A young Chinese woman, who grew up at a rescue centre, received an admission letter to a prestigious graduate school, expressing her gratitude to her unique family of social workers.
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The 23-year-old, known by the nickname Liang, has lived at the Yangpu District rescue centre in Shanghai for nine years. After her father passed away from illness when she was five and her mother went missing, she was placed in the centre.
Initially, an elderly couple served as her foster family, but they had to terminate their agreement in 2015 due to personal issues, leading to Liang’s return to the rescue centre for children in need.
The social workers at the centre treated Liang as if she were their own daughter. However, Liang faced challenges as she lacked a hukou, a residency permit necessary for accessing higher education in Shanghai, because she was born out of wedlock.
Until recently, children born to unmarried parents were prohibited from being registered with a hukou in China.
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Li Fuqiang, the former head of the centre, played a crucial role in helping Liang prepare her documents and obtain a hukou, allowing her to enrol in a senior secondary school. The staff in the rescue centre’s canteen ensured Liang received nutritious meals, while centre drivers transported her to school, consciously keeping their distance to avoid embarrassing her in front of classmates unaware of her background.