Volunteer inspires village children to higher goals

A poverty-relief volunteer's love of soccer has inspired some of the poorest children in the country to dream big.

In September, when Zheng Zhong arrived in western Hunan province for voluntary work, it seemed impossible that Lionel Messi, his idol and one of the biggest soccer stars in the world, would interact with and inspire children from an obscure mountain village.

However, that is now the proudest boast of the graduate of Northeastern University in Shenyang, the capital of Liao-ning province, who works for Serve for China, an NGO that provides poverty alleviation programs.