On June 22 and 23, when women's activity centers were officially established in Yanggou and Lizhuang Village of Zhangjiachuan, ten local kids were entitled as the 'Little Sunshine Teachers'.
In Zhangjiachuan, where 70% of population are Hui Muslims, rural women's illiteracy rate is over 90%. Due to local customs, they often lack opportunity to receive education and participate in the village affairs.
The women's activity centers will serve as a place for women to get together to learn how to write, receive relevant training, and to discuss women-related issues.
Along with the women activity centers, Zhangjiachuan DA also launched a 'Sunshine Little Teacher' program. In Yanggou village, 10 school kids became the first 'little teachers' in the opening ceremony of the women activity center. These little teachers are supposed to teach their illiterate mothers what they have learned in school.
Although most husbands are literate, but they are either out in the city working, or lack the patience to teach the women how to write. Kids have been proved to be more patient in teaching others. With the launch of the 'little teacher' program, the school kids are supposed to become the 'seed' in her family for illiteracy reduction.
"I have learned 10 Chinese characters from my daughter in the past month", said Ma Jifeng, a single mother of 5. Her little daughter, Wang Yanyan, was just selected as one of the little teachers.
Ma Jifeng has 4 daughters and one son, and Wang Yanyan is the only daughter in school among her 4 daughters. She is now in Primary 3.
"I couldn't afford to send them all to school. My eldest daughter quit school years back to help me raise the other kids. I feel so bad about it. I wish Yanyan will stay in school, and maybe they can teach my other kids too", said Ma Jifeng. Her husband went to work in the city ten years ago, but never came back. Later, she learned that he has married another woman and abandoned her and their children.
"If I could manage learn 100 Chinese characters, I would be able to know the names of major items relevant to farming and recognize the characters on the packs of pesticide and animal feed", said Ma Jifeng.