Elderly waste collector pays for books for rural children in Sichuan

Liu Tuchi has donated tens of thousands of books to rural children in five villages in southwestern China and built more than 15 reading rooms over the past 13 years - all with just the small income he earns collecting and selling trash.

The 87-year-old gets up at dawn every day and sifts through rubbish bins, seeking anything that could be of value. "After selling the garbage, I go to bookstores to find books," Liu said. When he has enough books, he sends them directly to children in the villages.

He has worn out five backpacks in nine years carrying tons of waste on his back. His granddaughter and her roommates have bought him a small trolley to replace his backpack.