A thank-you letter from Kehe Township in Sichuan’s Ngawa Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture, also known as Aba, brought genuine chuckles and smiles around Leader Mutual Freight’s (LMF) Chengdu bureau. It’s been three school semesters since LMF began sponsoring the education of two Tibetan kids through the Aixin Beibao (“Caring Backpack”) civic initiative, and their sincere letter renewed our hope in humanity’s capacity to nurture and care for one another.

Located on the Tibetan Plateau of northwestern Sichuan, Kehe Township is a remote community facing a multitude of challenges, especially in access to transportation and medical care. Most residents forage for medicinal herbs in exchange for yuan, and many kids are unable to complete their education because of financial constraints.

The Aixin Beibao (“Caring Backpack”) civic initiative matches sponsors with individual students who live in the autonomous prefectures of Aba and Liangshan Yi. With the help of volunteers, LMF was able to sponsor two studious students who come from struggling Tibetan families — a fourth grader surnamed Choenyi, and Hsu, a third grader.

Choenyi’s father cannot look for full-time employment because of his spinal and neck pains. His mother who suffers from rheumatic diseases is the sole bread-maker in their 15-member clan; she cares for the family’s 11 cows, and uses their milk to make dairy products for sale. Her income is supplemented by digging for traditional herbs and roots. Choenyi’s older siblings are also enrolled in school, meaning the mother has shouldered an enormous financial burden and is unable to properly care for Choenyi.

Hsu’s father abandoned their family unit three years ago. His brother, mother, and Hsu have been staying under their uncle’s roof since. His mother forages in high-elevation areas to make ends meet, resulting in an annual income of only 2,000 to 3,000 yuan.

The two families are also recipients of the government’s low-income subsidy, but that all goes towards covering living expenses. Even without parental guidance overseeing their education, Choenyi and Hsu are energetic and studious; the walls of their households are plastered with academic certificates, according to the eyewitness accounts provided by relatives and friends.

With assistance rendered by Aixin Beibao, LMF’s Chengdu branch was able to contact the teachers of Kehe Township Central Primary School, and they accepted our proposal of sponsoring Choenyi and Hsu’s new winter clothes and school supplies for every semester they remain enrolled. This arrangement has carried on for three semesters since the fall of 2021.

A proper education is not solely about achieving academic excellence. Choenyi and Hsu are respectful and reverent, as befitting of their young age, and their thank-you letter touched our hearts. It was our pleasure to read about their confidence towards school and the future, their energetic language reinvigorated our belief in two concepts:

“Even the dimmest flame can light up a boulevard” — LMF is determined to sponsor more disadvantaged students so that education can become their key to a brighter future. Our small act of philanthropy may be the catalyst for more widespread change in society.

“Love begets love” — our Chengdu bureau honors its staff yearly with the “Star Employee of the Year” award. The 2022 laureate, Ji Qing-bo, donated his winnings of 5,000 yuan to create a starter fund to sponsor more students.

The freezing winter arrives earlier for mountain communities. We call on other like-minded individuals and companies to join our endeavor of bringing warmth and hope to marginalized members of society.