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"Guangdongis a prosperous city enjoying rapid economic growth. Why is the Gratia Education Scheme operative there?" was a question once raised. The statement is only half true. Coastal cities in Guangdong are rapidly developing through their involvement in the financial sector and tourism. Cities like Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Zhuhai are especially prosperous. However, their affluence serves to overshadow the poverty in northern and central Guangdon where unnoticed 2.256 million families are still living in huts constructed from mud bricks and couch grass.
Gratia began its education scheme in Guangdong at Li Le and Jiang Meng. Its work also includes repairing and rebuilding of primary schools. In 2011, in addition to Li Le and Jiang Meng, the Gratia Education Scheme has also extended to cover Qujiang, Shaoguan, Abas Nanxiong, Qujiang and other areas.
"During a school visit at Shaoguan, Qujiang in 2010, an arrangement was made for me to visit the family of a student living in the suburbs. Her name is Lily. She lives with her parents and a younger brother and sister. To make a better life, Lily's father, who originally only lived by picking tea, converted their hut into a small grocery store. In a cottage home with poultry raising neighbours, they were sharing their living quarters with the poultry. The environmental hygiene was very poor. Money was needed to assist the little sister to be promoted from Junior 3 to high school. Tuition fee was a great burden to this family. This is an actual case depicting a hard life."