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China builds new homes and schools in Sichuan

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-08-26 21:23

CHENGDU: China has built the country's first special complex of new apartment buildings and schools for orphans and children of needy families in southwestern Sichuan province.

A classroom of the Xintanghu primary school, which is a newly-built base for the quake-zone children, is seen in Shuangliu county, Chengdu city of southwest China's Sichuan province, August 26, 2009. [Xinhua]

The province is still recovering from last year's devastating earthquake that measured 8 on the Richter scale.

A group of 712 children aged between eight and 14, of whom 338 are orphans, moved into the complex known as "Ankang Jiayuan" (Homestead of Well-being) in Shuangliu County Wednesday.

Related readings:  Quake-struck populace unbowed by tragedy  Quake-hit areas designated economic development zones  Quake-hit school reopens in Sichuan  Sichuan short on reconstruction money  Sichuan gets 1/4 of stimulus for rebuilding

The complex consists of two new apartment buildings, a primary school and a middle school. In addition to teachers, there are 80 specially-trained tutors to take care of the children's everyday necessities.

"It is beautiful here and I have no worries," said 13-year-old Luo Haowei from Yingxiu Township of Wenchuan County, the epicenter of last year's quake. He lost his parents in the disaster.

"All my teachers and schoolmates are very nice. We treat each other as close relatives," he said. "I will study hard and repay all of those who care about me with a good school record."

Wang Yanmei, one of the tutors, said she will attend to the children to the best of her ability.

"In my eyes, they are my own children," she said.

The "Ankang Jiayuan" project, the first of its kind specially built for Sichuan quake survivors, was initiated by the Beijing-based China Children and Teenagers' Fund (CCTF) after the disaster left more than 87,000 people dead or missing.

"Our fund started arranging the transfer of the children in Sichuan to other provinces not long after the quake, with the hope of helping them get rid of the psychological shadow and to offer a safe environment for their study and living," said the CCTF's Dr. Zhang Hefeng.

"Most of the children in "Ankang Jiayuan" studied and lived in Rizhao City, eastern Shandong province for a year before they came back to Sichuan in June this year," Zhang said.

Currently, "Ankang Jiayuan" is China's largest base to accommodate Sichuan quake orphans, and CCTF plans to build more complexes in the future, he said.

Construction of the sheltered environment was started in August last year and has cost almost 100 million yuan (US$14.7 million), which was donated by the Rizhao Steel Holding Group.

"Our company will continue to pay all the tuition fees for all the children until they finish middle school," said Wang Lifei, the company's deputy general manager.