The China Children and Teenagers' Fund (CCTF) and B'in Music Culture Media (Beijing) Co., Ltd co-hosted a public welfare growth camp event for 10 girls from Tianjin's Ninghe District from April 18 to 20.

It was an exciting, fulfilling and unforgettable experience for them to visit a century-old university, grasp a deep understanding of virtual reality technology, draw inspiration from music, appreciate the charm of the Haihe River and engage in dialogue with history.

At Tianjin University, the girls enjoyed its beautiful campus scenery and deepened understanding of its profound history and scientific research development. Under the guidance of volunteers, the girls toured around the Medical School, the School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, the ninth teaching building and the library.

"It is the first time for me to approach these advanced research results. I also want to study medicine here," said a girl named Zirui when she visited an education center at the campus.

Afterward, the girls attended a concert of Taiwan rock band Mayday in the Tianjin Olympic Center Stadium.

They joined thousands of fans there to wave glow sticks and sing the song Angel when its prelude began to play. "The lyrics of the song are so delicate that I can always be touched and get a warm feeling," said a girl named Ruiqi.

On the morning of the second day of the study tour, the girls learned more about simulated operation of drones, 3D printing and virtual reality (VR) technologies in Fengming Education and Science Popularization Center. They put on VR glasses to experience the collection of herbal medicines in deep mountains under the instruction of teachers there.

The teachers explained the working principles of power generators to the girls, and the girls also assembled experimental materials to experience the mysteries of energy conversion.

"I like drone operation most. Teachers gave an introduction to us about the types of drones and their flying methods, which aroused my enthusiasm for flying into the sky," said a girl named Yifan. Under the guidance of teachers, the girls tasted the joy of simulated flying. 

The girls came to a Yangliuqing Woodblock New Year Picture studio on the afternoon of April 19. Yang Peng, an inheritor of the intangible cultural heritage, talked with them about the history, features and themes behind the traditional handicraft and elaborated its production procedures such as engraving, carving, printing and painting.

At that night, the girls took a boat to engage in a cultural exploration journey of Tianjin along the Haihe River. The sightseeing boat passed such iconic buildings as the Tianjin Eye Ferris Wheel, the Jiefang Bridge and the Jinwan Plaza. The tour guide spoke about the closer bond between the city and the river.

"It is the first time for me to admire Tianjin's night view on the river. It feels very different," said a girl named Xiaowen.

On the deck, the girls couldn't help but sing Persistence, a song of Mayday. The other tourists hummed along with them, with the flickering lights of mobile phones complementing the lights on both banks.

On the last day of the study tour, the girls paid a visit to National Maritime Museum of China in the Binhai New Area. In the Ancient Ocean exhibition hall, they became fully captivated by enormous ichthyosaur fossils. The Modern Ocean exhibition area displayed various specimens about marine ecological chain. Another exhibition hall Age of Dinosaurs underscored the importance of the ocean to the birth and development of living species on the earth through the demonstration of ichthyosaur, pterosaur and Tyrannosaurus rex fossil models.

On the afternoon of April 20, the girls visited the Dagukou Fort Ruins Museum. Through precious historical relics, vivid visual materials and immersive scene restorations, they reviewed the history of the Chinese people's resistance to foreign invasion.

The tour guide inspired the girls to keep in mind history and strive for self-improvement. "We should study hard and cherish the peaceful life we have now," said a girl named Jiaying in front of the ruins.

The special study tour has not only opened new horizon for the girls but also sowed a seed of hope in their heart. "I seem to know what kind of life I want now," wrote a girl named Xiaorui in her WeChat moment.

It is expected that these beautiful memories will illuminate their path to a broader world and help them better pursue personal dream at the new starting point.

Photos from CCTF

(Source: CCTF/Women of China)

Editor: Wang Shasha