International Save the Children Alliance
Voices from China
Xu Kesheng's Story
On May 12, 2008, a catastrophic earthquake measuring 8.0 on the Richter Scale shook Wenchuan County, Sichuan Province at 14:28:04. As of 12:00 on June 29, the statistical data from the Ministry of Civil Affairs reported that 69,196 people died, 374,176 people were wounded and 18,379 people were missing. The earthquake caused particularly severe damage to school buildings.
Xu Kesheng is a math teacher at the Xiaoba Town Primary School. After the earthquake, he actively took part in the resumption of school, and became a volunteer at the “child-friendly activity centre” established by Save the Children in An County. The “child-centred” training provided by the child protection experts of Save the Children benefited Xu a lot. Nowadays, in addition to facilitating children to play various “child-centred” activities in the “child-friendly activity centre” every afternoon, Xu also incorporates the concepts into his daily teaching. Students live a hard life in the bunk houses, but he said the supplies distributed by Save the Children have addressed the urgent needs of the children. After the earthquake, the Xiaoba Town Primary School has received substantial help from all walks of life, and Xu is confident that the school will resume soon.
During an interview with Xu Kesheng
“I just finished a math session for the third grade, and another session is waiting for me. The next session would have been an English session, but we have no English teachers right now. Our class had more than 30 students, but now less than 30 are present. Those students were taken out of town by their parents, and will come back when the school opens in September. These children’s parents work outside the town. Their houses have been damaged, and their primary caregivers, such as grandparents, can’t look after them. Their parents had no choice but to take them away.”
“Our school, located on the fracture zone of Longmen Mountain became a decrepit building after the earthquake due to the weak foundation. Later the government built some simple houses for school near the settlement site. Around two weeks after the earthquake, Save the Children sent staff to investigate in order to identify the needs of students. We told them the boarding school needed living goods for students as the government had already offered the teaching aids necessary for the resumption. For example, dormitories needed bedding and the simple houses needed fans.”
“School resumed on May 30th, yet on the 28th Save the Children had already sent the supplies here, including 400 sets of bedclothes and 55 electric fans, immediately improving students’ living conditions. Previously only the school office had one fan, but now every classroom and dormitory has two.”
“I thought this would be the end of their help, but several days later Save the Children set up an over 40-square-meter white tent, which would be a 'child-friendly activity centre' for kindergarten children. At first I didn’t know what it was. I only saw staff decorating the tent and preparing colourful small furniture, toys, books and pens… Then someone asked me whether I wanted to be a volunteer at the centre, saying the place gives children a safe and familiar environment in which children can shake off mental shadows and recover through playing, communicating and learning with each other. I thought it was a good idea. Later child protection experts trained us, covering the mental adjustment of teachers, the mental status of disaster-affected children and how to organize 'child-centred' games, painting and music activities. After the training, I firmly believed in the concepts advocated by Save the Children. I believe they are mature and effective, and offer help from the standpoint of children. Now I am trying to apply a 'child-centred' approach to my teaching sessions.”
“I teach at school in the morning and play with kids in the 'child-friendly activity centre' in the afternoon. All social circles including Save the Children have assisted the school substantially. I believe that the school will be fully resumed in September.”
Save the Children's work
Save the Children has provided the school were Xu Kesheng works with 400 quilts and 55 fans to help improve the quality of life of 400 boarded students.
How to Help
Learn more about our work in China and how you can help