No mountain high enough to keep reporter from reaching children

For over two decades, Zhang Junlan, 56, has been busy with her reporting role at Tianjin Daily - but she's been up to a lot more, too.

Since 1997, Zhang has taken the lead in several charitable campaigns and helped raise money for students in the Liangshan Yi autonomous prefecture, one of the poorest regions in Sichuan province, greatly improving the lives of the Yi ethnic children there.

Her deeds have impressed a growing number of people - including management and government officials - so much so that in 2010 a charitable workshop was set up at her newspaper.

Braving rugged terrain, challenging roads and often unpredictable weather conditions, Zhang has been to the remotest areas of the region in Sichuan several times, frequently encountering floods, thick mud, landslides and other hazards.

On more than one occasion on her journeys through the mountains, her vehicle nearly plunged off dangerous single-lane plank bridges.

She also knows that visiting the region entails a calculated risk of sorts, as some diseases are endemic to the local population.

"Nevertheless, I will give the money raised by charity to the people and places most in need," Zhang said.

After over 20 years of helping the Yi children, Zhang said she can't remember how many students she has supported. But one thing she said she'll never forget is reminding every student to write letters expressing their gratitude to donors.

For every letter, Zhang helped them revise grammatical mistakes and improve their calligraphy before personally mailing them off to faraway benefactors. She said she cannot remember how many letters she has helped post.

Zhang's deeds have come to the attention of international organizations. Her workshop has teamed up with charitable entities such as the Fu Hui (Canada) Education Foundation to establish three schools for orphans and young female students in the region.

The latest figures show that poor and orphaned students benefiting from Zhang's efforts now exceed 10,000.

She said her dream to help the children began in August 1997 when she went to cover a story in Liangshan. She was taken aback by the heartbreaking poverty there, and since then she decided to commit her free time to helping improve the lives of villagers in the remote mountainous region.

Liangshan locals idolize Zhang, especially because her devotion to the Yi children transcends family and ethnic ties.

Liu Yingmei, a former student at the Liangshan Minzu School who has received support from Zhang, has since earned a doctoral degree and has a successful career.

She said her family was too poor to buy even a box of matches when she was in middle school, and she only ranked No 29 in her class in terms of test scores. She couldn't even meet the minimum standards to receive donations for promising students.

"Every festival I would call Zhang to express my gratitude, because she didn't drop me when I was not a good student, and she helped me to win funds from a Hong Kong organization for 11 years. She helped me achieve excellence," Liu said.

In March 2005, Zhang received a letter from an orphan, Cai Li, saying she and her big sister had lost their parents and dropped out of school.

Upon learning this, Zhang devised a plan to help the siblings. Now, the elder sister has graduated from Tianjin University of Technology and returned to Liangshan to work as a civil servant, and Cai has graduated from Liangshan Minzu Normal College.

Cai said she will always remember the time Zhang cried with her and gave her encouragement in life.

"Poverty relief in Liangshan is never an easy task. When we support them, I often tell them, you are never alone because in faraway areas, many people have love for you," Zhang said.

"I also encourage students to build up bold characters and perseverance to help tackle challenges, and I also hope they pass on the love, courage and confidence to others."

yangcheng@chinadaily.com.cn