"Flowers bloom in China. Countless blossoms unfold. Every woman radiates her own glow..." Clear and melodious children's voice echoed across the China National Museum of Women and Children (CNMWC) in Beijing. On the other side of the museum stood a smart robotic arm, which quickly solved the Rubik's Cube. The melodies and sci-tech demonstrations jointly created a touching scene at the Exhibition on China's Progress in Digital and Intelligent Empowerment of Women and Girls, a side event of the Global Leaders' Meeting on Women, on October 14.
At the event, girls of the Spring Bud Dream Chorus joined their peers in Beijing to give a performance of the song Flowers Bloom in China. Meanwhile, another group of the Spring Bud girls showcased their Rubik's Cube robots under the Spring Bud InnoGirls Program, winning thumbs-up from international and domestic guests for their unique expression of personal growth and dream.
Achieving Better Self in Music
Twelve girls of the Spring Bud Dream Chorus, aged between 8 and 13, come from Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Sichuan Province, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region and Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. Music brought them together in Beijing. They made all-out efforts in their rehearsal for the high-level performance.
In the rehearsal room, Yang Lele, a senior conductor of the chorus of the China Children's Art Troupe, provided the Spring Bud girls with professional guidance.
Zanbulin and E'nierle, both from Inner Mongolia, listened to the classes attentively and didn't want to miss out on any instruction. It was the first time for them to visit Beijing and perform on such an important occasion.
"Music opens a beautiful window for me," said Kaidereya Yili, a Spring Bud girl from Xinjiang. The girl has become more optimistic and confident after joining the chorus. "When I grow up, I want to become a music teacher. I hope to help more children fall in love with music, enjoy music and feel the beauty of it," another Spring Bud girl from Xinjiang said.
Luosha Zhima and Lei Yuxin, from Sichuan, said that the training has enabled them to master correct singing skills and gain a deep understanding of the song. Lei added that she will study hard and strive for a bright future like what the lyrics say.
Ma Ruoxin and Ma Jiawen, from Ningxia, said that music has brought them lots of positive changes.
Although the Spring Bud girls come from different places across the country, they have become good friends because of their common love for music.
Weaving Future with Sci-Tech Innovation
During the exhibition, Ma Xingyan and her partner Li Qinhan demonstrated their robots, which could reassemble the Rubik's Cube in 30 seconds. The two girls are from Miyi County of Sichuan.
"Learning computer programming has opened the door to a new world for me and has enabled me to see the infinite opportunities of the future. I want to become a programmer and create a better life with code," Ma said. Since she participated in the Spring Bud InnoGirls Program a year ago, Ma has won several prizes of the provincial-level and national-level sci-tech innovation competitions.
Li said that programming learning has further bolstered her logical thinking competence and encouraged her to solve problems in the creative ways. "Holding the 'pen of technology' tightly, we are sure to paint a bright picture of our own," she said.
"It is a delight to witness the girls' growth as they gradually shed their past shyness and reticence, becoming more confident and fluent in expressing their insights in their familiar fields of expertise. These remarkable changes are truly the most precious gifts that the public welfare project has brought to the children," their teachers said.
Dreams Blooming
After several months of rehearsals, the Spring Bud girls eventually gave their show at the high-level event.
"It is the most important thing in my life to attend this event. I am really proud of performing in front of the international audience," said He Xiaoying, from Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture of Sichuan.
Yang said, "The valuable experience has helped the girls understand the importance of stage performance, and learn how to communicate and cooperate in the group life. I hope they can continue with their musical learning and shine in their future studies and lives."
Both Ma and Li expressed gratitude for the Spring Bud InnoGirls Program, giving them opportunities to embrace advanced technologies and acquire more knowledge.
Nurturing Hope with Love
In 2021, the China Children and Teenagers' Fund (CCTF) and Tencent Foundation jointly kicked off the Spring Bud Dream Chorus project. It has provided over 2,000 girls with professional training and chorus education and set up 56 chorus teams in 20 provincial-level regions nationwide.
Meanwhile, the Spring Bud InnoGirls Program, targeted Spring Bud girls in junior and senior high schools, has been implemented in nearly 50 schools of nine provincial-level regions, leading the girls to achieve long-term development in science and technology
Behind these numbers are many stories of positive transformations of the girls. From remote villages to the world stage, from hesitating to speak to singing with confidence, from being bewildered by code to operating robots with ease—what has changed is not just the girl’s skills, but also their perspective on the world and the courage to embrace the future.
The girls have been determined to bring warmth and hope to more people around them. For instance, some dream to become music teachers in their hometowns, and some decide to improve rural life with science and technology. From "me" to "us," this "relay of growth" is passing across broader areas. When thousands of spring buds bloom together, it is the most touching sight of spring.
Photos from CCTF
(Source: CCTF/Women of China)
Editor: Wang Shasha
