A 75-year-old woman from Inner Mongolia named Duguima, is mother to 28 children from Shanghai she adopted in the early 1960s when southern China suffered a period of natural disasters. For years, Duguima has dedicated herself to all aspects of the children’s care.

In the early 1960s, natural disasters caused a sharp reduction in grain yield and people living in southern China were faced with famine. Welfare institutions did not have the resources to take care of abandoned babies, and the Inner Mongolia government decided to help by taking in over 3,000 orphans. Duguima volunteered to raise 28 orphans aged just 19.

To foster the orphans, she taught herself to become an obstetrician and helped scores of young mothers deliver babies at a time when there was little medical equipment available.

As her adopted children have now grown up, Duguima currently lives with just her own biological daughter.

Eight years ago, she moved from a grassland area to an apartment that the banner government arranged for her to purchase at a reduced price.

In recent years, Duguima has received honors from the regional women’s federation and the publicity department for her devotion to the orphans. Her story has also been adapted for film and television.

Border soldiers visit Duguima (third from left) in Siziwang Banner on May 10. [Photo/Xinhua]