Lighting Young Dreams in Dazhai

Since being appointed as the first secretary of Dazhai Village in July 2024, Zhao Guoguang from Tianjin University has prioritized educational assistance as a core strategy for consolidating poverty alleviation achievements and advancing rural revitalization. Through home visits and needs assessments, he has established a dynamic database of disadvantaged students and implemented a multi-pronged support mechanism combining temporary aid policies, social resource mobilization, and coordinated funding.

Focusing on children from orphaned, low-income, or crisis-stricken families, Zhao has worked to ensure that no student is forced to drop out due to financial hardship. To date, he has raised over 50,000 yuan through various channels, benefiting 15 individual cases.

One such case is a student in the eighth grade at Dazhai Nine-Year School, who recently lost her father to a serious illness, leaving the family without a breadwinner. Upon learning of her situation, Zhao quickly secured and delivered a 2,000-yuan emergency grant on May 16 to support the family through this difficult time.

Another student, a local orphan known as Xiaokuan (pseudonym), lives with his elderly grandmother and lacks stable income. Monthly stipends provided through Tianjin University’s support program have become vital to their livelihood. With continued care and encouragement, Xiaokuan has not only regained academic confidence but was recently admitted to a key county-level high school with outstanding results. “Without Tianjin University’s help, I don’t know how we would have survived,” said his grandmother.

Zhao has also collaborated with the university’s 26th Graduate Volunteer Teaching Corps to provide regular home tutoring and mental health support for children in difficult circumstances. Through short videos and outreach activities, he is fostering a culture that values education and empowerment in the village.

“We aim to light the path to education for children in the mountains with every donation,” said Zhao. “Our goal is not just to ensure access to education, but to help every child thrive and grow into a pillar of rural revitalization.” Moving forward, the university plans to deepen its partnership with Dazhai Village by improving its scholarship and aid system and integrating educational support with local cultural development to provide lasting momentum for sustainable progress.

By: Qin Mian