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April 26, 2010

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Orphans come first for tireless principal

IT was 11pm on Saturday and Nyima Rigzin, the principal of the Yushu School for Orphans, was still busy answering his three telephones.

"I receive hundreds of calls every day. People from all walks of life are concerned about the orphans and I have to make sure every cent they donated goes to the children," Nyima Rigzin said in a hoarse voice.

When the magnitude-7.1 quake struck the Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Yushu at 7:49am on April 14, Nyima Rigzin was canvassing support for a charity project for the school at Xining, Qinghai's provincial capital in northwest China.

Nyima Rigzin said he would never forget his journey home, which took more than 10 hours.

After he returned to his hometown of Gyegu, the quake epicenter, Nyima Rigzin did not rush back home but immediately ran to the school despite being informed his wife and four-year-old daughter were both injured.

He gave way to an outpouring of grief upon seeing collapsed buildings at the school. "The school was the result of more than 10 years' hard work, and it was home for more than 200 children," he said.

The quake toppled the school dormitory and cafeteria and buried two teachers when they were having breakfast. Six students escaped from the cafeteria rumble after teachers and pupils dug them out with their hands.

Due to efforts by Nyima Rigzin and others, the school was the first one to resume classes in the quake zone.

Sixty students and more than 10 teachers sang the national anthem before classes began on April 17.

It was six days after the quake that he managed to meet his mother, who was saved by rescuers from debris 10 hours after it hit. "I want to be with her, and spend more time with my wife and daughter, but the school also needs me now," he said.



 

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