Teacher’s Pre-Wedding Photos Help Raise Awareness About ‘Left-Behind’ Children in China

Luo Zhonghua, who moved back to her village three years ago after graduating from a university in Zhejiang, wanted to help the “left-behind” children in her town and tell the country their story.

They are children who were left behind by their parent/parents at a foster home or to relatives in rural areas so they could search for a job in other big cities.

To accomplish her goal, Luo set up a WeChat account with the handle “大山的那边是海”(Beyond the Mountains Lies the Sea), and shares photos and stories of the children hoping their stories would reach the readers, according to Sohu as translated by Shanghaiist.

Readers are encouraged to donate to the school, the funds going towards purchasing necessary materials for the children’s education.

Luckily, her wedding is coming up next month. Luo saw this as an opportunity to take pre-wedding photos which could potentially spark discussions on social media and help her cause to raise awareness for the children.

The teacher borrowed a wedding dress earlier in December to take several pictures with her soon-to-be husband and 12 of her students. She admitted that her pre-wedding photos may not be as extravagant or as beautiful as others might have expected, but they are still precious to her.

About one-third of students living in rural provinces in China are believed to be “left-behind” children, according to reports published back in July.

Many heartbreaking stories about these children have been told over the past year, including the two boys who traveled under a bus for three hours just to see their parents, and the 15-year-old “left-behind” boy who left a heartbreaking note before committing suicide.

Featured Image via Sohu