On January 31, 2026, VIVA partnered with Yanliutun Primary School in Fenghuang Town, Hunan Province, to host a gratitude-themed art activity for rural children titled “Thank You for Lighting My Way.” Through Life Portraits, children used art to express their gratitude toward their volunteer teachers, preserving memories of companionship and connection. Here, we move beyond the label of “scarcity” and turn our attention to moments of brief yet profound companionship, expressio

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