Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
Shanghai has attracted millions of migrant workers who come here looking for a better
life. Many of them leave their children behind in their home towns, and rarely get a chance
to see the smile on the kids' faces. But a charity event Saturday in Shanghai offered
an opportunity to let some parents here in the city to meet their children at home, and
to celebrate Children's Day.
When Dai Genju saw her 10-year-old son online Saturday morning, she almost cried. She said
that she hadn't seen her son in central Hunan Province for a long time, and she had a lot
to tell him.
"I want to say happy Children's Day to my dear son," said Dai. "I should have spent
some time with him today, but I can't. I haven't seen him for half a year. I want to go mountain
climbing with him and take him to the zoo, because he likes it. I want to go back to
him. It's so lonely working here in Shanghai without my son."
Dai is one of fifty parents working in the big city who have left their children behind
and got a chance to talk to the kids online.
"Any change to my kids? They must have grown up a lot," said Zheng Lixin. "I've been in
Shanghai for 10 years. Every year I just go home for the spring festival, and spend the
rest of the year working in Shanghai."
And organizers brought ten children to Shanghai for a personal reunion. Those lucky enough
to do that said they really cherished the moment...
"This is my first time in Shanghai in many years," said Lin Yuanyuan. "I haven't seen
my mom for more than a year. I'm so happy."
"I'm so happy," said Jiang Xianying. "At first when we got the organizers' phone call, I
couldn't believe it. But when I saw my daughter last night, I realized this was really happening.
Thank you for bringing her to me."
The All-China Women's Federation estimates there are at least 61 million left-behind
children across the country whose parents are migrant workers in other cities around
China. Many of those big cities are working on ways of uniting those children and their
parents by solving major concerns like education. Here in Shanghai, a new migrant workers system
will go into effect next year. It will allow children of workers who meet certain criteria
such as time spent and taxes paid here to join local students and take their high school
and college entrance examinations in Shanghai.