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Brothers of Yi ethnic group walk out poverty-striken home through sports

Xinhua, August 15, 2015 Adjust font size:

They went to college with the help of their talent in sports. They went outside Sichuan province for the first time to compete at the Chinese Ethnic Games. They are brothers of the Yi ethnic group, coming from one of the poorest area of China.

Ashuo Yongguzi and Ashuo Erguzi's home is in the Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture in southwestern China's Sichuan Province, where many families are grappling with abject poverty.

"I had not watched any TV program until I was nine years old," said the 24-year-old younger brother Ashuo Erguzi, who is a junior student at Mianyang Normal College, 800 kilometers away from his home, and has changed his name to Shen Youzhen for convenience.

"We herded sheep and cow when we were kids," recalled the 26-year-old elder brother Ashuo Yongguzi, who is a PE teacher at his hometown. "There were barely cars on the road, so we ran a lot."

Both brothers are good at running and with the help of this speciality, they went to college far away from the remote Liangshan, home to nearly five million people.

"We live in mountains, we have advantages in physical abilities. When we were under training by coaches, we showed our potentials at sports soon," said Ashuo Yongguzi.

The brothers' home is not far away from 12-year-old girl Muku Yiwumu, whose essay titled "Tears" was described as the most heartbreaking essay in the world by Chinese netizens.

The 300-word essay, recounting the girl's sadness and helplessness following the death of her parents, was revealed as a version being rewritten by a volunteer teacher, but still prompted reflection on the country's fight against poverty.

"I have read the essay on Internet," said Ashuo Erguzi. "In our hometown, there are many children raised by their grandparents, as their parents are out for making a living. But those children are easily to become dropout students."

However, Ashuo Erguzi believed his two nephews could have brighter futures. "I think they will go to college just as my brother and I did. Maybe they will still need the help of their speciality in sports. " Endi