Written by: Shi Ziqiang
Posted on: November 14, 2018 | 
| 中文
Pakistani students studying in China
“Do not worry. We have many loved ones while we study in China,” Akbar Usman (Chinese name: Wu Dawei), a doctoral student at Yanshan University in China, told his parents in Pakistan on the telephone. The "loved ones" he mentioned are “Mr. and Ms. Rainbow,” participants in the “Rainbow Program,” which is a public benefit organization set up by Yanshan University for Pakistani students. "‘Mr. and Ms. Rainbow’ offer us a lot of selfless help, which makes me feel like I’m at home, even though I am in a foreign country."
Akbar's most often-mentioned “Mr. Rainbow,” is Jiang Wenchao, the founder of the program, and director of the Teachers and Teaching Development Center of Yanshan University. Jiang said that the idea of the program originated from his encounter with a group of Pakistani students.
In October 2016, Yanshan University in Qinhuangdao, Hebei, organized language training courses for the students of Pakistan and 40 students funded by government scholarships came to the University for two years of language learning. "One evening, I met several newly enrolled Pakistani students on campus. They looked very worried and were looking for a Muslim restaurant. I showed them the way, and they left happily, but I felt sad." Jiang said, "People here are often proud of the friendship between China and Pakistan as ‘higher than mountains, deeper than the oceans and sweeter than honey,’ but often, the Pakistani students who come to China feel strange about the campus and helpless because of language barriers. How can we help them? That was the inspiration behind establishing a public benefit organization to help Pakistani students.”
After obtaining support from the university, Jiang, along with several concerned departments and students of the university, made careful preparations, and set up the organization "Rainbow Program" in November, 2016. A total of 54 Pakistani students, including Akbar, became the first beneficiaries. In 2017, the Pakistani government sent another 40 students funded by the government scholarship. They would receive language training for two years, and then return to Pakistan to serve various projects related to the "Belt and Road" Initiative.
The "Rainbow Program" kindled the hospitality of the teachers, staff and students for Pakistani friends. Today, more than 300 teacher and student volunteers from the university have participated in the program. Whenever there are any difficulties that any Pakistani students have, such as getting a SIM card, booking a ticket, renting a house, and applying for overseas studies in China, Pakistani students will first think of a “Mr. and Ms. Rainbow.”
Akbar said, “Mr. and Ms. Rainbow" paired up with Pakistani students to form 45 groups, named "China-Pakistan friends group" on WeChat, with each group being composed of 2 Pakistani students and 4 to 7 Chinese teachers and students. In order to meet the Pakistani students’ interest in learning about Chinese culture, the Rainbow Program organized a series of lectures on Chinese tea ceremony, calligraphy and ancient poetry. In addition, Huang Sheng, vice president of Yanshan University and professor Wei Libo, respectively lectured everyone on Chinese diplomatic strategy and the “Belt and Road” Initiative. Chinese and Pakistani teachers and students also held activities such as “celebrating the Chinese New Year and having New Year's Eve dinner together" and experiencing Pakistani cuisine.
Encouraged by Akbar, his wife Akma Malyom (Chinese name: Ma Li), came to China to pursue a master's degree in business administration. “I have been in China for less than half a year, but I have already felt the kindness of every Chinese I know.” She also remembers that when they first arrived in China, the couple wanted to rent an apartment. A "Mr. Rainbow," Han Dong, a teacher of the university, took them around in his car to the house renting agencies, and finally helped them to rent an apartment, which was not far away from the school, with reasonable rent. “His family was very warm and hospitable towards us.”
Under the influence of Akbar, his parents also fell in love with Chinese tea. "Every time I return to Pakistan, I bring tea for them. They also learnt about the economic and cultural development of China, and all of this should be attributed to 'Mr. and Ms. Rainbow'," Akbar continued, “After graduation, I will try my best to contribute to the development of ‘The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor’ and ‘The Belt and Road’."
Translated by Xu Donglin
You may also like:
