Peacekeepers bring China to life for village orphans in conflict-hit DRC

BUKAVU, DR Congo - For the past 12 years, Chinese peacekeepers have been providing assistance to the SOS Children's Village in the city of Bukavu in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

Over the years, every contingent of the Chinese peacekeepers dispatched to the conflict-torn region would follow a tradition of visiting the village, bringing aid supplies and providing free medical services.

Eight-year-old Melissa said that she and many other children have been living in the village since they were born. After classes, teachers would live together with the children. For them, the village is not only a school but their home.