With just dry bread and water for lunch, life is tough for children studying in Daping village Hope School in Northwest China’s Ningxia Hui autonomous region on Oct 17, 2011.

The primary school, located deep in the mountains in southern Ningxia, has 74 students and 7 teachers. Most of the students’ parents have gone to work in cities.

“We are in urgent need of teachers. Each teacher here has six classes every day and teaches all subjects. As for English, only I know some simple words among the teachers,” said the schoolmaster Hai Hengjin.

Hai Hengwen, another teacher who has taught here for 37 years, said that his biggest wish is to help more students go out of the mountain areas to see the outside world.

Currently, students here can have an egg at breakfast due to the “Nutritious Breakfast Project” launched by Ningxia authority in September 2010, which has covered over 1500 primary schools in Ningxia.

The “Free Lunch Project” pilot scheme will start in 9 regions in autumn of 2011. The students in Daping village Hope School are expected to enjoy free lunch in future. No matter how difficult the conditions are, more and more students will do well as long as they pursue their dreams, added the schoolmaster Hai Hengjin.

Children read in the morning in Daping village Hope School in Ningxia, Oct 17, 2011. [Photo/Xinhua]