Elderly waste collector pays for books for rural children in Sichuan

Liu Tuchi has donated tens of thousands of books to rural children in five villages in southwestern China and built more than 15 reading rooms over the past 13 years — all with just the small income he earns collecting and selling trash.

The 87-year-old gets up at dawn every day and sifts through rubbish bins, seeking anything that could be of value. “After selling the garbage, I go to bookstores to find books,” Liu said. When he has enough books, he sends them directly to children in the villages.

He has worn out five backpacks in nine years carrying tons of waste on his back. His granddaughter and her roommates have bought him a small trolley to replace his backpack.

Liu was a senior official with the health department of Suining, Sichuan province, before retiring in 1993. He was inspired to start helping students after seeing a primary school in remote Qilong village in 2005.

“I was shocked by the poor conditions,” he said, adding that he saw old classrooms, broken desks and a muddy playground, while students had barely any books other than their class textbooks.

“On such a playground, children were covered with dust on sunny days and mud on rainy days,” Liu said.

He withdrew more than 5,000 yuan ($790) of his savings and raised more than 8,000 yuan from his family and friends to donate books to the school. He also paid to concrete over the muddy playground.

Together with local authorities, Liu bought more than 1,700 books to help stock “reading corners” in every classroom. “In rural areas, children should not be left behind, especially in their education,” he said.

His work has opened a new chapter in his life. With only a small pension, Liu collects and sells waste such as water bottles, cans and newspapers — an occupation that his family supports.

“My father has always been a good person, and we all understand and support his decision,” said his daughter, Liu Naxin.

She works for a magazine in Beijing and helps her father contact nonprofit organizations, which provide help in choosing the books.

As for secondhand books, he gets many from recycling stations, and checks them page by page, cleaning them carefully and ironing out dog ears.

His perseverance and spirit are inspirational to his friends. The health authority in Suining has set up a storehouse for the waste the elderly man collects. Some of his neighbors also help transport and sell the waste for free, while others send their old newspapers and magazines directly to his house.

In 2008, Liu Tuchi started to build reading rooms, as he found books alone were not enough to change the lives of rural students.

“Only when the whole village is richer can children enjoy a better education with more books and schools,” he said. “Through the reading rooms, farmers can learn skills and access information, which are foundations for acquiring wealth.”

The pensioner’s efforts are greatly appreciated. According to Yang Lin, head of Chaoshui village, Liu Tuchi’s donations have enriched the lives of villagers and improved production.

“Grandpa Liu, I will study hard and pay you back when I grow up,” student Ye Qiao said in a written message, while another, Yang Jiao, added that she wants to be just like him and help others in rural areas.

“My dad is rich. Rich in mind and spirit,” Liu Naxin said.