In July this year, Chunhui Children delivered a summer camp in Kunming City. Themed “See the world and dream for tomorrow”, the camp welcomed 82 children from 19 welfare institution of Guizhou, Tibet, Inner Mongolia, and Yunnan. Many of these children had never ventured beyond their hometowns, or taken a high-speed train or plane.
The 2026 Summer Camp, Jointly hosted by Chunhui Children, Guizhou Provincial Civil Affairs Office and Kunming Child Welfare Institution, was carried out in Kunming from July 22 to 26. It was the first time Chunhui Children had run a summer camp in Yunnan and also the first time it had received campers from more than one province.
Why do we bring the children out into the wider world?
For many children that grow up in welfare institutions, the larger world exists only in textbooks. They see vast stretches of mountains but can barely imagine the breadth of seas. They have heard tales of distant lands but never set foot there. Endowed with kindness and grit, what they need is a window to endless possibilities.
Chunhui Children always believes that true growth takes place not only in classrooms but also on the road. This summer, we brought the children to intangible cultural heritage workshops, museums of ethnology, smart factories and the western wilderness in Kunming. These enriching experiences will let them know that life can be so different from what they imagine.
Thanks to support of Guizhou Provincial Civil Affairs Office, 49 children (22 elementary and secondary school students and 27 soon-to-be college students) from 16 welfare institutions of Guizhou province traveled by train to Kunming, a city they had never visited before.
Each of the five days brimmed with love and new discoveries
On the first day, the children checked into the camp in groups, received supplies and got acquainted with the surroundings. They listened intently to the safety briefing that evening. They were curious and nervous as it was the first time they had traveled to another city. They would live and dine alongside unfamiliar peers from all corners of the country. But soon, Board games and chats broke the ice. They began to laugh and enjoy their stay together.
At the second day’s opening ceremony, a representative of the campers shared that this was her first trip by high-speed rail. It hit her that the world was so big, and that she could be cared for by so many people. Then all campers read out the Code of Conduct together.
Following the ceremony, the college-students-to-be attended social skills training. Courses on communication, conflict mediation, risk awareness and self-management empowered them to become independent and prepare for the upcoming college life.
In the Safety Empowerment training class, the mentor Yang Jingran talked about dorm disagreements, online scams and relationship safety. Through scenario-based role plays, she helped the students establish safety awareness. The training was highlighted by the game “auction of values”. Beyond Yang’s expectations, the children spoke up bravely about their aspirations. “Participation in itself is growth,” she said. She also spotted a small-built tearful young boy. Under her guidance, the boy let out his emotions and opened up soon. With enhanced safety awareness and stronger resilience, these youths are better prepared for their campus life.
Meanwhile, elementary and secondary school students joined in the themed group activity "thank you for being with us". Via team games and role plays, they built friendly relationships.
Both the younger students and social workers attended an enrichment class led by Mentor Chen Ling. The students were encouraged to weave a “relationship web” with yarn and act out a teacher’s daily work through role play. " Our teachers really have a tough job," said many of the children.
In the final "Team Power Design" activity, Chen was amazed by the children’s creativity and teamwork. A boy, who is usually pretty timid, stepped up to speak on stage again and again. "I was impressed by his determination to push himself," said Chen. The class let every child feel accepted, and their confidence grew as well.
In the afternoon, a sharing session on intangible cultural heritages of 12 regions of the four provinces kicked off. The children took the stage one after another to introduce the cultures and local delicacies of their hometowns—buckwheat cakes of Weining, Bell Dance of Hezhang, morin khuur of Hulunbuir, sunflower crafts of Evenki, tie‑dyeing of Kunming, hand‑rolled incense of Lhasa, peasant paintings of Liupanshui, indigo dyeing of Luodian, soy‑flavor liquor‑making techniques of Renhuai, sour tomato soup of Kaili and rice cakes of Zunyi. That day, while enjoying the delicacies of different places, the children realized for the first time how proud they could be of their hometowns.
We also invited the well‑known Weibo parenting blogger "Sunny Mom" for a round‑table with four college-bound students. The students talked about their anxieties and expectations about campus life, and the “sunny mom” offered explanations and guidance.
On the third day, the elementary and secondary school students appreciated the charm of intangible cultural heritage. In the morning birch‑bark painting class, they designed their own artworks: some sketched the mountains of their hometown, and others created soaring birds, each piece imbued with its unique touch.
At noon, ten campers took part in a Bai (ethnic group) tie-dye workshop. The specialist Hong Caixia introduced this craft’s history. The children received fabric, designed their own patterns with bottle caps, clothespins and cotton threads, and then worked in groups to dye and rinse their works. As the white cloth was lifted out of the dye vat, and unique blue patterns unfolded before the children’s eyes, cheers burst out. The children would take back home these creations as their fond memories of Kunming.
The college-students-to-be also visited the Yunnan Baiyao Smart Factory. Standing beside the automated production lines, they listened to the century-old enterprise’s pioneering story and learned the power of perseverance and dedication.
In the afternoon, all campers went to the Yunnan Nationalities Museum. Amid the rich array of ethnic costumes and handicrafts, they learned about Yunnan’s 26 ethnic groups. Later on, they enjoyed tranquil hours at Haigeng Dam by Dianchi Lake.
On Day 4, the campers rode to the“Western World”, a wild‑land town encircled by mountains. All activities here required“Western play money”, which were not given for free. The children needed to find NPCs across the camp, complete required tasks, take on challenging missions or take part in role‑play games to earn their “first pot of gold”. Once they got enough play money, they rushed excitedly to redeem their favourite experiences: aerial ropeway, glass‑plank‑road drifting, grass‑sledding and mini‑train rides. Every experience was hard-won so they treasured them all the more. Most heart‑warming of all, some children who usually stay quiet chatted non-stop with the NPCs that day, and those who always kept to themselves took their teammates’ hands at their own initiative for the first time. Through earning and spending play money, working and sharing with each other, they became braver and more caring, and that was the way the children flourished. A Bilibili creator was also invited to give an engaging road‑safety lecture that was expected to increase the children’s safety awareness.
Back at the hotel that evening, the camp hosted a closing ceremony. The college-students-to-be penned letters to themselves. One of them wrote:“I hope a year from now, I will be sitting in a university classroom and still remember how brave I am today.”Another noted down that she wished to become a lawyer and help the needy.
Day 5: Farewell. The children packed up and checked out in turn. As the bus slowly pulled away, no one shed tears, yet many fell silent — they realized that these five days quietly transformed them. This five‑day‑four‑night journey left a lasting impression on them. Their hand‑made artworks at the intangible cultural heritage workshops, their bold shouts of“I can”in the wilderness, and the quiet nice moments they spent by Dianchi Lake will remain the most touching snapshots deep in their memories.
The summer camp marked a new start for the children. Their curiosity was ignited, their confidence was increased and they became more loving. See the world and dream for tomorrow. So long as even one child dreams big after seeing the broader world, Chunhui Children will forge ahead to help more children go further.