Guizhou: Learning Win-Win

Guizhou Forerunner College [Photo by Cecile Zehnacker]

In recent years, poverty alleviation has become one of China's top priorities. Due to the sheer scale of the country's rural population as well as territory, the task seems daunting to say the least, especially in regions like Guizhou Province with a massive rural population, mountainous terrain making infrastructure tricky, and an ethnically diverse population. According to recent census figures, 54 of China's 56 ethnic groups can be found in Guizhou. Although Guizhou is rich in minerals, its treacherous landscape makes resources hard to tap, and many still subsist by farming. Daunting challenges have emerged. In accordance with China's anti-poverty drive, Guizhou is pressing ahead on two fronts: fighting poverty by developing tourism, and fighting poverty with education. In terms of education projects launched around Guiyang, the capital city of Guizhou, two major efforts are happening in Huishui County: Guizhou Forerunner College and Bai Niao He Digital Town.

Guizhou Forerunner College (GFC) opened in 2011 as a non-profit vocational college. The project became a reality thanks to VIA Faith-Hope-Love, a non-profit dedicated to improving the living conditions of disadvantaged people in rural China as well as disaster relief and reconstruction projects throughout the country.

VIA Faith-Hope-Love was founded in 2009 by HTC and VIA Technologies founder and CEO Cher Wang, one of the most influential Chinese businesswomen and philanthropists, and Wen-Chi Chen, general manager of VIA Technologies Electronics Co. and a legend in IT circles.

GFC provides college-level degrees and first-class vocational training for free or for a very low cost to impoverished families in Guizhou and surrounding provinces. Around the world, underprivileged children face a higher risk of dropping out of school, whether due to financial reasons or to help their family. "Most of us are high school dropouts aged 16 to 25," revealed one GFC student. "Poverty is the major factor pulling rural students out of school. Those from poorer backgrounds are more likely to drop out. If we don't complete high school, we are more likely to be poor. Without literacy or other skills that could advance our careers, we are left with few options and little income."

GFC creates the opportunity to go back to school to improve living standards. "I couldn't have imagined getting the opportunity to return to school, never mind the chance to study abroad,' smiled Wei Qiuni, another GFC student. "More importantly, this is totally free." The college offers language studies ranging from Mandarin to English, hotel management, internet marketing and management, and specialty courses such as those for the blind and training related to tea (an important industry in Guizhou). Other special classes cover traditional handcrafts of ethnic minorities such as batik or embroidery, some of which are officially recognized as Chinese intangible heritage. Craft courses are provided courtesy of the Minority Culture Heritage Center. Most students hail from ethnic minority families, which represent a major block of Guizhou's population. In order to preserve and strengthen precious local knowledge, GFC's faculty includes many local minority instructors.