Transformational impact: fostering opportunity for rural students in China.
How ongoing support from Deloitte China volunteers is helping to close the opportunity gap and foster brighter futures for primary school students in rural communities.
Each year, millions of people in rural areas of China travel to cities to pursue economic opportunities. While they pursue economic opportunities, some of their children attend schools in their local communities. Through Deloitte’s WorldClass initiative in China, we aim to help empower these rural students through the Children Care program, which focuses on nurturing the growth of children like Wei, who remains in Hubei province with her extended family.
With the goal of supporting remote and rural regions, Deloitte China volunteers like Angela, Wei’s mentor, are helping to uplift students by developing their social and emotional skills while broadening their horizons. By providing emotional support and extra-curricular knowledge, this initiative bridges the opportunity gap between urban and rural areas, enabling these students to realize their full potential.
“We know we’re planting a seed of opportunity when we pair with each student. We’re building trust in each other, learning new things, and developing new skills together.”
- Akina Shen, Director, Deloitte China Foundation
In rural communities, improved internet infrastructure is helping to unlock new opportunities for students. Deloitte China volunteers are building on these technological advancements to play a crucial role in helping to nurture students' social and emotional skills, offering consistent educational advice, and empowering each child they work with through regular video calls and ongoing support. Additionally, volunteers make annual visits to rural schools, providing extra in-person support to students in their courses.
The initiative helps create safe and supportive environments that foster the development of vital skills, including self-esteem, self-management, and social awareness. Equipped with these essential tools, students feel encouraged as they work to achieve their aspirations and see what’s possible in the world.
“One of the values I can bring to Wei is that I can help her broaden her perspective. I can see the change in her, she’s getting more confident.”
- Angela, Wei’s mentor
Beyond the impactful relationships built between volunteers and students, Deloitte's WorldClass effort also supports rural schoolteachers. In tandem with the Deloitte China Children Care program, several other initiatives work to reinforce rural teachers’ capabilities to improve student’s quality of education in China. Through ongoing collaborations with local non-profit organizations, the Rural Youth Teacher Training program has helped empower over 58,000 teachers and impacted the lives of 2.82 million students in China by helping to upskill new teachers and giving them the tools, they need to strengthen student’s academic success.
Ensuring that students have equal access to support and quality infrastructure should be a critical step towards a more equitable and brighter future. By nurturing the growth of students like Wei and cultivating the self-awareness and relationship skills that are essential for each student’s well-being, Deloitte China is creating an impact that ignites opportunities for rural children across China.
