Chinese orphans' aviation dreams take off

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With Children's Day approaching,130 orphaned students have taken a step towards realizing their dreams of becoming pilots, thanks to the local ZYB LILY Airline.

The orphans have been taking flying lessons to help overcome the odds and laws of nature. For so long aviation was an exclusive privilege to the supreme military, selected individuals or the super wealthy.

"These children will be treated to the joys of flying. We promote the idea that anyone can be whatever they dream of being... if one of these kids goes for their dream, then this day may have played a role in that." Wu Lei told CGTN, a flight instructor from ZYB LILY Airline.

Over 100 orphaned students take a step towards realizing their dreams of becoming pilots. /CGTN Photo‍

One-hundred-thirty orphans were chosen from Liaoning Orphan School after they wrote essays on why they would like to be pilots. The school has raised more than 3,000 orphans since the school's inauguration in 1965. Apart from flying lessons, the children were also given safety and rescue training course by the airline and the local Northeast International Hospital.

Ding Lili, the course instructor told CGTN: "Our goal is to help as many of these orphans as possible, providing them a safe, nurturing support system that will continue with them throughout their lives. And most importantly, to teach them how to function independently under emergency circumstances."

The latest figures from the country's Ministry of Civil Affairs show that the total number of orphaned children across the country is now 343,000, dropped by 30 percent over the past three years - with 97,819 of them under the care of welfare institutions.

Ding Lili, a course instructor at ZYB LILY airline, gives the orphans a safety and rescue training course. /CGTN Photo

It is also worth noting that foreign families, especially from the United States, are increasingly willing to adopt Chinese orphans with special needs, according to anecdotal evidence from experts and institutions.

Although no official statistics track how many of the adopted children had disabilities, experts believe they can see a pattern in the willingness of foreigners to foster children with special needs.