As the new term started, nearly 400 students from 23 primary and secondary schools in Tanchang County, Gansu Province received an unexpected surprise gift—"Dream Packages" from Tianjin University.

Some of the packages are customized as Tianjin University students learned about students’ future dreams while they were doing voluntary teaching during the summer vacation. Students who dreamed to be pilots received model airplanes, and those who wanted to be musicians found musical Instruments in their packages.

Other packages called "deluxe version" included school things like new bags, books, notebooks and stickers and learning cards that offer students access to online education courses.

It is learnt that the dream package is part of Tianjin University’s efforts to lift Tanchang County, one of the poorest areas in the country, out of poverty by means of improving local education. Since the University paired up with the county to fight against poverty, it has taken multiple measures to enrich the local education resources like sending students and teachers to do voluntary teaching, organizing summer camps and building more than 20 dream classrooms that serve as biology classrooms, ocean classrooms, and reading rooms.

“This summer, Tanchang County suffered from severe mountain torrents and mudslides that have caused huge property losses. In preparing the packages, we hope not only to brace students up to face current difficulties, but also to instill in them the eager for knowledge and the courage to pursue their dreams,” said Li Xia, a supervisor in charge of students’ summer voluntary works from Tianjin University.

By Wu Zifei & Wang Yuanyi

Editor: Eva Yin