Regaining hope on the Tibetan Plateau

In Dingri County, high on the Tibetan Plateau where the mountains touch the sky, the early mornings in March are still chilly. Overhead, prayer flags flutter against the pale blue sky. In the town centre, rows of blue tents marked with “emergency relief” in Tibetan script stand firm against the gusts.

Just a short distance away, children’s joyful shouts and laughter ring out from Dingri County No. 1 Middle School. One of the children, 13-year-old Drolma, dribbles a football across the school’s pitch. She weaves between classmates, her footsteps light, her eyes steady.

“I love playing football,” she says with excitement. “When I play, I’m calmed down and all my fear and sadness from the earthquake just vanish.”

Before the earthquake in January, Drolma had been going to school in Chamco Town, where she is from. When the earthquake severely damaged her school, Drolma was relocated to the Dingri county school to continue her education, along with more than 500 other students and teachers.

Her voice drops as she recalls that morning, “I was asleep when the quake struck. I was terrified when the house collapsed. I thought I wouldn’t make it.” She pauses, eyes fixed on the ground. “I saw a gap and crawled out through it. Then I started thinking about my school. If the school had collapsed too, where would we go to study?”

For teachers like Penma Yangkyi, the memories are still difficult to talk about. “Our school was hit hard by the earthquake. We didn’t know if school could reopen or if students could resume learning. One of my students, unfortunately, died in the earthquake,” she says, her voice cracking. “They used to run up to me after class. Now, they are gone. It was heartbreaking.” Tears well in her eyes.

UNICEF’s response

China is prone to natural disasters. When natural disaster strike, children are most affected and their rights to education, health, and sanitation are particularly impacted. UNICEF has built a strong partnership with the Government of China to improve disaster risk reduction and response for children, and it has established long-term agreements with suppliers so that it can get support to children and their families quickly during emergencies.

“We were deeply concerned about the earthquake’s impact in Xizang,” says Lou Chunfang, Education Officer at UNICEF China. “After learning that schools in Dingri County needed supplies for the new semester, we worked with the local education bureau to deliver school supplies, including toys and sports kits, to support three schools and ten kindergartens.”

“These supplies played a crucial role in helping students return to school smoothly. They have also greatly supported children’s daily lives and learning,” says Chen Xin, an official from the Dingri County Education Bureau. “We’re especially grateful to UNICEF for their swift response during the emergency. This truly reflects the spirit of humanitarianism.”

For teacher Penma Yangkyi, seeing her students smile again brought comfort after the darkest days. “When I saw the children holding the kits from UNICEF, with such bright, joyful smiles on their faces, my heart was full. It’s incredible that so many children could return to in such a short time. Thank you, UNICEF.”

For children in emergencies, education is about more than the right to learn. Schools can offer psychosocial support, and they give children stability and structure to help them cope with the trauma they have experienced.

“We aim to establish long-term programmes to strengthen local education, health, and protection systems,” says Lou. “We hope to help create a safe, healthy, and vibrant learning environment for the children so their learning and life could return to normalcy as soon as possible.”

Learning begins again

The wind still sweeps across the plateau, but now it carries new sounds—children reading aloud, pencils scratching on paper, and the rustle of pages turning. Sunlight streams through the window of the classroom, lighting up Drolma’s face as she traces the lines with her pen carefully while reading.

“When I got to school and saw the stationery and sports kits from UNICEF, and all the other things, I felt a deep sense of warmth,” she says with a smile. “I dream of becoming a doctor. These supplies help me study better and bring me closer to my dream”.