Tibetan students lead grassroots effort to aid earthquake victims

Dekyi Drolma, the initiator and a 21-year-old student at Nanjing University, felt compelled to act.

She wasn't alone. Her friends studying in Beijing, Shanghai, Chongqing, Jiangsu and Fujian provinces joined her without hesitation, forming a dedicated team. Together, they organized the donation campaign, forging a grassroots operation driven by determination and compassion.

Social media became their most powerful tool. Using WeChat and Douyin, the students shared a post with details of their campaign, including personal identification and student cards, to establish trust and ensure transparency. They selected Lhaze, a severely affected area as the focus of their aid, coordinating with locals to understand the most urgent needs.

Their efforts quickly gained momentum. Five WeChat groups amassed nearly 1,000 members who contributed donations in full swing. Within days, the students raised over 106,000 yuan ($14,632) online and an additional 37,020 yuan from two villages and a construction company in Dranang.