Tibetan school principal works on amid quake grief
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It was 11:00 p.m. on Saturday and Nyima Rigzin, the principal of the Yushu School for Orphans, was still busy answering his three telephones.
"I receive hundreds of calls everyday. People from all walks of life are concerned about the orphans and I have to make sure every cent they donated goes to the children," Nyima Rigzin said in a hoarse voice.
When the 7.1-magnitude quake struck the Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Yushu at 7:49 a.m. on April 14, Nyima Rigzin was canvassing support for a charity project for the school at Xi'ning, Qinghai's provincial capital.
Nyima Rigzin said he could never forget his journey home, which took more than 10 hours.
After he returned to his hometown Gyegu, the quake epicenter, Nyima Rigzin did not rush back home but immediately ran to the school despite being informed his wife and 4-year-old daughter were both injured.
He gave way to an outpouring of grief upon seeing collapsed buildings at the school.
"[The school] was the result of more than 10 years' hard work, and it was home for more than 200 children," he said.
The quake toppled the school dormitory and cafeteria and buried two teachers when they were having breakfast. Six students managed to escape from the cafeteria rumble after teachers and students dug them out with their bare hands.
Due to joint efforts from both Nyima Rigzin and other people,the school was the first one to resume classes in the quake zone. A total of 60 primary and middle school students and more than 10 teachers sang the national anthem before classes began on April 17.
Wang Jinkun, a volunteer from east Shandong Province, said volunteers close to Nyima Rigzin were worried about his health and said he might collapse.
"After he returned from Xi'ning, he seldom walks out of the school. He organizes the faculty to take care of the children, admit newcomers' entry to the school, send out quake-relief materials and receive volunteers and the media," she said.
It was six days after the quake that he managed to meet his mother, who was saved by rescuers from debris 10 hours after the quake.
"I want to be with her, and spend more time with my wife and daughter, but the school also needs me now," he said.
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