Below is a sneak peek written by Sungmin Sohn, who shares her travel experiences in China and profiles another one of our amazing partners, the Rural China Education Foundation.
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I spent eight weeks this past summer in Beijing, participating in the Duke Summer in China study abroad program. Although I spent most of my time studying Mandarin intensively, I was still given the opportunity to experience the daily life of a Beijingren as I drank the same boiled water and breathed the same polluted air as the Chinese locals. To my surprise, issues regarding lack of education and a sense of empowerment for young children, especially for those living in rural areas, were disturbingly prevalent. Social problems I witnessed in China were much graver and in need of immediate redress than I had ever imagined. From conversing with a local college student whom I was paired up with during my stay, I learned about the struggles many children have in China, along with the social and economic struggles that rural youth face while growing up.
When I was asked to write about the Rural China Education Foundation after coming back from my summer program in Beijing, I was excited to learn more about the issue I had just witnessed while studying abroad. RCEF is an international non-profit that promotes education for students in rural areas, empowering them to improve both their lives and their living communities.
A first grade student raises his hand in class. Students are encouraged to be active participants in learning and are evaluated by RCEF on their communication skills.