By He Ping and Wan Yan
To help all migrant workers enjoy a happy Spring Festival, the traditional day of family reunion in China, an activity was co-started lately by governmental departments and nongovernmental organizations in Hongkou District, aimed at reuniting migrant workers in Shanghai with their left-behind children in their hometowns. The children of 20 housekeeping staffs and sanitation workers were invited to Shanghai to celebrate traditional Chinese New Year. Present at the activity opening ceremony were chief district government officials.
In the ceremony, 20 left-behind children drew pictures of the home in their hearts with their parents on paperboards and wrote down their new year wishes. “Dad, Mom, we’re together now!” A child expressed the aspiration of all left-behind children. Another migrant worker in Shanghai said, “I’m so grateful. It’s too hard for me to see my child in the hometown.”
On February 10, these children from Sichuan, Jiangxi and Hubei provinces went to the Creation House in Guangzhong Road Community. Under the guidance of volunteers, these children learned to cut planks after picking templates, putting on protective devices and adjusting sawing machines, then make them into handicraft models. The children had such a great time as they not only got together with their parents but tried things of novelty in different places.
Reports say, this activity to last 8 days will get all left-behind children to have a closer look at Shanghai by visiting landmarks like Shanghai Tower, China Pavilion in Expo Shanghai and Chang Feng Ocean World, and have all parents and children take part in creativity competition and ravioli making.