Lushan County Recovers — One Year After the Earthquake

World Today

In China’s Sichuan province, One year on from the magnitude-7 earthquake that shook Lushan to the ground, houses are being rebuilt, and migrant workers have gone back to work in the cities. But what about the children who have been left at home by their parents who leave to find work. CCTV’s reporter Liu Yang finds out more about how they are recovering.

Lushan County Recovers -- One Year After the Earthquake

In China's Sichuan province, One year on from the magnitude-7 earthquake that shook Lushan to the ground, houses are being rebuilt, and migrant workers have gone back to work in the cities. But what about the children who have been left at home by their parents who leave to find work. CCTV’s reporter Liu Yang finds out more about how they are recovering.

Li Die looks shy, but there’s strength in her eyes.

Her grandmother takes care of both her and her little brother at home.

As the only bread-winner and in the hopes of getting a better income, their father works far away in the city as a door man.

He only comes back to see them once every few months.

Li Die tells the reporter, “All I can do is to study hard, and then find a better job in the future. So when I grow up my children will not be like me, having no parents to take care of them. It does not feel good.”

A team of professional psychologists and volunteers have been working hard to help these children who have suffered trauma from both the Lushan earthquake and from being left at home by their working parents.

Wang Lin, volunteer who is helping at the school, says, “We arrange group activities to improve their psychological health. Let them rebuild their confidence with help from each other.

Longxing high school has over 520 students, from elementary to junior high.

The principal says a shocking 450 students do not have their parents around.

The quake has left traumatized hearts, especially for these teenagers, who need a complete family around to help them pull through this difficult time.

Wang Tianlin, Principal of Longxing High School, says, “Parents are not around to give them a proper upbringing at home, most of the time they stay with their grand-parents, and that causes a defect in their education.”

Volunteers and school teachers are doing their best in what they can: bring happiness to these children, drive their fears far away and help them rebuild their hopes.