue
Wu Yue Xue, ("Maize") is only eight years old, but she leads her family with the help of a cousin. Her grandfather, a 72-year-old stroke survivor, is unable to work. Her grandmother does what she can to care for the home and family.
Yue Xue's father, aunt, and uncle were members of "the floating population" in Beijing with jobs in construction. Their living conditions were very poor. In a terrible accident, 11 people in the same apartment died from fumes from the heating unit supplied by their employer. Among them were Maize's father, her aunt, and her uncle.
After the accident, Yue Xue's mother left for Beijing to find employment and help support the devastated family. Yue Xue's orphaned cousin, a few years older than she, is like a sister to her. The two live with Yue Xue's grandparents and work after school in the fields planting corn. The cousin hopes to plant a small vegetable garden next year as well.
Last year, the mother wasn't able to send money back regularly, so the two girls had to quit school to support the family. Their teachers informed GCI of the problem, and GCI provided funds that enabled the girls to return to school. They were also enrolled in the school lunch program. During GCI's interviews with them, the girls didn't talk like children but appeared to be the backbone of the family. However, there is obvious stress in taking on this role at such a young age.
GCI tries to understand and meet the holistic needs of each individual. For Maize, her schooling was closely connected to both the family finances and the community. Thus, GCI supplied a small loan to provide chickens for the family. They have several fruit trees, but there is no market in their small village for the fruit and jams the girls and their grandmother make. GCI hopes to work with the local government to establish a small factory and find ways to market the products.
GCI's school support has begun to help Maize see a path to the future. Both girls are very good students, especially Yue Xue, the younger, who won a national award in calligraphy. Her teacher says: "This one, with proper training, I can't imagine what she can become. She has already won a national award!" Maize says she'd like to be a teacher some day. Influenced by the encouragement of her current teacher, she wants to help other people as she's been helped.
The grandparents are very thankful to GCI for our support in paying the girls' school fees and our commitment to bettering their lives. With donor assistance, GCI can continue to reach out to children like Yue Xue.