On June 2 "Magic Hospital" helped to bring laughter and a day of fun and happiness to the lives of disadvantaged Children in Shanghai and Beijing areas by providing children with a distraction from their daily lives.
"Ni-hao" (Hello) said Zhou Yiyi, an 11 year old when she sees the guests arriving at her school.
On "T-Shirt Day" children were the proud recipients of "Magic Backpacks" containing supplies to design a T-Shirt that are distributed to various care facilities such as Hospitals, Orphanages, Migrant Schools and Foster Homes.
A group of volunteers arrived at Guang Ai Migrant School Hou Shayu, in the Shunyi District on the outskirts of Beijing. On this day, a teacher had surprises for the children, who live and study together in a small compound.
As the back-packs are organized for the eager children who are trying to wait patiently in the school yard, the children are soon called into the school and each child is provided a red back-pack that has been filled with a set of pencil crayons, paper, colored markers, a plain white T-Shirt, two milk boxes and some moist hand wipes. The children so happy with their gifts say "XieXie" (Thank You) in appreciation and hurry off to begin work on designing their T-Shirts.
The children sit down at tables to begin working, some are hesitant at first and practice drawing some designs on paper before working on their new T-Shirt. When they are finished, the children put on their new shirts with smiles and laughter as they admire each others handiwork.
Guang Ai Migrant School was founded 4 years ago for children whose parents have left to find work. Downstairs the tiny class rooms hold about 15 students each with minimal lighting. Upstairs are the dormitories where rows of shoes are lined up outside each door. Inside the rooms are four small metal bunk beds pushed together where 10 children sleep with two of the smallest children sharing one bed. Underneath the beds are small wash basins, one for each child.
On Saturday mornings it is always a special day for the children, when Volunteers arrive at the school to introduce the children to music from different cultures, the children are taught the basics of reading music, clapping to the rhythms and some dance.
For more information contact: magda.the@magichospital.org
