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Summer in the city for 'little migratory birds'
By Liang Yiwen |
August 29, 2012, Wednesday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
SUMMER vacation is the happiest time of year for many children - no matter whether they are enjoying overseas trips or hanging around on street corners.
Many migrant workers' children, who spend most of the year in the care of their grandparents in their hometown, come to Shanghai for the two-month vacation to be with their parents. They are nicknamed "little migratory birds."
While impressed by the glittering high-rises in Lujiazui and the flashing neon on Shanghai's Nanjing Road, these young migratory birds are most excited about the prospect of being reunited with their parents, many of whom work on Shanghai's construction sites, its wet markets and garbage recycling stations.
Some of the children assist their parents selling vegetables in local wet markets or working in garbage collection sites, helping relieve the burden on their parents.
Shanghai has 23 million residents who have stayed for more than six months in the city, and non-locals account for nearly 40 percent of this number, according to the latest census.
Most of the non-locals are among the working-age population.
In comparison to the little migratory birds who come to the city in the summer and may help out their parents, many local children spend their vacations attending summer classes in subjects such as art or travelling abroad with their parents.
Some organizations, including the puppet team of China Welfare Institute Children's Palace and the Jiuqian Volunteer Service Center, are working to improve the summer vacations of non-local children.
This month, Pudong New Area government launched a summer camp for 150 children whose parents are migrant workers.
Shanghai Daily photographer Wang Rongjiang went out and about to record how little migratory birds were spending their vacation, whether assisting their parents at work or learning new skills at summer classes that have been organized for them.
Many migrant workers' children, who spend most of the year in the care of their grandparents in their hometown, come to Shanghai for the two-month vacation to be with their parents. They are nicknamed "little migratory birds."
While impressed by the glittering high-rises in Lujiazui and the flashing neon on Shanghai's Nanjing Road, these young migratory birds are most excited about the prospect of being reunited with their parents, many of whom work on Shanghai's construction sites, its wet markets and garbage recycling stations.
Some of the children assist their parents selling vegetables in local wet markets or working in garbage collection sites, helping relieve the burden on their parents.
Shanghai has 23 million residents who have stayed for more than six months in the city, and non-locals account for nearly 40 percent of this number, according to the latest census.
Most of the non-locals are among the working-age population.
In comparison to the little migratory birds who come to the city in the summer and may help out their parents, many local children spend their vacations attending summer classes in subjects such as art or travelling abroad with their parents.
Some organizations, including the puppet team of China Welfare Institute Children's Palace and the Jiuqian Volunteer Service Center, are working to improve the summer vacations of non-local children.
This month, Pudong New Area government launched a summer camp for 150 children whose parents are migrant workers.
Shanghai Daily photographer Wang Rongjiang went out and about to record how little migratory birds were spending their vacation, whether assisting their parents at work or learning new skills at summer classes that have been organized for them.
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