China puts smile on South Sudanese orphans ahead of Beijing Winter Olympic Games

A Chinese peacekeeping soldier provides medical assistance to children in South Sudan. [YANG HUYUAN/FOR CHINA DAILY]

JUBA, Jan. 31 (Xinhua) -- Christine Marline, a 14-year-old South Sudanese orphan, had never heard of the international Winter Olympic Games in her six years' stay in the Confident Children out of Conflict (CCC) orphanage.

On Sunday morning in Juba, the South Sudanese capital, however, Marline saw a white bus filled with members of the ninth batch of the Chinese medical team arriving to share the joy of both the upcoming Beijing Winter Olympic Games and celebration of the Chinese New Year of the Tiger.

Marline and her peers at the CCC orphanage were all handed new school bags inscribed with the logo of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games and other goodies to enable them to attend classes in school.

"I am excited I am going to pack my books and pens in my bag," she told Xinhua after receiving her bag stocked with stationery.

The Chinese New Year of the Tiger, which falls on Feb. 1 this year, will be celebrated during this week while the Beijing Winter Olympic Games kick off on Feb. 4.

Chinese Ambassador to South Sudan Hua Ning said that the upcoming Winter Olympic Games are about peace, unity, solidarity and harmony.

"We are living in a community of shared future... Maybe you haven't got a chance to visit China, but the participation is not only at the sports facilities in Beijing, not only about professional athletes. Everybody can find a way to engage in the Olympic Games and share the Olympic spirit," he told the orphaned children while extending Chinese New Year wishes to the children and encouraging them to be dedicated, determined and demonstrate leadership in all spheres of life.

"This year, according to the Chinese Lunar Calendar, it's the year of the Tiger. Tiger is a symbol of strength, determination, dedication, leadership and power, so I hope every child here will all become the little tigers," said Hua.

Hellen Murshal Boro, the executive director of the CCC orphanage, hailed both the Chinese embassy and the Chinese medical team to support the orphanage over the years as Chinese medical team members often conduct medical checkups and offer free treatment for various ailments on these children.

She said that medical services offered by the Chinese medical team have helped transform the lives of hundreds of these orphans.

"Your (Chinese) medical team has been excellent because provision of health care service in South Sudan is still very limited, and they are always willing to come and check out our children," Boro said during the event. "Our kids are also hoping to go learn and become doctors and lawyers, but we have to support them in order that they also achieve the best of their potential and help South Sudan." ■