Givology: Blogs
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Longfeng Ran: another year complete
We are now fundraising to support Longfeng for another year! As you can read from his handwritten letters, your contribution has made a tremendous difference. $250 paid for tuition, books, school supplies, and transportation for the 2009-2010 school year.
Unlike some of our other partners which provide a one-time grant to a student, the scholarships provided by the Peach Foundation last for two years in order to provide the children with a sustained period of education. In September, the children returned to school, and we are hoping to raise another $380 for the 2010-2011 year.
One of the most innovative aspects of Givology is the opportunity to make connections across the world – both inspiring and being inspired by the children that you support. We sincerely hope you consider supporting Longfeng again. Even if you choose not to make a financial contribution, we still urge you to send him a message that we can deliver. Words of encouragement can go a very long way!
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Summer vacation update from Longfeng Ran
As you can see from the letter below, Longfeng has had a meaningful experience working over her summer vacation. As always, we invite all Givologists to message Longfeng to show your continued commitment!
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Dear Givology,
Greetings! I was so happy to receive your letter, I opened it quickly with much anticipation and started reading. Thank you for your caring and concerns, I am doing well. My parents are doing all right, though I worry about them since they are weak in health and prone to illness.
There is certainly some pressure in the process of studying and learning, but whenever I think about how educated people are the blessed ones in this world, I am happy to have knowledge fill in the emptiness of my inner spirit. There are many inequalities in this world, such as in wealth and power, but the gain or loss of literacy embodies inequality of the mind and spirit.
Many children who were born into poverty like me have lost the opportunity to study and learn. I think I am a very lucky child. I am so thankful for an organization like Givology - you are the ones who have given me the opportunity to study, otherwise I wouldn’t be able to continue my schoolwork. I owe my gratitude to every kind person who has helped me! Thank you to every person who has supported my studies, thank you for your sincere concerns and encouragements. I will study hard to help myself complete my life’s dreams.
My studies are going well; my grades usually place me in the top three or so of my class. In the summer, I went to work in a restaurant. The owner was very nice and took good care of us students. He said, “One should feel admiration and sympathy for a student who is willing to work to earn wages instead of going home to relax during his summer vacation.” As he finished saying this, he told me I could start tomorrow. The owner’s comment really moved me, so I responded, “Thank you, I will work diligently.” During those days of working in the restaurant, the work would sometimes be very tiring, but I am not one to grow weary and give up. I also met a lot of other students and became good friends with them during my time there. They were very nice to me and also took care of me. They told me they respected me, particularly for my strong will and thirst in knowledge that have helped me stay true to my dream of becoming a teacher and the path I will take to get there.
There were many things I didn’t know how to do, so they taught me patiently. I slowly learned many things that I didn’t know how to do before. In many ways, their constant help made me feel very happy. Those days passed quickly, and with a blink of an eye, school was starting soon and it as time to say goodbye. During this summer vacation, I realized many things: no matter how difficult of a problem or situation we face, as long as we are brave enough to tackle the problem directly, we will be successful in reaping happiness. There are many things we do not know how to do or understand in daily life. It is incumbent upon us to seek understanding; only the growth I gain from the learning process can fulfill me. Allow yourself to learn and apply what you learn in daily life. If we never try to learn, we will never have confidence in our own abilities.
Wishing you good health and all the best.
Happy every day! I love verry Peach classes!
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A note from Longfeng Ran
We just received this letter from Longfeng! As you can see, reading the messages she receives from Givology donors has proven a great way for her to practice her English. Please continue to message her your encouragement!
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Translation of Longfeng's letter
Here's the translation of Longfeng's latest letter. Please message her to show your continued support!
Thanks,
The Givology Translation Team
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Givology,
I’m very happy to hear from you.
My father is in better condition now, thanks for asking. He wants me to work harder at school, since that’s the only way my family and I can have a better life. I’m very glad that my family finally supports me to go to school and I won’t let them down.
My family is kind of underprivileged and my parents have been sick a lot lately, which makes me very sad. We mostly rely on farming to make a living, but now my father’s disability makes the situation even worse that I cannot afford to go to school. Though they don’t have the money to let me go to school, they still encourage me, and I no longer feel alone.
I love mathematics, and I am super excited about math classes. Also, I like English, because I want to travel abroad to experience different cultures in the future.
I've developed a very good relationship with my parents. They make an effort to understand me and they also take good care of me. They ask me to cherish the opportunity to go to school because when I get older I won’t have a chance like this. I’m glad to hear them say that, and I’ll definitely work harder at school. I understand they had me drop out of school only because they really couldn't afford it. I’ll take care of my parents when they get old, because I want to make them happier. Right now our lives are more difficult, but we are a happy family.
One problem I have at school is that I have only paid half of the tuition and the principal agreed that I can pay the other half later. I think the principal is a very nice guy and he’s sympathetic to our plight. My classmates also helped me out when I have troubles. I am very grateful to all the people who have helped and cared about me. I’ll never forget you all. Another problem I have is that I find learning English a little bit difficult for me, but guess I will just work harder and I believe I’ll eventually nail it. After all, I believe that where there is a will, there is a way.
I paid most of that half of the tuition by borrowing from my aunt and my older brother and the rest by getting a summer job. The scholarship of Peach Foundation covers my living expenses. If there’s a problem that I really can solve on my own, I’ll apply for a small loan from the Peach Foundation. I believe all my hard work will eventually pay off long as I don’t give up. Actually, I plan to be an educator after graduation. If possible, I want to study abroad to expand my horizons. I really want my life to be meaningful.
I’m doing pretty well at the new school now. Time goes by so fast, I have to cherish every minute to study. I even made a time table to study more efficiently. Also, I’m very strong now, thanks for asking. I won’t let you down!
Happy Every Day! I love very Peach classes!
Best Wishes,
Longfeng Ran
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Update: December 2009
See below for Longfeng Ran's latest letter! As you can see, she is continuing to learn English. Our translators are currently working on this letter and will have the translation posted soon!
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One Year Complete!
Longfeng Ran has successfully completed one year of school! As you can read from her handwritten letters, your contribution has made a tremendous difference. $250 paid for tuition, books, school supplies, and transportation for the 2008-2009 school year.
Unlike some of our other partners which provide a one-time grant to a student, the scholarships provided by Peach Foundation last for two years in order to provide the children with a sustained period of education. In September, the children returned to school, and we are hoping to raise another $250 for the 2009-2010 academic year.
One of the most innovative aspects of Givology is the opportunity to make connections across the world – both inspiring and being inspired by the children that you support. We sincerely hope you consider supporting Longfeng again. Even if you choose not to make a financial contribution, we still urge you to send her a message that we can deliver. Words of encouragement can go a very long way!
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Update: May 2009
With respect to my campus life, there is so much I can talk about. My school is at the river bank of the Tao River, a nice serene place suitable for studies. Behind the school campus is a green mountain winding away to the far distance.
There are three dining halls on the school campus. The food is delicious and the prices are reasonable. There are different extracurricular activities on the campus that students can choose to participate in, such as dancing and basketball.
Besides normal study subjects such as science, math, and languages, the school also puts an emphasis on cultural education, the goal of which is to help the students to establish healthy life philosophy with a high moral and ethical standard.
Overall, my first impression on this school is that it is a great place to study. It has quiet surroundings, and the environment is comfortable for student life.
I believe knowledge is power and knowledge can determine a person’s destiny. The subjects that I enjoy most include Chinese linguistics, mathematics, English, biology, arts, physical education, and Mandarin dialect.
One of my current interests is to be a campus broadcaster, a radio host, or to become a leader in the student government body. I think these activities can increase my confidence, organizational and leadership skills.
I like my teachers and fellow classmates very much. We come from different corners of the society and we are just so happy to get to know each and study on the same campus. We have a group of girls just like sisters. We help each other, study together and play together. We love our teachers and they are doing a good job. They not only pass on their knowledge to us but also teach us how to be responsible citizens.
My hometown is a very poor village in a mountainous area with poor transportation conditions. My parents are peasants growing crops on a small patch of land. Years ago, my father left home for big cities as a migrant worker hoping to earn a bit more income to raise his family. Unfortunately, he was hit and injured by a car last year. He has not fully recovered yet and now can only work at a lower capacity to sustain himself.
After the accidents, my parents were talking about stopping my schooling after I finish my middle school. Lack of family income is the key reason, and another factor is the old fashioned thinking of my parents. They think because I am a girl, sooner or later I will get married and become somebody’s wife. So the investment they put in my education will become an investment of somebody else – my future husband. Now since they do not have money to bring the food on the table, why not stop my education. This thought made me crazy and desperate because I love school and I want to continue my education. I firmly believe with a good education I will be able to control my own destiny and I can have a better life than that of my parents.
After a careful thinking and struggling, I decided to leave my home to pursue my own dream and destiny once I finish middle school (junior high). In China, after my middle school, students have two choices. The first choice is to continue study in a high school and later go to a university after passing the entry exams. The second choice is to go to study in a community college after middle school and earn a diploma for a technical profession. Since my parents cannot afford to send me to high school and eventually to attend a university, I decided to pursue the second option because I do not want to stop schooling.
I applied to and was accepted to Xichang Normal School – a community college. I borrowed some money from my aunt, left home, came to Xichang. If I can graduate from this school I can become a teacher and I will be able to help my parents and myself.
With farming, my parents now can only take care of themselves but not be able to support me on my education cost. I need to find some work for myself and borrow money from my relatives. But I am determined to finish my study here for my own future and for the betterment of my parents’ life.
Although my dream to become a university student seems broken or become very distant, maybe one day I can still do that. But for now, I will work hard to complete my community college education to find a job to become self-reliant and to help my parents.
I am so grateful in receiving financial support from Givology. I know in this poor mountainous region of China, there are many kids who are just like me and who need help. I consider myself so lucky to receive your support. I will work hard and do my best to acknowledge your generous support. Thank you.
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My Autobiography