The blossoming journey of a migrant child

In the summer of 2019, six-year-old Zixin and her four-year-old sister left their village for the first time to follow their parents to Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, where Zixin would attend first grade. Previously, Zixin was cared for by her aunt while her grandmother took care of her sister.

Since then, Zixin and her sister became migrant children, a term used in China to describe children who have moved from rural villages to a bigger city, often due to their parents' work or economic reasons. According to the Seventh National Population Census in 2020, there are 71.09 million migrant children in China, which means one in every four children is a migrant child. These children often have problems adapting to their new environment and lack development opportunities, protection, and emotional support.

  | Zixin (middle) volunteering to conduct a survey about bullying prevention with local residents.

Upon their arrival in Nanning, Zixin and her sister were confronted with the unfamiliarity of the city, a stark contrast to their village life. In an effort to ease their transition, her mother would take them to the park whenever she could spare a moment. These family outings became cherished moments, yet the challenges of city life persisted for Zixin.

Zixin's family resides in an area that is a hub for migrant workers in Nanning City. Here, a community center stands as a beacon of hope. Since 2015, World Vision and its partners have utilized this center to serve migrant children, fostering their holistic development. These initiatives, ranging from cultivating reading habits and life skills to promoting child protection, have transformed the lives of children like Zixin, allowing them to blossom and flourish.

| Each team had to gather 20 completed surveys, but Zixin managed to gather 25. She (standing) shares her experience with her peers.

One day during third grade, Zixin was walking home from school when she came across a flyer promoting a hobby workshop at the community center. She quickly took the flyer home to show her mother. That was the first time Zixin joined an activity at the center. 

"I first chose to attend the painting class. Then I also started to join storytelling classes, birthday parties, summer camps, and festival-themed events such as the Mid-Autumn Festival, Dragon Boat Festival, and Chinese New Year."

 | Zixin (standing in first from right) and her partner (standing on second from right) teaching participants sand art.

Zixin enjoyed the peer education activity the most of all the activities she participated in. She partnered with another girl to teach their peers sand art. "This was my friend's idea, and I was her assistant. We prepared the material, read books, wrote a script, and asked questions beforehand. We also spoke about how I was going to assist her." Zixin would practice before each class to prepare for her role. After conducting the classes, she found it easier to speak and tell others what to do each time.

"When we were planning for the peer education activity, Zixin offered to partner with another girl because she didn't find an activity she could conduct, but she was eager to participate. During the first day, her partner got nervous and couldn't continue with the opening session, so Zixin stepped in to help, which gave her partner confidence to continue," said the center's social worker.

Zixin's mother, filled with pride, observes the remarkable change in her daughter: "I think she is braver now. She is willing to talk and try new things, and she is also a lot happier. She feels proud when she volunteers, comes home, and shares every time. She has definitely gotten better at communicating."

World Vision's partner continues to run the community center and provide services to migrant children around the area. "I hope the center will organize more excursions, peer education sessions, and anti-bullying groups in 2024, shares Zixin, who is now 11 years old. These activities have helped us communicate better, build our confidence, and overcome our fears."