The girl with the world at her feet

Never in her wildest dreams did Liu Zhai imagine that participating in soccer training would change her life and take her so far from home.

Born into a poor family - both her parents have congenital hearing impairments - the student at Jinzhai Siyuan Experimental School lived a gloomy life until early last year, when the Real Madrid Foundation brought its charitable soccer program to Jinzhai, a rural county in western Anhui province.

The formerly shy girl who barely spoke or participated in afterschool activities has become one of the most active players in her class after taking part in games once a week during last year's spring semester. She had never seen the game before then.