Ms. Xiong Jianying and students at the entrance of the Shuidi Teaching Site, situated at a mountain top in Yongping County, Yunnan Province.

Xiong and her students in the school`s playground. The teaching site offers education for pre-school, first and second grades.

Boys play football before class. UNICEF has provided library and sport kits, teaching aids and support for the construction of the new sanitary toilet in the background.

Children play a game of fox and chicken.

Children sing and dance together. Ages range from four to eight years old, with most being from the Miao or Yi ethnic groups. Some children’s home is about 30 kilometres from the school.

Villagers look on as the children play. "I am actually teaching three generations - children, parents and grandparents," says Xiong. "I have to teach caregivers not to beat their children when they make mistakes."

After play, children head back to their classroom on the second floor of the building. The sign on the wall reads: "Let the flowers blossom in the hearts of students."

Inside a classroom.

Some of the sports kits provided by UNICEF in 2008 have been worn out.

The students all share one classroom with preschool students on one side, first and second graders on the other. In the back of the room are plants that teacher and students take care of together.

Xiong, aged 43, writes characters on the blackboard. She has been the only teacher in this village for 10 years, receiving UNICEF Child Friendly training in 2007.

Shuaiping uses his index finger to write the strokes of new characters in the air. He is of Miao ethnicity.

Xiong holds the hand of Nana, aged four, to show her how to write. Nana is of Yi ethnicity.

While other grades continue with lessons, second graders collaborate on independent learning.

Binbin, age eight, lives with his grandmother. His mother left home after facing abuse by his father, who now works in the mountains.

Xiong has lived alone in the school for years. "Every weekend I ride on my motorcycle to see my husband in the township. Over the years, I have replaced 4 motorcycles."

In 2007, Xiong won an award from the Yunnan Education Department for her contribution to UNICEF`s Child Friendly School project. "The training has prepared me to make better use of the next ten or more years that I can teach."

In her spare time, Xiong likes to read books on herbal medicine.

"I study the illustrations and the effects of different herbs."

Teacher Xiong keeps medicine for minor diseases to give students when they are sick in class.

Teacher and students also keep a vegetable garden.

Xiong and her 13 students.

In a couple of years, this teaching site will be closed and the students will move to bigger boarding schools. "It`s good for me because it means that I can unite with my family, but the students will have to live far from their homes." Xiong said.