By the time Dong Shan turned 14, he had roamed the streets for seven years.

Dong is far from alone. The Ministry of Civil Affairs reports that in each of the last three years there were at least 150,000 children under the age of 16 living on the streets, a significant rise from previous years.

Their stories vary, but they all share one thing: a lack of care and legitimate support.

The exception may be in Shijiazhuang, the capital of Hebei Province.

The city, which is a railway hub in north China, opened the country's first government-funded shelter especially for street children on March 22, 2002.

About 130 homeless kids from more than 20 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions have stayed at the Shijiazhuang Juvenile Protection and Education Center.

Dong Shan is one of them. Born in a small town in east China's Shandong Province, his parents died when he was only four years old.

A friend of his father took over his parents' property, claiming to be looking after the boy. But within a couple of months, the child was completely neglected.

By the time Dong made it to the Shijiazhuang center in September 2002, his life had been scarred by hardship and betrayal.

For a time, he worked for criminal gangs, stealing cars and bicycles.

"I was really scared when I was sent to the center. I thought it would be like prison and I could never go out," Dong says. "But now it's my home. The teachers love and care for me. I have a normal life now."

Dong, who had never before attended school, is now in the third grade.

Zhou Yuncai, one of Dong's teachers, says that all the children study at a level appropriate to their age and educational background. Those who do well in examinations are sent to regular schools.

"The kids need special care. The center has set up psychological counseling for them."

Dong and the others like him in the center are the lucky ones. Most of China's homeless children have to fend for themselves. Many are forced to work or beg for criminal gangs, which at least provide food and some sort of protection on the streets.

Although China has many shelters that temporarily provide food, shelter and clothing for vagrants, none of them are geared especially toward children. Most kids are merely returned to their hometowns after a short period of supervision.

(China Daily March 25, 2004)