Dialogue Through Art: How Left-Behind Children's Drawings Inspire Social Connection｜VIVA LA VIDA×EWB

Can you imagine the lives of left-behind children and the stories hidden behind their drawings? Through VIVA × EWB’s Dialogue Through Art project, children used their artwork to share their emotions, dreams, and experiences, creating meaningful connections with people from different backgrounds.

On the surface, they live ordinary lives and share the same innocent smiles as other children their age.

Yet their childhood is often shaped by the absence of daily companionship from their families.

Their parents leave their hometowns to work in cities, supporting their families through hard work while contributing to economic development.

But as a result, their connection with their children is often limited to phone calls and photographs, while the children remain in their rural hometowns.

These children, who should be cherished at home, form a socially vulnerable group known as “left-behind children.”

We found that although they urgently need social attention, they are still rarely truly understood.

https://video.wixstatic.com/video/2e4344_f04a71986b784f379cef8b2900b58aaa/1080p/mp4/file.mp4

01 Left Behind Children, Growing Inner Worlds

Understanding Left-Behind Children

In general, “left-behind children” refers to minors under the age of 16 who live apart from their parents for extended periods of time. In many cases, both parents migrate for work, or one parent migrates while the other is unable to provide care, making normal family cohabitation impossible.

Data from 2021 suggests that millions of children worldwide may grow up separated from their parents. In China, this group is primarily concentrated in rural areas where development lags behind urban regions. In 2013, 22% of Chinese children (around 61 million) had both parents who had migrated to cities after their birth. By August 2018, while the number had decreased, about 60.12 million children still had one parent working away from home.

China’s Child Population in 2015: Facts and Figures

The development and wellbeing of this large population has become a key social concern.

Since parental migration often coincides with critical developmental stages, these children receive limited guidance in values and worldview formation.

Studies suggest that left-behind children may face higher risks of behavioral difficulties compared with children growing up with both parents. In addition, prolonged separation can increase social difficulties, with impacts intensifying over time.

Word Cloud of Public Discussions on Left-Behind Children on Sina Weibo

▲Key themes reflected in the word cloud:

Left-behind children · Family · Parents · Companionship · Growth · Education · Care · Hope

One of the main causes of this phenomenon is economic hardship in rural areas. Many rural workers migrate for employment in order to improve living conditions or fund their children’s education.Even when they wish to bring their children along, high tuition and related costs often make this impossible. As a result, children are left behind in their hometowns. Without increasing rural incomes, reducing this phenomenon remains extremely difficult. To this end, local Party committees and governments should make every effort to vigorously develop the rural economy, rapidly increase farmers’ incomes, and improve their living conditions.

Word Cloud of Organizations Supporting the Rights of Left-Behind Children on Sina Weibo

▲Key themes reflected in the word cloud:

Child protection · Education · Public welfare · Volunteers · Foundations · Social support · Community programs

For children, emotional and rights-based deprivation is difficult to fully compensate for.

While parental responsibility is important, simply blaming parents is not a sufficient solution.

The challenges they face are often more complex than they may appear from the outside.

There is still much that ordinary people can do.

We can help more people become aware that such children exist in our society.They may live in overlooked corners of society, yet they continue to look toward the world with sincerity and hope.

Word Cloud of Public Support for Left-Behind Children on Sina Weibo

▲Key themes reflected in the word cloud:

Care · Companionship · Education · Volunteers · Family · Growth · Support

02 Children Through Volunteers’ Eyes

“Looking at their youthful, hopeful faces, I looked up at the blue sky and thought: their parents will return. With someone waiting for them, even love that arrives late will eventually find its way home.”

“Before dawn, these children are already on their way to school, climbing steep mountain paths and crossing broken earthen barriers.”

“I hope we can offer them more love, understanding, and support, and that parents who work away from home can return more often to spend time with their children.”

Children at Canggou Primary School Are Drawing

Education Without Barriers (EWB) has worked closely with left-behind children, providing meaningful support through education and companionship.Through direct interaction, volunteers discovered the warmth, sincerity, and individuality behind the numbers.

"You Are All in My Heart"

...“Despite limited access to advanced educational resources, the children show remarkable enthusiasm for learning…They are very understanding of their teachers’ efforts. I still remember one biology lesson where we taught them to draw the heart…After finishing, they wrote their names on the drawing and said: ‘You are all in my heart.’"

— Yilin Huang, EWB Volunteer Teacher

Teaching drawing classes for children in Dandong, Chongqing, and Dalian

Volunteer teaching experience: 3+ years

"Infinite Potential"

“…I am currently providing one-on-one lessons for a child in a hospital ward in Inner Mongolia.There is a girl who is very lively and full of ideas. One of her most distinctive traits is her ability to make unexpected connections.—one small question can lead her to many different connections. For example, when we talked about the Water-Splashing Festival in 1961, she immediately calculated how many years ago it was, then connected it to when her grandfather passed away, and even deduced how old he might have been at that time. I believe this kind of divergent thinking can be applied in everyday life. Whether they are left-behind children or children receiving conventional education, they all possess infinite potential. They have curiosity and enthusiasm for the world, as well as natural, innocent, and vivid creativity and imagination, These are qualities we should recognize and nurture.”

——Manman Cui, EWB Volunteer Teacher

Teaching Chinese to more than 40 children in hospital wards in Inner Mongolia

Volunteer teaching experience: 2+ years

“Family: A Distant Yet Deep Connection”

“…After in-depth conversations with the children, I found that many of their dreams almost invariably mentioned their parents, as if they were all shaped by the same imprint. One child said his dream was simple—to become a chef and cook a meal for his parents. Another said he wanted to become a doctor because his father had spent years working away from home while accompanying his mother during her medical treatment. Their dreams seemed closely tied to their families, rather than being centered only on their own personal dreams. In contrast, in my own childhood memories, I tended to dream of becoming a diplomat or a singer, with family rarely placed at the center of those aspirations.”

——Fuqin Hu, EWB Volunteer Teacher

Teaches English to seven third-grade students at Pinghe Primary School in Dandong

Volunteer teaching experience: 0.5+ years

When we see the innocence and beauty that belong uniquely to children, we naturally hope they can grow up healthy and happy.But an even greater responsibility is to help society understand this group: although their circumstances may be different, their inner worlds are just as rich as those of all children.

To understand their living conditions and emotional needs

To see and embrace the authentic selves of these children

To uncover social issues hidden in overlooked corners of society

At the same time, through a deeper exploration of reality

We hope to receive responses and reflections from people across different communities

and create a space for meaningful two-way communication between these children and society

03 Dialogues in Art —

Bringing Hidden Stories into View

After five and a half months of preparation, Viva la Vida (VIVA) and EWB jointly launched this online exhibition.

Through EWB, volunteer teachers from diverse social backgrounds engaged closely with children through both online and offline art workshops, encouraging more than 100 left-behind children to express their stories and inner worlds through drawing. VIVA analyzed and shared interpretations of each artwork, helping these voices reach a wider audience. During the pandemic, we collected more than 300 creative responses inspired by the children’s original drawings through various online channels, including paintings, photography, audio works, and written pieces.The creators of these works come from all walks of life:

They are sincere and youthful high school and university students; doctors, tour guides, and social entrepreneurs who care about social issues; as well as young independent artists and researchers dedicated to the field of art.

…

people from all walks of life, across generations and professions,

all expressing, in their own ways, their concern and care for left-behind children.

Our purpose is simple—to build an online exhibition platform that presents children’s inner worlds, giving their voices more opportunities to be heard and their stories more opportunities to be seen, and enabling emotional exchange between them and society to flow more freely.

May 2021

Dialogues in Art — Reflecting the World in the Margins

VIVA × EWB Online Exhibition of Left-Behind Children

Officially launched

Press and hold the poster to scan the QR code, or click “Read the original article” to view the exhibition.

EXHIBITION

Left-behind child's drawing shared in VIVA × EWB Dialogue Through Art exhibition

The exhibition features over 100 artworks created by left-behind children from Dandong, Liaoning Province, and Chongqing, China.They reflected on two questions:

“What was your happiest moment in 2019?”

“What kind of person do you hope to become in ten years?”

Creator: Xiaoyu Deng

▲"At noon on December 31, I was playing with my classmates on the playground when I suddenly noticed many students gathering around something. Curious, I grabbed a classmate and ran over to see what was happening.

As soon as I arrived, I heard my teacher calling my name. She asked me to choose some of the materials there and take them with me. After I finished choosing, the teacher asked another classmate to do the same.

When we returned to the classroom, I learned that we were going to have a special class later. As we entered the classroom where the lesson would take place, I saw Teacher Huang on the screen. I felt incredibly excited because I immediately knew that this was going to be an art class."

▲"Through my own efforts and continuous learning, I became a teacher."

Creator: Jiaxin Li

▲On Sunday morning, I went to my third uncle’s house with my grandmother. Along the way, I became tired after walking for a while and said, “Grandma, we’ve been walking for such a long time. Why haven’t we arrived yet?”

Grandma said, “We’re almost there.”

I said, “Okay,” and we continued walking. After about half an hour, I asked, “Are we sure we didn’t take the wrong road?”

Grandma replied, “No, we’re on the right way.”

We walked for more than another hour before we finally arrived. I was so happy. We played together for two or three hours, and it was truly a wonderful time.

▲"Ten years from now, I will go to a place where there are many people—a hospital. I will work there together with many others. There will be moments of happiness, excitement, and sadness, but I will do my best and work hard. Let’s keep moving forward together."

Creator: Lingling Lai

▲"Today was another happy day. In the morning, I welcomed the new day with great anticipation. Before I knew it, afternoon had arrived, and I had finished my homework. Still, nothing interesting had happened, and I felt quite disappointed. To keep myself from getting bored, I picked up my older brother’s Chinese textbook and started reading. At first, I only understood bits and pieces, but as I continued reading, I found it more and more interesting.

I realized that perhaps reading can also be a joyful thing."

▲"Ten years from now, I hope to become a teacher.

Today is my first day of teaching. I came to the classroom with both excitement and nervousness. However, I found that some students were distracted while others were looking around instead of paying attention. I felt very frustrated and even regretted it.I regretted that I had not been a well-behaved student when I was younger. Now, I truly understand how much effort and patience teachers put into educating us."

Creator: Hongyan He

▲"Today, my friends and I played all kinds of fun games together, such as badminton, running, and table tennis.

After that, my friends and I decided to find something else to play. We chose drawing, and we all thought it was really fun. We drew each other’s portraits—one person drew another—and we were all very happy."

▲"Ten years from now, I will have started my own company. I will have a fulfilling life and a happy family. The company will be developing well, and every day I will gain new achievements and receive recognition from others."

Creator: Mei Huang

▲"After school one afternoon, I heard that my older sister had come home. I immediately ran upstairs, and when I saw her smiling face, I felt incredibly happy.Not long after that, I had to go to evening study at school. Since I was already in sixth grade, I had evening classes every day. When I arrived at school, I studied hard because I didn’t want to be kept after class by the teacher. I just wanted to go home as soon as possible and spend time playing with my sister.

As the minutes passed, class finally ended. Everyone was getting ready to go home, but the teacher suddenly said that we could only leave after finishing a certain problem. My math grades were usually quite good, but I ended up being kept behind because I couldn’t correct one problem properly.

I was really upset at that moment because I actually knew how to solve the problem—I was only kept behind because I had made a calculation mistake. After finally correcting it, I walked out of the classroom sadly. To my surprise, my sister was there waiting to pick me up. Seeing her made me feel even more emotional. But instead of criticizing me, she comforted me. Eventually, I stopped crying, and later my sister and I went out to eat barbecue together."

▲Ten years from now, I will introduce tourist attractions to visitors while my friends watch from the side.

Dialogues in Art

For Every Heart

Sometimes, a single painting can touch our hearts, prompting us to reflect on our past and the things we cherish.We, too, reveal the parts of ourselves hidden deep within our hearts and engage in sincere dialogue with the children.The artworks above are created by the children, while the works below present the thoughts and reflections of creators inspired by them.

The happiest thing in 2019

▲ Creator : Su Mao

▲ Creator : Yi Lin ---“The memory of watching stars with my family is truly beautiful. I love these small and tender moments in life.”

▲ Creator : Xiaofei Ren---My mom and dad are back, and I am very happy. At the same time, I also feel a little sad because they will have to leave again soon.Whenever I see other children spending time with their parents, I miss my own parents so much. I am really happy that they came home this time. I love my mom and dad.

▲ Creator : Xi Chen ---“When children have not seen their parents for a long time, what might they be like? Are they quietly waiting, perhaps along the road where their parents left?”

▲ Creator : Yan Liu ---One day after school, my mother came to pick me up as usual. When we were walking past a ditch, she tripped over a stone and fell. Blood slowly began to flow from her wound, and I couldn’t help but burst into tears.I kept thinking that if my mother had not come to pick me up, she would not have fallen and gotten hurt.

▲ Creator : Xintong Li---“After seeing this painting, I felt quite moved. I hope the little girl and her mother can both be happy, so I drew them holding hands and living happily together in the same space.”

▲ Creator : Xueyan Ma---“A video by a content creator I like features a game in which the protagonist is a shark. In a small coastal town, the number of people the shark kills is used as the scoring system. To make the narrative socially acceptable, the town in the game is designed as a ‘city of villains,’ where every resident is portrayed as a bad person, so the shark can kill them without moral consequences.

I have also experienced facing life alone. When no one listens to my view of the world, I instinctively begin to see my surroundings as dangerous and something to be guarded against.I do not want a child, because they have no one to share their thoughts with, to become a ‘shark’ that lashes out at the world.We may not be able to replace the role of parents, but listening to children is extremely important. Being heard and accompanied can calm a heart, allowing it to feel the beauty around it, rather than becoming like a shark, constantly on guard and ready to attack.”

▲ Creator : Chunyu Meng---This year, my family and I went on a trip together.

▲ Creator : Shiqi Xu---“The day when parents return once a year is hard-won for left-behind children. I look forward to the next reunion between children and their parents, hoping it will take place in a gentle spring breeze, where the family can together enjoy the green riverside grass, blooming spring flowers, and fish swimming in the water.”

Me after 10 years

▲ Creator : Dandan Ran---Ten years from now, I might become a truly amazing person. I might fly to the moon, become very wealthy, or travel around the world by plane, exploring different places and enjoying beautiful scenery.

▲ Creator : Yilin---“Children’s rich imagination about their own possibilities is very much like who we were in our own childhood. I believe this is also something we should learn from them now—to look at ourselves with a sense of hope and anticipation.”

▲ Creator : Mengli You---Ten years from now, I will be an adult. I will be able to buy whatever I want, and I will be so happy.

▲ Creator : Jiawei Li---“Each child’s drawing is highly distinctive. But this piece on ‘adults’ and ‘when we grow up’ particularly resonated with me. We often assume that growing up means gaining more, yet in reality, adulthood often means facing more choices, and life becoming significantly more complex.”

▲ Creator : Chenxin Wang---Ten years from now, I will definitely get into a good university and begin my college journey. I believe that during my university years, I will gain more knowledge, make more friends, and after graduation, I will work toward achieving my other goals.

▲ Creator : Peng Xiao---“I saw a child who said that in ten years he would be admitted to his dream university, and that he believes he would learn more knowledge and make more friends there. In a sense, I feel that I am already what his future self once dreamed of becoming. That makes me feel that our lives overlap in some way. So I chose a photo of myself receiving my university admission letter to create a dialogue with the child.”

Dialogues in Art

For a Shared Dream

While viewing the children’s artworks, 36 artists and everyday viewers also expressed their reflections through painting, creating a vivid exchange of colors, thoughts, and emotions.These works carry hopes for the children’s future and portray the beauty of their inner worlds, while also revealing the unique moments of light and hope in the growth journeys of left-behind children.

Expectations

▲ Creator : An An---“This is a wonderful little story. Each character discovers something extraordinary because of curiosity. It is also a story that can continue endlessly, where new coincidences and wonders can always be found. I hope every child can preserve their innocence and continue discovering joy and interesting things in everyday life.”

"Urban Dreams · Children’s Dreams"

▲ Creator : Yandi Wang---“When we are children, we always long for the adult world. Sometimes we imitate adults’ behavior, but most of the time it is simply imitation. There is no need to rush into adulthood—just keep all your wishes safely in your heart.”

"Urban Dreams · Breaking Out of the Comfort Zone"

▲ Creator : Yandi Wang---“Children are often the bravest, as the saying goes: ‘a newborn calf fears no tiger.’ I hope they can maintain their drive as they grow up—to step out of their comfort zones, to try, and to break through boundaries. I also hope that what makes them happiest now will still be what makes them happiest when they grow up. Do not lose your original way of seeing the world. Preserving childlike innocence throughout growth is a rare and fortunate form of happiness.”

▲ Creator : Xiao Liu ---“Life is still long, and many beautiful things are waiting for the children to discover. Life can—and surely will—become better.”

▲ Creator : Dewen Yang---“The future lives of the children will also be just as lovely and full of warmth, won’t they?”

▲ Creator : Xiyan Zhang---“Seaweed points the way toward the moon, while a dove of peace carries an olive branch. Step by step, we move from one kind of beauty to another.”

▲ Creator : Wenyi Zhou---“Run forward with all your strength toward a broader, safer, and more equal world, and you will see a beautiful rainbow.”

Heart

▲ Creator : Wanhang Chao ---“Sometimes, the beauty of the world is simply blocked by various barriers, so that children cannot see it. What is needed is someone to break down the wall behind it—even just a small crack is enough—to let light shine into a corner.”

▲ Creator : Wanhang Chao ---“Children’s minds move freely, often beyond what we can predict.Perhaps, like the cat in this painting, they slip into a magical doorway and travel to another world in an imaginative way. It is just like stepping through the “Anywhere Door” from Doraemon’s magical pocket”

"Every Child Is a Tree"

▲ Creator : Yandi Wang ---“Children’s ideas may be innocent, but they are not without meaning. They are willing to sincerely believe in what they see with their own eyes. So When a child says they are a tree, believe them—for that is their truth in that moment.”

▲ Creator : Wei Chen---“I drew a machine shrouded in mist. Within the mist are the children’s simple yet pure dreams. On the machine are nodes that are both diverse and singular, accompanying left-behind children as they grow. As the mist of imagination dissipates and the number of nodes on the machine increases, the children will also gain a wider world of possibilities.”

▲ Creator : Da Ge ---“Every child, when first appearing in the world as an embryo, is endowed with the purest and most beautiful essence. This gift is not defined by wealth, race, or class. In their earliest years, children can most equally experience what is perhaps the most important thing in this world—joy and fulfillment. These are, in fact, the treasures that we gradually lose as we grow into adulthood. At the center of this painting is an embryo-shaped child, surrounded by beautiful flowers. Yet the overall tone is dark, symbolizing how the child’s inner world, in an imperfect reality, is still blooming in its most perfect form.”

▲ Creator : Xiao Liu ---“Like drifting sands, disappointment and struggles gradually wear away at the children’s beautiful inner worlds.The abandoned white wings reveal the darkness and pain hidden within the heart.Yet even in the desert, plants still grow—cacti. We all long for beauty and light, and the seeds within the heart have always been there. Different environments give rise to different forms of growth. The touch of green and purple in the painting is proof of this.”

▲ Creator : Yici Zhu ---“During the Lunar New Year period, left-behind children wait outside their homes for their parents’ return, though they do not know when that day will come.”

"Waiting for Your Return"

▲ Creator : Yijia  Zhu---“At first, I did not really understand what left-behind children were. After watching some short films and videos, I gradually came to understand them. Left-behind children are those who grow up without the companionship of their parents. I thought they might have negative emotions and feel sad, but after seeing their drawings, I realized they are also very positive, brave, and goal-oriented. The most memorable drawing for me was the last one I saw, titled ‘Myself in Ten Years.’ In it, the child is walking home together with a robot. It felt a little bittersweet to me—it suggests a deep desire for companionship on the way home. Another drawing that left a strong impression on me showed a girl going to university with her friend and later living together. I think that represents friendship. These two drawings really stayed with me and made me want to cherish the people around me, especially my parents.

These works also reminded me of my own childhood story. When I was very young, I was left in someone else’s care because my parents had to work. When my parents came to pick me up, I was extremely happy—though I only know this because my mother told me, as I was too young to remember. I think I was brought back home around the age of two or three, and they gradually raised and cared for me afterward.

What I want to say to left-behind children is that there is no need to be too sad. You should be brave in facing what is happening in your life. I believe they are already very brave and strong, and I hope that continues in the future. I hope all your wishes come true. Keep going!”

The guiding light

"Music Class"

▲ Creator : Yandi Wang---“Music always brings joy to children, both now and in the future. It not only brings the joy of listening, but also stimulates their imagination.”

"Urban Dreams · Enjoyment"

▲ Creator : Yandi Wang---“Children are easily influenced by adults. Parents should guide them in how to find simple happiness in a complex world. Sometimes, parents need to take the lead in clearing a clear and open path for their children.”

▲ Creator : Yiran  Cheng---“A child’s beautiful childhood needs the people around them to build a world of kindness, allowing them to grow up beautifully, kindly, and healthily.”

▲ Creator : Da Ge---“The issue of left-behind children is difficult to resolve, as it involves a very wide range of social factors. I sincerely hope that one day in the future, every child will be granted the right to education and to transform their own lives. That would be a truly perfect world.”

▲ Creator : Da Ge ---“Education and love open a window to a wider world for children, allowing them to see a broader world and to better understand themselves.”

The experiences of left-behind children have long been a subject of public concern in our society.

When people talk about this group, words such as “pitiful” and “tragic” are often used as labels when describing them.But can their lives truly be fully defined by such simple terms?

No, we do not think so. They have their own vibrant, beautiful, and meaningful moments in life. Like children around us, they possess keen observation of the world, rich imagination, and the ability to experience joy.

VIVA, together with EWB, has entered the world of left-behind children, hoping to help you better understand their current situation and feel their longing for family and parental connection. We sincerely hope that you, as a reader, can join us in offering simple support to protect and nurture their emotional well-being.

Media Partners

Brand Introduction

Viva la Vida (VIVA)

Viva la Vida (VIVA) is an international organization with a presence in more than 50 countries worldwide.Through art, VIVA inspires young people to reflect on life, discover themselves, develop a deeper understanding of the world, and build meaningful emotional connections with others. VIVA organizes offline brand events and public welfare initiatives centered around the theme of “life” in countries around the world. Its work has received recognition from international organizations including the United Nations, APEC, and the G20. Its partners include leading companies such as Facebook, Toutiao, China Unicom, and Vanke. VIVA has also invited prominent figures, including actor Yao Chen, Antonio Basilio, Chair of the APEC Business Advisory Council, and Jack Wang Jian, CTO of Alibaba Group, to participate in its activities. VIVA has established one of the world’s largest humanistic databases of life portraits.Through immersive and interactive exhibitions, it raises public awareness of social issues and encourages deeper engagement with topics related to social good. VIVA has been invited multiple times to been invited multiple times to present interactive exhibitions at the United Nations focusing on children’s well-being, attracting attention from diplomats and media representatives from around the world.

Education Without Barriers (EWB)

Education Without Barriers (EWB) is a non-profit volunteer organization dedicated to providing online education for orphans and children in vulnerable situations. It was officially established in September 2016.EWB’s members come from five continents and come from five continents across seven time zones, including high school students, university students, PhD candidates, professional teachers, and retired educators.Through real-time online teaching, EWB provides personalized foundational education and tutoring programs for children with special needs, including children officially recognized as orphans and left-behind children. The organization aims to address challenges such as unequal access to educational resources, insufficient attention to the educational needs of vulnerable children, and the limitations of short-term offline volunteer teaching programs.