With Chinese New Year just a week away, talk of transport and 'going home' is on the tip of everyone's tongue. The national pressure to celebrate with family reaches new levels during Spring Festival and the country's transport system struggles to cope with getting everyone home on time. In Shandong province, the Qingdao government is offering to help alleviate some of this stress with a 'children mail service'.
The service helps children of migrant workers get home for free, as many parents have to continue working until January 31 while the children have already started their winter break. The kids will be transported via bus under loco parentis of the drivers and of course, video surveillance. Xinhua reports that bus staff would then exchange secret codes with relatives in order for the children to be collected.
These children being transported home ahead of their parents are the lucky few who get to see their parents year round. Due to the iniquities of the hukou (household registration) system, children of migrants cannot enjoy the same access to education and health care as local residents, and many stay home, going long periods of time without seeing their parents.
According to the All-China Women's Federation, about 61 million children haven't seen one or both parents for at least three months. It is a harsh consequence of the efforts made by migrant workers to increase income and standard of living for their families. Thus, while the pressure to get home for Chinese New Year is strong for all, it is even stronger for the migrant population.
[Image: Passengers wait for their trains at the Kunming Railway Station in Kunming, Yunnan province, January 22, 2014. Credit: Xinhua/Wang Jianyun]
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