When this photo appeared 30 years ago, it touched the hearts of thousands of people across China, with some bursting into tears when they saw it. But thanks to this photo, countless underprivileged rural children have been able to go to school.
In 1983, Su Mingjuan (苏明娟) was born into an ordinary farmhouse in Zhangwan village of Jinzhai County in Anhui Province. Her parents etched out a living in the mountains by fishing, raising silkworms and pigs, together with farming and planting chestnuts.
For Mingjuan in School, the ¥60 or ¥70 required for books and miscellaneous expenses each term was the biggest burden on her family, reports Nanjing Daily.
The school itself was dilapidated. With no money for glass, the windows were covered with plastic sheeting in the winter. But with no light able to penetrate the gloom, the children could only read with the windows wide open and a cold wind roaring through the classroom.
One day in 1991, Mingjuan was listening attentively as usual. Her big eyes eager for knowledge found Xie Hailong, a reporter visiting the school to conduct an interview. Xie knew those penetrating eyes would also find a place in people’s hearts. When Mingjuan, holding a pencil, looked up at the blackboard again, Xie quickly pressed the shutter.
After being published, the photo, entitled, “I want to read”, became a publicity symbol for China’s Project Hope. Almost overnight, Mingjuan, who was only 8-years old, had unexpectedly become a celebrity.
Ever since, millions of people have donated generously to help children on the verge of losing their schooling.
It was just the kick which Project Hope needed. Formed 2 years prior in 1989, the program was aimed at financing education for poverty-stricken students. Founded by the China Youth Development Foundation and the Central Committee of the Communist Youth League of China, Project Hope had received ¥15.23 billion as of September, 2019. Six million students in financial difficulty have been assisted and 20,195 primary schools also built, reported Xinhua.
That photo changed Mingjuan’s life. She would spend the next 30 years giving back.
In 1997, while just a sophomore in junior high school, Mingjuan took the initiative to remit ¥600 from her education subsidy to a girl of Hui ethnicity in the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, to help her realise a dream of studying.
After admitted to Anhui University 4 years later, Su insisted on transferring all of her ¥900 living allowance each semester to other, more-needy students.
Once Su’s working life began, she donated all her first salary to Project Hope and part of her income each month thereafter.
In 2006, Su and Xie auctioned the copyright of the famous photo. Proceeds of more than ¥300,000 were used to aid in the construction of a Project Hope primary school in Qushui County of Lhasa City in the Tibet Autonomous Region. Hundreds of Tibetan children have been able to go to school there since.
Most recently, in 2018, Su took ¥30,000 out her savings as the startup capital for her “Su Mingjuan Student Fund”, committed to helping more underprivileged students and passing on love and hope. The public welfare fund has assisted in building two Project Hope primary schools and funded 45 first-year university students.
Today, Su is the core of a happy family, a mother with adorable children. When Su had them thank Xie via video for his taking of that photo in 1991, those tears of 30 years ago were again shed by many.
