The girl is now a third grade primary school student in Maqu County, Northwest China's Gansu Province. She attends classes offered by the "Spring Bud" programme, which helps girls like her, orphans and those from poor families who have had to drop out of school.

For Yexe Zhoige, her teachers have become the parents she has missed day and night.

"My teacher Zhoigecao is like a mother to me," Yexe Zhoige said. "She often takes me by the hand and teaches me how to write. She also washes my clothes and buys me new shoes."

The bashful young girl also tells how last year when her eyes became inflamed, her teacher carried her on her back to see the doctor.

Yexe Zhoige has 20 "Spring Bud" classmates who are also Tibetan orphans, and who are also well looked after both in their study and daily life.

Many of the girls come from remote areas of Maqu County. The 1,300 yuan (US$155) needed by each girl annually for study and daily life comes from local government and donations.

Located on the eastern tip of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, called "the roof of the world" with an elevation of 3,600 meters, Maqu County is known as the "first bend of the Yellow River" since the second longest river in China makes its first turn in the county. More than 95 per cent of the county's population are ethnic Tibetans living off animal husbandry.

Approximately 76 per cent of the county's school-age children are currently enrolled in school, according to the county's Culture and Education Bureau.

However, girls from some poor families have no chance to go to school or drop out due to financial reasons.

Initiated by the China Children and Teenagers Fund and the All-China Women's Federation, the first "Spring Bud" class -- consisting of 50 poor Tibetan girls -- began in Maqu in 1997. All these girls are now sixth grade primary school students.

Jin Yongxiang, in charge of the "Spring Bud" class, said that during primary school, Tibetan girls mainly studied eight subjects, including the Tibetan language, the Chinese language, mathematics, art and nature.

"These Tibetan girls also study English and how to use computers when they enter junior high school," Jin added.

The students live and study at school and so the teachers are responsible for both teaching and the students' pastoral care.

Soi'nam Zhoi'ma, 14, was in the first "Spring Bud" group. She said that both the living and study conditions were good at her school.

"I've learned to sing many songs in Tibetan and Chinese," she said.

The county recruited the second group of 50 "Spring Bud" girls as students in 2000.

An official with the Maqu County Culture and Education Bureau said there have been no girls forced to drop out from the "Spring Bud" class.

The official said that Maqu County plans to invest more than 3 million yuan (US$361,000) to build another boarding school within five years so that more local girls, especially those from poor families, can get a good education.

(China Daily December 27, 2002)