“We are the descendants of the revolution. We are the legacy of the Red Army. We are the hope and future of our motherland......”. From July 22 to 30, 2018, the Spring Bud “Inheriting the red gene, flying the dream of blue sky”summer camp was launched by Air Force and China Children and Teenagers’ Fund in Beijing. The clear recitation of 22 Spring Bud students from two old revolutionary districts of Yanchuan County and Xunhua County.

During the summer camp, Spring Bud students watched the flag-raising ceremony in Tian’anmen Square, visited the Capital Museum, China Science and Technology Museum, Beijing Planetarium, the Palace Museum, China Aviation Museum and the Great Wall, and came to the military barracks to communicate with the Air Force. During the “Red Gene Talk” activity, children sang songs to show gratitude to the Party and the military. From this summer camp, children learned the history and culture of the motherland, and feel the prosperity of the country. 

The Inheritance of Love

Visiting to the female army barrack is the part the children looking forward to. “I really want to see what the air force is like that’s helping us”, said Cai Maoji (alias). Whey they arrived at the camp, the female soldiers greeted the children from far away with enthusiasm.

The first performance was women fighting, then the female soldiers showed the children around their dormitory. Spotless table, flat bed, tofu-like quilt, all reveal the army’s spirit. In the display room, wall was covered with various awards and pennant, as well as award cups of different sizes in the display case. What attracted the most attention of the children was the support of the “Spring Bud” program by the female soldiers, and the photos of the Cairenzhuoma in Yushu, Qinghai Province. Female soldiers passed children a positive energy to face whatever difficulties they may encounter later in life.

At the end of the tour, children and soldiers were reluctant to leave, saluting, gesturing with hearts, and waving away.

Air Force Determination

Some of the children at summer camp are seeing planes for the first time, especially at the aviation museum. “Very shocked”, said Cairendongzhou, this experience to Beijing firmed his dream of coming to universities in Beijing. “Then?” asked the reporter, “then join the army”, he smiled. Cairendongzhou stayed for a long time in front of the exhibition area of aviation talent training. No sure whether he wanted to join the air force, but this trip to Beijing has planted the seed in his heart.

Say Goodbye at Ancient Way

The summer camp came to an end when they arrived at the Juyongguan Great Wall. The sun was scorching and the mountains were covered with green foliage. The excitement of the children’s first visit to the Great Wall was palpable. They looked up to the plaque of “The First Mountain Under Heaven”, or touched a brick that has been eroded by centuries of wind and rain. “I never thought I would have the opportunity to come to Beijing to see a beautiful world beyond the mountains, to eat a lot of good food that I never could, to see a lot of things that I had never seen before, and to feel the air force’s care for students in poor areas”, said Baimalamao. Li Jiameng, a Blue Sky Spring Buds teacher from Shanxi Province told reporter that the support from air force has brought huge changes to the poor areas. The air force has not only helped build new dormitory, but also select teachers to participate in the “Blue Sky Spring Buds” teacher training program, and fund children to participate the summer camp in Beijing, helped those children in both material and spiritual ways.

Since its implementation in 1981, the Spring Bud program by China Children and Teenagers’ Fund has formed a complete funding service system that integrates educational support, career support, employment support, protection support and special activities to care for left-behind children. In terms of targeted poverty alleviation, the program pays attention to the precision of the regions, objects, contents and fund distribution, forming the whole relief chain of caring for children, especially girls in education, safety and health. In helping girls who are out of school in poor areas to return to school, thousands of girls have changed their lives, and made great achievements in safeguarding their rights to education, social equity and advancing social civilization.

The air force has been involved in implementing the “Blue Sky Spring Buds” program for 24 consecutive years since 1995. Soldiers from air force has donated 140 million yuan to help 28,877 children complete their studies, built 94 schools and 110 “Happy Home” for children. In addition, they have helped provided skills training to 3,910 Spring Buds teachers and girls, helped over 40,000 infants improve nutrition and over 1,000 children with congenital heart disease. With their practical actions, the air force have contributed to promoting the unity between the army and the people, helping alleviate poverty, and realizing the “two centenary years’ of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects and realizing the Chinese Dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese Nation.