Edited and translated by Liang Jun, People's Daily Online
Due to the family poverty, Jabayuewei, a nine-year-old girl, has to bring her younger sister and brother together to go to school almost every day.
Jabayuewei is in grade two at an elementary school in Mayizu village, Jinyang county, Liangshan Yi Autonomous prefecture, Sichuan province. Her brother is now six years old and her father passed away shortly after her sister was born. Her family is in heavy debt now due to borrowing money to her father’s illness.
Jabayuewei has to undertake almost all the household chores, including looking after her younger siblings, feeding the pigs, carrying water and cooking. She can carry 35 kg goods on her back.
But the little girl has never blamed her mother for poverty or chores and she always smiles. Though she is a child, she is strong in spirit.
