Xiakou Primary School is located at the junction of Zhejiang, Fujian and Jiangxi. It is one of the most fringe township primary schools in Quzhou. It welcomed 14 retired rural teachers to teach 101 local children free of charge this summer. The 14 elderly people are all retired teachers in Xiakou, with an average age of 70. The oldest is over 80. They have been volunteering for left-behind children in this rural elementary school for 14 years.

Wang Shixin, 80 years old, is one of the initiators of the free summer interest class at Xiakou Primary School and the only teacher who has persisted for 14 years. In 2001, after Wang Shixin retired from the position of the principal of a rural elementary school, he saw some left-behind children becoming internet addicted teenagers due to neglect of discipline and care, and some even went astray. This made Wang Shixin very self-blaming and distressed. 

In 2003, Wang Shixin organized more than a dozen retired teachers to pair up with left-behind children in Xiakou Primary School for one-on-one assistance. In 2007, the Counseling Center for Left-behind Children in Xiakou Township, Jiangshan City was established, and the summer interest class for the Home of Left-behind Children in Xiakou Primary School officially opened.

In the summer vacation of the following 14 years, this charity has never stopped. A total of 25 retired teachers left their footprints. "This team is voluntarily attending classes. Whoever makes a material request will withdraw. This is our ‘rules’." Xie Genyou, a 70-year-old retired teacher, said at the opening ceremony this year.

In 14 years, the old look of Xiakou Elementary School’s has changed, and students have moved into a more spacious and bright new campus. The long road to help students will always be persisted by the retired teachers of Xiakou.

(Compiled by Xu Yuhong, translated by Hu Lingyun)