“I remember when I first entered high school, I was very anxious and uneasy. At this moment, the hope (of a scholarship from CWEF) surged into my heart like a clear spring in the desert.
I was hesitant and uneasy because I feared losing my education due to financial difficulties, but CWEF has alleviated my anxiety. With the progress of the CWEF’s hope project, I began to move forward with determination.
In this context, I became a member of the experimental class for physics, chemistry and biology in combination. In the last joint examination with Yunxian County, I achieved the seventh place in the whole school.
Without the hope given to me by CWEF, I would not be able to learn without any hesitation and may stop due to external interference. If I am a lost pedestrian, then you are the Big Dipper.”
From a letter by Yue, a high school student from Yunnan China that received a CWEF scholarship.
————————–
Because of you, fewer obstacles stand in the way of higher education for Chinese girls like Yue! Thank you for being, as Yue said, their ‘Big Dipper’ and ‘spring in the desert.’ Your sacrificial giving is educating and equipping these girls to become strong leaders in their own communities!
Note: due to current policies in China, we are no longer able to share pictures of the students who receive our scholarships. Please allow Yue’s words of gratitude to paint the picture of your impact on her life instead!
This letter is written by Yingping, one of CWEF's high school scholarship recipients in China.
Dear Donors:
Greetings to all of you!
Thank you very much for the attention of the state, the school, and the donors to us poor students and for giving us practical help. We can’t express our gratitude in person, but we can only express our deep gratitude to the school and all the people who care about us and help us poor students.
SCHOOL-RELATED EXPENSES ARE TOO HIGH
Society is developing. For a poor family, educating a student is not easy. Besides, my family doesn’t only have one student to provide for, but I also have a younger brother in junior high school.
The distance from home to school is quite far for me, traveling back and forth costs 90 yuan. So sometimes I stay at school overnight.
MANY FAMILY MEMBERS HAVE CHRONIC ILLNESSES
When my parents were young, I didn’t have a lot of pressure. But now my parents are slowly getting older. In the blink of an eye, they are more than halfway to 100 years old. Their bodies are not in good shape.
My father has bronchitis. He takes medication all year round. My older brother and younger brother also suffer from bronchitis.
When I was a child, my brother fell ill, and we had to spend the family’s savings on his treatment. My parents often say that their bodies hurt, but they refuse to go to the hospital for checkups because they are afraid of spending money.
In a year, they cannot afford to buy one pair of shoes. All their clothing was given to them by relatives who did not want them anymore. This makes my heart ache deeply.
YOU PROVE THAT YOU CARE
Under such circumstances, the state and the school allowed me to have better study conditions, in part, by providing me a CWEF scholarship. Thanks to the state and the school for not forgetting us poor students.
In the school, the teachers prove that they care for us students by their actions. Thanks to your help I have the heart to work hard to get ahead.
I will try my best to finish my current studies and be ready for my future studies. Thank you to the country, the school, the leaders, and all the donors.
Yingping
—
THANK YOU to all of you who have demonstrated your caring heart for young girls from low-income families in China through your giving and volunteer work!
You are making it possible for Yingping and many others like her to pursue higher education. Your generosity through CWEF is raising up hundreds of Chinese students to become strong servant leaders in their own communities!
Love the work of CWEF? Get connected with us! Receive our updates and newsletters by clicking here.
Excerpts from a Letter Written by Keyu, who received one of CWEF’s high school scholarships for Chinese girls made possible by the generous gifts of CWEF donors like you:
“My name is Keyu. I’m a 17-year-old high school student. My father died in an accident when I was 14 years old, which was a heavy blow to me and my family. There are six people in my family.
HOW CHINESE EDUCATION HAS CHANGED. I was born in a poor family, but also in a beautiful society. When my parents grew up, they could not afford books, which led to the end of their education in primary school. Now, the national compulsory education gives many of our children the opportunity to enjoy too many educational resources. I am very lucky to be born in this era, when education can change my fate.
Inside Keyu’s Family Home
THE FUTURE KEYU DREAMS OF. I often fantasize about my future life and hope that my mother will live well. I want to be a very successful person. Even though I am ordinary now, I still want to grow up and become different.
MEMORIES WITH DEEP IMPACT. My father was always a person I admired. I think that I learned to drive a car mostly because of my father, who passed the driving license when I was very young. His driving skills made me feel very safe. So I always wanted to be like him. My father was sometimes meticulous and serious, but he would use the only money left in the house to buy a few kilograms of mutton to eat at home in the winter. Many memories have a deep impact on me.
The Outside of Keyu’s Family Home
THANKS TO EVERYONE FOR THEIR HELP! I am very grateful for the precious opportunity given by the foundation. Thank the country and society, Thank you for the kindness that this golden age has also given us. China is a country with warmth. Poverty makes our starting point backward, but I believe that as long as we persist, we will achieve what we are pursuing.
Finally, I still want to thank my motherland, thank you! Your support and love are also the greatest help and encouragement to me. Here, I would like to thank you with respect for everyone who is helping with the “development of youth education.” I sincerely thank each of you, thank you! Thank you for your help. I am very grateful! I also wish you all the best!” ~ Keyu
—
BECAUSE OF YOU and your generous donations through CWEF, Keyu’s family received extra financial support so she could finish her high school education. Now she dreams of attending college, succeeding in her career, and giving back to her family. You are helping fulfill Keyu’s dream that someday her mother will live well. THANK YOU for sacrificially standing in the gap for Chinese girls like Keyu!
Stay up-to-date on the latest with CWEF! Sign up for our update letters here.
See more of your impact in real time! Follow us on Facebook.
Hello! THANK YOU for your generous support of education for girls from rural China!
Please enjoy letter excerpts from Dan, a CWEF high school scholarship recipient:
Working for a better life. “At home, grandma and mom and dad tell me to study hard; so that I can get into a good university. It is only after I graduate that there will be more employment opportunities for me. I know this because my parents have struggled to earn a living and have often not qualified for job interviews because of their limited education. Since I started going to school, I always remember my parents’ expectation has been for me to enter the best school in our county, and I have been fighting for it.
I’m more of a home body. During my 14 days of summer vacation, I busily study and work on the farm. I have little free time; but for hobbies, I like to sing – not only Chinese-style songs, but also some English songs. I like that, in the song, I can experience a different world, feel the singer’s emotions, and expand my English vocabulary.
Facing failure. The most impressive thing for me this year was my parents’ response to my academic focus. I initially chose to study science with great anticipation. I listened carefully in class. Afterwards, I rigorously completed the homework. And yet even though I mastered the class material, my grade on the final exam was too low.
One time my grades really dropped. I felt a little scared. When I went home, my parents saw that I was tired of studying and cautiously asked me if I was okay. At that moment, I couldn’t hold back all my stress, and I told them that I couldn’t keep up with my studies. I didn’t know what to do. Dad was silent for a while and then asked me if I was only struggling with physics, chemistry and biology; or if I felt that I couldn’t keep up with the calculations. My father let me switch to the liberal arts, which focus on accumulating knowledge so that learning will be easier for me.
Living a happy life every day. Now my grades are keeping up. In school, I live a happy life every day. Through CWEF, people can give love and help to others. Included in this educational support, there are living supplies, which make the lives of poor families less strenuous; school supplies, which make studying easier for children that can’t afford school supplies; food items, which improve the quality of life in poor families, and charity grants to help people recover that have suffered major accidents.
Doing charity work is a very meaningful thing. I want to join in. And what I can do at the moment is volunteer. I will participate when I have the chance.“
You have provided pivotal support in Dan’s life. Many children from rural areas of China are never able to graduate high school because they cannot afford it. But through Dan’s determination and your generosity, she now has the opportunity to graduate high school and pursue college! Your kindness inspires young Chinese girls like Dan to not only excel academically but also to pass the kindness on to others!
Hello, everyone. My name is Chang Die; a student from Yunnan Province; who has been supported by Concordia Welfare & Education Foundation. I would like to share my story with you here, in the hopes of helping other students with similar experiences.
For as long as I can remember, my parents have been busy working hard every day. Planting and harvesting time are the most difficult: getting up before dawn to work and then going to bed close to midnight. Growing up I saw how hard my parents worked, so I felt that I also had to work hard. When I went to school, I always got up early and went to bed late, not willing to waste a minute of learning time. My parents also had too many expectations of me. I couldn’t live up to them.
Unfortunately, I did not get an ideal score on the college entrance exam because of the great emotional and study pressure I was experiencing. However, I am grateful that I was admitted to the major of medicine (medical laboratory technology) at last. Although I am not currently a clinician in a hospital, I can still contribute to the medical cause right now. Because my family and I have also experienced being sick in the hospital, I deeply understand the feelings of every hospital patient; so I perform my patient examinations and write my patient reports meticulously.
INSPIRED BY CWEF
I’m grateful to have been a grantee of CWEF since my first year of high school in 2013. Different from any other funding program at our school, CWEF not only provided financial aid to us but also paid attention to how each student was doing individually every semester. Until I graduated from high school in 2016, CWEF also regularly organized activities and inspirational education for us.
I remember once learning about a physically disabled boy who lost his hands. Instead of complaining about life and clinging to others for help, he used his feet instead of his hands to do everything on his own. After watching a video about him in class, my teacher had us try writing by biting a pen with our mouth. Writing this way, the words came out crooked. The teacher came up behind me to see the name I had written down, and she read it out loud. My heart felt both excited and happy because I am introverted, but the teacher clearly noticed me in that moment. Even though there are many stories out there like this boy’s, this lesson impressed on me how tough the disabled boy was. His example encouraged me that those of us with sound hands and feet have no reason to give up!
At the end of the third year of high school, CWEF teachers brought some foreign friends to visit and talk with us, encouraging us to study English well and have a broader vision for our future. To guide those of us struggling with college applications after the college entrance exam, CWEF also invited high school alumni to share their experiences with us, which was helpful.
Many different details and activities of CWEF not only brightened my whole high school experience but also encouraged me to forge ahead and study further, giving me strength to move forward. It was a time of high motivation and hard work for me. This high school season is still my best memory and has benefited me all my life.
PASS IT ON
During my college years, I seriously studied specialized courses, participated in work-study programs, actively participated in some volunteer activities in the university, and got to know many important people. All these things have led me to grow up, made me always grateful and full of goodwill towards society, and encouraged me to try my best to help the people around me that are in need.
The world is big and wonderful, and there are many things worth hearing, seeing, and trying. I will always remember CWEF’s help and care for me. If there is a suitable opportunity, I am still willing to participate in a public-interest organization. I’d like to pass on the warmth and help I have received to other people in need.
Thank you so much for your sacrificial giving towards young Chinese students like Changyi! Having received love and support through you, she is now eager to give back by spreading goodwill and generosity to others in her sphere of influence.
As a young adult, Weifang is living out the value of “local people serving local people.” She has donated much of her time in recent years to serve others.
“In my spare time, I help the community as a volunteer in the local area, especially through anti-epidemic work…. Social stability is everyone’s responsibility. I am one of them, too!”
What Scholarships Make Possible
When she was younger, Weifang was an academically strong student and received a scholarship from CWEF in 2011 until 2014, when she graduated from high school. The scholarship support, made possible by generous supporters like you, relieved a financial burden to her family.
“I’m grateful for the financial aid from CWEF and the professional guidance I received. It reduced my personal psychological pressure, and I could devote myself to studying with more piece of mind.”
During her high school years, Weifang and other scholarship recipients received resiliency lessons and social/emotional encouragement. These lessons and activities provide additional support to scholarship students. Weifang remembers them fondly:
“I felt hope for the future, love and hard work for my life and study, and I grew self-confidence. I also gained a group of friends who I have maintained deep friendships with to this day.”
Weifang performed well in high school, going on to Guangdong Technical Teachers College to major in accounting. Once she graduated in 2018 she went on to be an accountant before ultimately shifting to be a math teacher in 2021.
She notes that the scholarship program and additional support lessons have had a long-term positive impact in her life:
“I was able to grow and maintain a healthy mental state to face problems I encounter in life and work.”
Choosing to Serve Others
Weifang joined a group of volunteers, comprised of other CWEF high school scholarship program graduates, in a domestic non-profit called Shining Star. As a volunteer, Weifang began teaching left-behind children through Shining Star’s GROW program.
“When I became a teacher of the GROW program (leading resiliency activities and lessons), I liked the feeling of teaching and learning. It’s destiny! I am now in the education profession.”
Inspiring Future Leaders
Sometimes life comes full circle in more ways than one. This former scholarship recipient and accountant is now paying it forward as a teacher. Being a part of Shining Star’s community has introduced Weifang to her love of teaching, as she is now a math teacher.
During 2022’s Spring Festival, Weifang asked some children what they thought of the volunteer work she was involved with, and if they wanted to do it as well when they were older.
Weifang has been doing a great job of paying it forward, because they all said “Yes!”
Your generous giving to the CWEF scholarship fund made it possible for young people like Weifang to focus on their studies, complete high school, learn valuable life skills, and form deep bonds with a supportive community!
Each of these has been a key component in her ultimate success. And more than that, your sacrificial giving empowered and equipped Weifang so that she can pour into and inspire other future leaders.
Thank you for stepping up to help transform the lives of young students in China!
This article was written by Elena Semler, CWEF volunteer.
Meet more inspiring Chinese scholarship recipients! Read Lijuan’s story of transformation here.
Get more exciting updates of your day-to-day impact through CWEF. Follow us on Instagram or Facebook!
Hello everyone! My name is Lijuan, I am from Guangdong province, China.When I was young, my father, the only breadwinner in my family, fell ill and was unable to financially support my education. And so first of all, I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to my teachers and all the caring people of Concordia Welfare & Education Foundation for helping me in my most difficult time and for choosing me among so many people to receive financial support.
In addition to that, the summer and winter camps held by CWEF & Shining Star every year made me and the other students feel happy and cared for and exposed us to new things and new friends. I have become a more cheerful and confident person because of this organization.
Looking back on these ten years of schooling, I am very happy that I was able to receive a higher education with the help of many kind people. Growing up in such a difficult family, I knew that only studying could change my fate; so I studied diligently from elementary school through high school. I have been asked many times by other parents, “Do you have any tricks to study? How come you study so well?” I would usually laugh and think, “I don’t have any tricks. It’s just that I have no one behind me, so I have to work hard.”
The moment I received my university acceptance letter, I was both happy and frustrated. Happy that my hard work for more than ten years had finally paid off, and I could change my destiny; frustrated that my debt-ridden family could not support my college expenses. Thanks to the good policies of the Party and the Country, and thanks to the kind-hearted organizations like CWEF, I was able to fulfill my dream of going to college!
I entered the university knowing that the opportunity to go to university is not easy to come by, and I kept telling myself that I should cherish it twice and that studying should be the first priority. So I studied hard and ranked in the top 20% overall, while also pursuing a minor in administration over the weekends.
Every year I have worked hard to get scholarships, some of which were supplied by Concordia Welfare & Education Foundation, and these scholarships have largely relieved me of my worries. By using the scholarship funds I received only for my studies and real needs and by not comparing my food and clothes to those of other students, I relieved my family of some financial burden.
As a college elective, I decided to try a new challenge: tennis. When I began, the coach thought I was short and had no advantage in playing tennis. So I just followed the other players and taught myself. When I had time, I went to tennis lessons, played on the courts every day, and consulted with the coach and other players. After another year, I became the best player, and the coach was impressed with me.
The tennis coach wholeheartedly trained me every day. Soon I became the assistant tennis coach, and I worked part-time during weekends and holidays. Because of the coach’s help and teaching, I became a better version of myself during this period of my life. And after four years of ongoing practice in college, I had the honor of winning the tennis championship my senior year.
After graduating from college, I began regularly supporting charity work, and I started a tennis club along with some of the other athletes. I also began studying for the teacher preparation exam. I was unsuccessful in the first round of exams, but I studied and prepared for the exams again. Fortunately, I got into the teaching profession. I am now a teacher with a bachelor’s degree in physical education from Guangdong Institute of Petrochemical Technology. I like my job, and my life is the way I want it. Thank you for all the people who have helped and encouraged me over the years.
Many times over the years, I was confused and torn by the choices I faced, but as long as you follow your heart, not afraid of failure, not afraid of hardship, and dare to try; I believe you will become what you want to be.
Thank you for your generous donations to Concordia Welfare & Education Foundation’s scholarship fund for Chinese girls! Because of you, young women like Lijuan have been empowered to change their destinies and reach their professional dreams. And now they are helping others do the same.
—————————————————
This letter was originally written by Lijuan in Mandarin; translated to English with the help of Qian Qian, CWEF volunteer; and edited for length and flow by April Chiasson, Communications Manager.
This summer, during our Join The Community campaign, we are looking for more people with a heart for students like Lijuan. Would you consider joining The Community as a monthly donor today?
Thanks to Concordia Welfare & Education Foundation, I was able to finish high school and meet a lot of caring people. These people have shown me that there is no lack of love in this world and that love is always around us!
Among the many caring people I met, the one who impressed me the most was Dolphin, CWEF Program Director for scholarship recipients in Guangdong at that time. Dolphin was like a bright light for my heart, showing me the way. She was like a big sister who always encouraged me and the other students and helped us solve our problems. When I was in college, I learned that Dolphin was a social worker. So I vowed in my heart that I want to become a person like Dolphin and help more people. But although this dream is very beautiful, it is very hard to achieve.
In the end, because of my college entrance examination scores, I chose a university that did not have a social work major and ended up applying for the English major. I wanted to speak English fluently like Dolphin. But things didn’t turn out like I hoped. The year that I applied for the English major entry was very competitive, and I was not accepted.
I was down for a long time knowing that I would become a teacher instead rather than a person like Dolphin. I didn’t know if I had what it took to become a teacher. But Dolphin told me once, “Haiyan will be a loving and energetic teacher. I believe the students will like you very much!” After she said this, I was so happy. Because of Dolphin’s encouragement, deep inside I was sure that I would become a loving, energetic and popular teacher someday. It was Dolphin’s affirmation that gave me direction for my future.
Sadly, these days I rarely participate in charity activities. This is because of the nature of my work and the travelling distance. Although I can’t participate in charity activities like I did with Dolphin in college, I have slowly realized that my love has still never stopped spreading. This is because I am focused on my work as a teacher.
Now my goal is to educate my students well, cultivate their good habits as well as their love for others from childhood.
Now my goal is to educate my students well, cultivate their good habits as well as their love for others from childhood. I can help them to grow up in a loving environment, and then they will have the ability to help more people in need. Let love spill over; let love warm the earth; let love flow forever!
—–
Thank you for your generous giving to Concordia Welfare & Education Foundation scholarship fund for Chinese girls! Because of you, young women like Qiu Qiu have received the love and support they need to achieve greater heights! And more than receiving an education, these young women also learn the beauty and power of love and are giving back to their communities.
Read more about the impact of your giving here on our blog!
See more videos and snapshots of the work you make possible by following us on Facebook!
*This letter was originally written by Qiu Qiu in Mandarin. It was translated via software into English and then edited by April Chiasson, CWEF Communications Manager.
One of the pillars of CWEF’s development work has been to support the educational journeys of high-achieving girls from rural areas of China whose families are experiencing difficult financial challenges. Thousands of teens have been able to complete their high school education through tuition support and student development programs that support their mental and emotional health, preparing them for life after school and for their future vocations.
In 2015, the United Nations established 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with targets to improve lives for people worldwide. SDG4 is “Quality Education” with the mission to “ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.”
Many of the young women that have received support from CWEF not only graduate from high school, but also achieve strong results on the highly-competitive gaokao (National College Entrance Examination), making it possible for them to continue on to university. As SDG4 promotes, the quality education these young women receive in their teen years provides them with the opportunity for lifelong learning and career success. Completing this challenging and high-pressure educational journey changes these students’ life directions and will impact their families for generations afterward.
Recently, two CWEF High School Scholarship program graduates wrote back to us to share about their experiences during their first year at university:
Xi is a graduate of Leju High School in southwestern China. She is now studying “elderly health care and management” at Baoshan College of Traditional Chinese Medicine.
In a recent letter, Xi expressed:
“Time passed quickly, and I graduated from high school in a flash. Over the past three years, my [scholarship] has given me great support not only in life, but also in spirit. I remember when I was about to take the college entrance examination. In fact, I was very nervous….I was so nervous about my grades, and I could not relieve my inner tension. Thank you [CWEF] for coming at just the right time to provide us with psychological counseling support. Through some activities during the workshop that day, I learned methods to relive my psychological pressure, and also relieve my nervous mood. Thank you for your efforts!”
Yan at her high school
Yan at her university
Another recent graduate, Yan, attended high school at Zhaoyang No. 1 High School. She was recently admitted to the University of Traditional Chinese Medicine of Yunnan.
From university Yan reflects:
“I’m very grateful for CWEF’s support, which enabled me to experience three busy and fulfilling high school years. I am full of hope. High school and college are different—I find it very novel and confusing at the same time. I am learning more knowledge and I am also making new friends from different places, and I participate in many activities. Life is more colorful. I am going to make a better plan for my studies and life. I will set goals, study hard to learn medical knowledge, and I hope to help others in the future.”
Thank you for your generous support that makes it possible for young women like Xi and Yan to stay in school, gain a quality education, and be positioned for a bright future! In these notes from university, they expressed their gratitude for the critical support you provided to further their academic careers, and also, crucially, to help them grow and develop their own personal social-emotional well-being.
Looking back and looking forward, they are motivated by purpose and filled with hope for the future.
Xuemei, a high school senior in Yunnan Province, has dealt with many hardships and feelings of helplessness during the past year due to COVID-19:
“At the beginning of the school year, I failed to go to school for the first time. I had to stay at home and attend on-line classes… The price of everything was increasing, but the income of my family was decreasing. Living expenses became more expensive, and our debts were getting heavier and heavier.”
Like many around the world this year, Xuemei and her family struggled with increased living expenses and growing debts. It was then, in a time when she needed some hope, that Xuemei found it in the support she received because of your gifts.
“With your support, I didn’t feel so helpless. I felt warmth and saw light ahead of me.”
Xuemei with her classmates
Xuemei is a recipient of a CWEF High School Scholarship, which covers all school-related costs and provides student development support in crucial areas such as setting goals and making plans, managing emotions, teamwork, and more.
Although Xuemei’s family has struggled financially due to the pandemic, their decreasing income did not put an end to her education, thanks to your generosity. Once it was safe for the students to return to school, Xuemei was able to return as well. She is happy to share: “Now we are lucky to be able to go back to school again.”
Because of your generosity, Xuemei has not only been comforted amid a challenging time, but she has also received tangible help that, in her own words: “let me move forward and get closer to my dream.” With her renewed sense of hope for the future, Xuemei remains faithful to her goals and aspirations, “I will study hard and try my best to go to university.”
Xuemei and her family have lived a difficult life in rural Yunnan even before the pandemic. However, it is these difficulties that have given her a perspective that we should all aspire to have. In a letter to her scholarship sponsor, she writes, “Though I have never met you or seen you, I will still have a grateful heart.”
CWEF scholarships educate and equip bright young women like Xuemei to live a life of leadership and service. People like you make it possible for people like Xuemei, even after a global pandemic and a devastating year for her family, to have hope for the future.