More Than a Game: Zhang Yuan Wei is one of China’s more than 20 million migrant kids, who often live on the move, in poverty and with only a 9th-grade education. Despite it all, basketball gives him the confidence, determination and friends to push for a better life for him and his family

Zhang Yuan Wei won’t let anything keep him from playing basketball. And that makes him unstoppable off the court as well. There’s no denying that life for most of China’s 20 million migrant kids is hard. Through sport they gain self-respect, determination and skills that will help them in life, like communications, teamwork and creativity.

Since 2006 Nike has supported school sports for migrant kids through China Children and Teenagers’ Fund’s “Let Me Play” program. Together we have reached over 300,000 youth in 7 cities across China. This week Nike Basketball and Lebron James helped raise awareness about the situation for migrant kids and how basketball is empowering them. To commemorate the week’s events, the sports program was expanded to 2 new cities. Now migrant kids in Shenyang and Shanghai will also benefit from special PE curriculum, equipment and teacher training as well as have a basketball league all their own!

Find out more about the migrant kids in China and learn how you can make a difference in Beijing/Shenyang: China Children & Teenagers’ Fund. http://www.cctf.org.cn/rww.asp?cc=3&dd=332&ee=121

Or in Shangai: Hands on Shanghai http://www.handsonshanghai.org/ and Children’s Arts Initiative http://www.cai-china.org/site/index.php/zh