Returning to School, Recovering Smiles

When she thinks back to Typhoon Gaemi, Xiaonuan’s heart begins to beat faster: “It was during the summer holidays in July, around 4 or 5 o’clock in the morning when my parents woke me up. Outside, there was thunder and lightning, and I saw the water had already reached the doorstep,” the 13-year-old from Zixing City in Hunan Province recalls. “We had to climb out of a window on the second floor using a wooden ladder. We stayed with neighbours for a few days and I was so scared, because I didn’t know where we could live and what the future would bring.”

The flood completely destroyed Xiaonuan’s home. “Our crops and things like electrical appliances on the first floor were all washed away. I later heard that entire school buildings collapsed, and that classrooms were filled with mud,” she says. “I was afraid that I would not be able to continue studying.”

Mei Zheng, her teacher at Zhoumensi School, witnessed how the flood submerged the building. “The rain was incredibly heavy that day, and the water rose rapidly. We watched helplessly as the school walls fell, and the floodwater rushed in. It quickly reached three to four metres. It was very frightening. Nearly all the school’s infrastructure was destroyed, the labs, library, and the books on the ground floor. It broke our hearts to see the school in ruins, we felt lost,” he recalls.

Typhoon Gaemi caused widespread devastation in Zixing City and other parts of East China in July 2024. It triggered floods and landslides that affected 41 schools and kindergartens, impacting 65,000 students. Zhoumensi School was one of the hardest-hit schools. To ensure the new school year could start on time, more than 300 teachers and students were relocated to another school. “The students were eager to continue their studies at this new school,” Mei Zheng says, adding:  “We told them that UNICEF had provided many supplies.”

UNICEF's response

China is prone to natural disasters like floods, typhoons, and droughts. Children are most affected and their rights to education, health, and sanitation are particularly impacted.

UNICEF has built a strong partnership with the Chinese government on disaster risk reduction and response and established long-term agreements with suppliers to ensure swift action during emergencies. This enabled UNICEF to react quickly when it received the request for assistance from the Zixing Education Bureau. “We collaborated closely with the Education Bureau to identify the most urgent needs. We then procured a range of teaching and learning supplies as well as toys and materials for kindergartens. We hope the supplies can improve conditions in local schools so that all children can return to school,” says Lou Chunfang, Education Officer at UNICEF China.

“UNICEF reached out to us and provided key supplies such as backpacks, sports equipment and study kits,” Zhang Xuhui, head of the technical equipment department at the Zixing Education Bureau, explains. “We also received over 2,000 sets of student desks and chairs, and 6,500 emergency hygiene kits which were very much needed. This has been vital for the children from 4,000 most severely affected families in our city. The support enabled them to continue their education and provided us with the necessary material for reopening the schools.”

"These supplies have been very useful", Xiaonuan explains. "I love the study kit, the new books and the hygiene pack. Now I can continue studying, despite the financial difficulties my family is facing."

“During the rebuilding process, we also will prioritise support for children’s mental health. And we aim to establish long-term programmes to strengthen the local education, health, and protection systems. Through comprehensive support, we hope to help local children and families so they can return to normal learning and living conditions as soon as possible,” UNICEF’s Lou Chunfang adds.

Regaining Hope

In the classroom, students sit at their new desks, fully engaged in their studies.  Yet, when they first moved to the new school, the transition was challenging.

“They looked depressed when they first arrived,” says Deng Changhao, a PE teacher from Zhoumensi School. “But now things have changed. With the sports equipment provided by UNICEF, such as volleyballs, badminton rackets, and basketballs, our students have been able to move beyond the shadows of the floods. The support has helped them adapt to the new environment. Their smiles have returned.”

The playground is filled with laughter and cheer. “We now have a good learning environment. I’m really happy thanks to all the support we received,” Xiaonuan says. Being back in the classroom has reignited Xiaonuan’s hope and courage for the future: “I want to study hard. I hope that one day, I can also help those in need.”