Empowering the rural ‘sisters’
Student-led program encourages village girls to get involved in sport and other activities
Ye Tingting, a sophomore from Zhejiang University, just had a truly unforgettable summer vacation. Early in August, she traveled all the way from Hangzhou in Zhejiang province with other 14 university students, to a quaint village school nestled in the scenic landscape of Dali in Yunnan province.
They were volunteers on a twoweek summer camp for the school’s students, with a special focus on empowering the young girls of the community. They organized a range of activities including gender education sessions, music workshops, storytelling sessions, and sports classes, and spent their days alongside the young learners.
For Ye, this opportunity was something she had eagerly anticipated.
Growing up in a small town in Wenzhou, Zhejiang, she had a formative experience at a charity pairing event, where she was introduced to an “elder sister” from the city.
“She went all over buying the school supplies I needed, including a pink backpack that I absolutely loved,” Ye recalled.
“The encounter had a profound impact on me, as it showed me the care outsiders could have for me. Accepting such goodwill but not passing it on would leave me feeling disappointed in myself.”
The summer camp in Dali was part of the female empowerment project, named Boundless Girls, which aims to encourage more teenage girls to get involved in sports.
Before Ye and her fellow volunteers arrived in Yunnan, they underwent rounds of training to prepare.
“Initially, I was too self-conscious to speak up in front of people, but after the training sessions, something changed,” she said.
“I’ve now found my confidence. It hit me that I’m actually OK with expressing myself and sharing stuff.”
During the summer holiday, 22 schools were turned into campsites as part of the Boundless Girls project, attracting more than 300 university students from across the country to volunteer.
There are even male volunteers involved in this project centered around the growth and mutual support
of teenage girls.
One of the volunteers was Zhao Chachen, a physical education major at Zhejiang University.
“Before taking part in the summer camp, I didn’t really want to become a teacher,” he said.
However, the experience has sparked a deep interest in education.
“I’ve come to realize that teaching isn’t just about giving one-way lectures, rather, it’s more like a two-way healing journey.”
He noticed that the participants at
the camp were sensitive to the emotional ups and downs of those around them, and were quick to show their care.
“There were times when I was stressed or feeling down, and the kids just came over and tried to cheer me up.”
One day, a student was running late as a result of some family issues. “Based on my own childhood recollections, I expected that the other students might tease her for being late,” Zhao said.
That is not what happened. Instead, when the class was over, some of the other students went up to their classmate who had arrived late, gave her reassuring pats, hugged her, and shared their snacks with her.
“They were so sweet,” Zhao marveled.
Living in the city, Zhao wonders whether the attention of city children nowadays is diverted by gadgets, which might weaken emotional connections between individuals. The strong bonds between the students in Dali deeply moved him.
Around 160,000 students from 700 primary schools across the country have benefited from the project since it was started by sportswear giant Nike, on March 8, 2019.
“Initially, we provided schools with customized resources for girls’ sports, including sports kits, curriculum development, teacher training, and financial support. All of these elements were aimed at helping girls unleash their potential through physical activity,” said Xu Lin, head of Social and Community Impact at Nike’s Greater China operations.
Last year, the project began a recruitment drive for university volunteers, followed by training sessions to prepare them for their roles. “The volunteers show the girls involved in the summer camps a broader spectrum of life’s possibilities,” Xu said.
She believes that they could be more accessible role models for the teenagers.
Xiang Jiaming, 12, is a grade five student at Gucheng Primary School. A few years ago, she was not fit, and frequently suffered from gastritis, which necessitated frequent hospital visits that disrupted her studies.
Then two years ago, she began an after-school routine of playing basketball with her peers on her village’s cement basketball court. Over time, her fondness for the sport grew, and she later became a point guard on the school’s basketball team.
“I used to be frail and got sick often, but these days, I’m feeling fit,” she said.
During the summer camp, the volunteers often played basketball with Xiang and her schoolmates.
“We’ve been taught how to dribble with both hands and to relish teamwork. We had a great time together,” said Xiang.
More importantly, the camp allowed Xiang to address a lingering emotional struggle.
Since childhood, she had battled with self-doubt stemming from her darker skin. During the camp, she connected with a volunteer nicknamed Xiaoxue, who shared her struggles with self-confidence due to weight issues. Through heartfelt conversations, the two found mutual healing and comfort in each other’s stories.
Another transformation also took place during the camp, when the school’s bumpy cement basketball court was replaced with a brand-new, vividly-colored one.
The work of fashion designer Susan Fang, the new court was built using rubber soles recycled from old Nike sneakers, a sustainable technology the company calls “Nike Grind”.
“During our research, we discovered that the school had a thriving sports culture but that its old playground was uneven and full of potholes, posing potential safety hazards,” Xu said, explaining why Nike chose Gucheng Primary School for the new court.
“And the school has 477 students, so renovating the basketball court would greatly benefit a considerable number of children.”
Xu added that the company plans to build 100 Nike Grind courts around China by 2030, particularly in schools in remote areas.