In September, the Qiangtang Grassland is blessed with high, clear skies, while a hint of early autumn chill has begun to fill the air. But for Cijiangcuo, a sixth-grade student at the CHN Energy Hope Primary School in Nyainrong County, northern Xizang, the new school term has brought a special warmth.
At noon on September 10, the lunch bell rang on time. Cijiangcuo took her friend's hand and ran into the school canteen. As she pushed open the glass door, sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows and filled the dining hall. The floor was clean and bright, and rows of stainless-steel heated serving counters stood neatly in place. The steam and aroma of braised beef with potatoes immediately filled the air. “The food smells so good today!” Cijiangcuo joined the orderly line with her tray, served herself a spoonful of braised beef with potatoes and some rice, and sat down with her classmates at a brand-new dining table. The gentle clinking of bowls and chopsticks mingled with the children's laughter and conversation, filling the spacious canteen with a lively yet cozy atmosphere.
Cijiangcuo still remembers that the school canteen did not look like this last semester. Located deep in the Qiangtang Grassland in northern Xizang, Nyainrong County has an average elevation of 4,700 meters, where oxygen is scarce and the climate is harsh. In the past, local school canteens were able to meet students' basic dining needs, but some facilities and equipment had gradually aged due to their early construction. Functional areas were also not sufficiently well organized, while existing infrastructure for food storage and preparation could no longer fully meet actual needs.
Officials from CHN Energy supporting Xizang saw the difficulties children faced at mealtimes and kept them close to heart. From late 2025 to early 2026, the Rural Revitalization Office of CHN Energy Xizang Branch, together with the ninth group of officials assigned to support Xizang, conducted surveys at schools across Nyainrong County and solicited opinions from various stakeholders. It was subsequently decided to apply for the standardized renovation of the canteens at all 14 schools in the county as a key project supporting Xizang in 2026. In May this year, 7.5 million yuan (1.12 million USD) in support funding was secured, and construction officially began. Over the following four months, construction teams worked intensively to overcome challenges including the high-altitude cold and low-oxygen conditions and difficulties in transporting materials. The renovation was completed before the start of the autumn semester, and the newly renovated canteens opened as scheduled.
Today, when Cijiangcuo and her classmates eat, they can clearly see the changes through the transparent glass wall of the canteen kitchen. The renovated kitchen is spacious and clean, with clearly defined areas for washing, preliminary food preparation, cooking and meal serving. Raw and cooked food are handled separately, effectively reducing the risk of cross-contamination. With the upgraded ventilation system, cooking no longer fills the kitchen with choking smoke. Antibacterial, slip-resistant materials have been installed on the walls and floors, making the working environment safer and more hygienic.
New equipment has also made canteen operations more standardized. Inside the refrigerated storage room, vegetables, meat and dairy products are stored separately, extending the freshness of ingredients. Sterilization cabinets, food sample retention cabinets and cleaning cabinets are all fully equipped. Tableware is sterilized in a standardized manner, while samples of every meal are retained as required for inspection. Knives and cutting boards are hung separately according to their designated uses, making everything easy to identify at a glance. One canteen worker said, “We used to use the same knives and cutting boards for different purposes, and it was always a concern. Now our procedures are standardized, making our work easier and giving us greater peace of mind when preparing meals for the children.” Surveillance cameras now provide full coverage of the kitchen, making every step—from receiving ingredients to washing, cooking and retaining food samples—traceable and giving students greater confidence in the safety of their meals.
The renovation covers all 14 primary and secondary schools and kindergartens across Nyainrong County. Like Cijiangcuo, all 5,184 children in the county can now enjoy warm, safe meals every day in clean and bright canteens.
Watching the children eat heartily with smiles on their faces, Principal Suolangrenqing said with heartfelt emotion, “Parents used to be most concerned about whether their children were eating well at school and whether the canteen was clean and hygienic. Now they can visit the kitchen through the glass wall and check the surveillance footage. Many parents feel that the standards of the school canteen are even stricter than those at home.”
After finishing her lunch, Cijiangcuo carefully placed her tray in order. She turned back and glanced at the bright, newly renovated canteen, with the lingering aroma of the meal still in the air. A warm feeling filled her heart. She knew that this reassuring mealtime came from the care of the people supporting children on the plateau from thousands of miles away.
Since 2002, CHN Energy has continued to increase its support for education in Xizang, investing a total of 194 million yuan (28.96 million USD). It has built kindergartens and primary schools, established school libraries, air-supported sports halls and science museums, as well as multifunctional classrooms for music, art and dance, enabling children in the plateau's pastoral areas to enjoy access to quality educational resources comparable to those in cities. From ensuring that children have access to schooling to helping them receive a better education, and from ensuring that they have enough to eat to helping them eat well, this commitment of care has crossed mountains and seas and taken root in every school in Nyainrong County.
The wind across the Qiangtang remains crisp, and the highland sky is brilliantly blue. Sitting in the newly renovated canteen, Cijiangcuo and her classmates enjoy one mouthful of warm food after another, along with a deep sense of security and care. The warmth brought by support for Xizang has become a tangible part of everyday life on the Qiangtang campus, inspiring countless girls like her to study hard and strive to grow.
