I am deeply grateful and happy for your donation and funds! This scholarship has granted me the opportunity to continue with my studies and go to school again.
My name is Jin Chang. Before I received your sponsorship, my father didn’t want me to continue my studies in high school because my family is really poor. My family has six members: my parents, grandmother, older sister, younger brother and I. My brother is currently in second grade. My grandmother is above seventy years old and she can only help with some of the cooking and my mother has a mental disorder. This makes my father the only one in my family that can go to work and support our family.
My father doesn’t have a stable job so our family’s income varies every month. He does a variety of work and when he is free, he will work on the farm that we have near our house. On our farm, we planted about one hundred tangerine trees. Every morning, my dad wakes up before the sun rises and checks on the tangerine trees. My brother and I go help him with the farming after we come back from school. On average, our family can sustain three meals per day.
When my father disagreed that I should continue with my studies, I thought, “Our family is the poorest in the whole village. People in the village look down on us and think that we are a burden to them. Now, I have met the requirements to continue to study in high school but we can’t afford it. Is this how my life will be? Can this possibly be my destiny?” At that moment, tears flowed out from my eyes like a river.
Now that I have received your donation, I am really grateful. I can continue to learn in school so that one day I can repay my parents and repay you for the love and care that you have sent to me. I will try my best to work as hard as possible to understand the concepts that we are learning.
Last year, after I finished the (high school entrance) exam in school, I got a job and worked for a month during the summer. There, I was able to earn some money that I could use for living expenses and some to support my family.
Right now, I am determined to reach my own goals: I will work harder to get better scores on tests and in the future, I work to get into to my dream college. I hope to become a teacher so that I can give knowledge to other children.
Even though I have received your scholarship, I still want to decrease the economic burden and pressure in my family. During the holidays, I will look for some work to do and earn some money so people in my village wouldn’t look down upon my family ever again.
Since I don’t have a lot of time to write this letter, I will write up to here for now. I will definitely remember next time to write more on what’s happening in my life and keep you updated. Once again, I am really happy and glad that you are willing to help and send a donation so I am able to study again.
Thanks! Stay healthy and live happily every single day!
Jin Chang
