白芳礼:无私捐助贫困学生

The last instalment of Unsung Heroes series is one hero provided financial help to poor students. But this is no millionaire -- he made a living by pedalling a pedicab. Bai Fangli donated a total of 350,000 yuan to help more than 300 poor students continue with their studies. In 2005, he passed away at the age of 93.
无名英雄系列的最后一集是一位给贫困学生提供资金帮助的英雄。但是他不是百万富翁——他靠踩三轮车谋生。白芳礼共捐赠了35万元，帮助300多名贫困生继续他们的学业。他2005年逝世，享年93岁。

For almost twenty years, to save up for his donations, Bai Fangli peddled his pedicab everyday.
近20年里，为了积攒捐款，白芳礼每天都踩三轮车。

His devotion started in 1987 when he was 74 years old. Bai had prepared to retire and say goodbye to his job.
他的奉献从1987年开始，当时他74岁。白芳礼已经准备退休，跟他的工作说再见。

But after coming back to his hometown, a group of children working in the field aroused his attention.
但是，回到家乡之后，在田里干活的一群孩子引起他的注意。

Bai's daughter, Bai Jinfeng said:" He asked why the children didn't go to school. And our relatives told him that it was because they were too poor to afford tuition. My father was worried so he decided to donate 5,000 yuan to the schools in our hometown. But for him, it was all he owned."
白芳礼的女儿白金凤表示：“他问我，孩子们为什么不去上学。我们的亲戚告诉他，因为他们太穷，付不起学费。我爸爸很担忧，所以他决定捐五千元给家乡的学校。但是对他而言，那是他的所有。”

As soon as he returned to Tianjin, Bai went back to work. All of his earnings went to support the needy students.
白芳礼一回到天津就回到工作中。他的所有收入都拿去支持贫困的学生。

His sons and daughters tried to persuade him to change his mind, as they wanted him to enjoy a relaxing life. But the father turned a deaf ear to them.
他的儿女试过劝说他改变心意，因为他们想让他过轻松的生活。但是这位父亲对他们置若罔闻。

Bai Jinfeng also said:" At that time, he went out at dawn and wouldn't return until darkness fell. He earned 20 to 30 yuan each day. After returning home, he put his earnings in a place carefully."
白金凤还称：“那时候，他早出晚归，每天挣二三十块钱。回家之后，他小心翼翼地把他的收入放到一个地方。”

Bai had always felt regretful that he was illiterate. So he hoped the next generation could change their destiny with education.
白芳礼总为他的目不识丁感到遗憾。所以他希望下一代可以用知识改变命运。

Later on, to increase his effort to assist students in need, Bai moved to a simple room near the Tianjin Railway Station. He waited for clients 24 hours a day, ate simple food and wore discarded second-hand clothes he found.
之后，为了更努力地帮助贫困学生，白芳礼搬到天津火车站附近的一间陋室里。他一天24小时都在等客人，吃简单的食物，穿别人丢弃的旧衣服。

At the age of 82 years old, to his children's surprise, Bai made another decision.
82岁的时候，令他的孩子感到意外的是，白芳礼做了另一个决定。

He founded an education support fund with the help of loans.
通过贷款，他成立一个教育救助基金会。

But his life driving a pedicab continued.
但是，他踩三轮车的生活还在继续。

Xu Xiuxiang, one of the workers of Education Support Fund, said:" He never forgot when to give money to the schools and often urged us to give his earnings to the school. Each time he gave the money he felt very happy and said he had completed his mission again."
教育救助基金会的工作人员Xu Xiuxiang表示：“他一直都记得什么时候要把钱给学校，经常敦促我们将他的薪水送到学校。每次他拿出钱时，他都非常高兴，他说他又完成任务了。”

In 2001, he drove his pedicab to Tianjin YaoHua Middle School, to delivering his last installment of money. Nearly 90 years old, he told the students that he couldn't work any more. All of the students and teachers were moved to tears.
2001年，他踩三轮车到天津耀华中学，捐出他最后的一笔钱。近90岁的他告诉学生，他再也不能工作了。所有老师和学生都感动得哭了。

Bai Fangli said:" I hope the students could study hard and get a good job, and then make contributions to our country."
白芳礼表示：“我希望学生能好好学习，找到一份好工作，然后为我们国家做贡献。”

A long journey of supporting and aiding students lasted two decades.
这个支持和帮助学生的漫长旅程持续了二十载。

In 2005, he was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer.
2005年，他被诊断患上晚期肺癌。

Although he had kept none of his earnings for himself, he was left with his selfless spirit and love.
虽然他没有为自己留下任何收入，但是他留下了无私的精神和爱。