(China Daily)
Updated: 2008-06-13 21:47

Ran Sihui, the 12-year-old daughter of a poor farmer in mountainous Xiaodian village in Chongqing municipality, has been taking care of herself and family members for seven years.

Ran's mother died of disease when the girl was a toddler. Soon after, her father left home to work as a migrant worker, and Ran went to live with her grandmother.

At 5, Ran began cooking meals and taking care of her sickly grandmother. After her grandmother died, Ran learned pig farming to support herself.

"Though I am living a hard life, I think I can manage all things for me, and I hope to help my father to pay back the debt gained during the medical treatment for my mother," Ran said.

(Chongqing Morning Post)