In 1999, an American teacher donated $5,000 to a Chinese woman fighting desertification; with his support, she planted a 50,000-tree forest, and 27 years later, they reunited in tears

In 1999, American teacher Ronald Sakolsky was teaching English in Luoyang, China, when a television report about Yin Yuzhen, a woman battling desertification in Inner Mongolia's Mu Us Sandy Land, moved him deeply. He decided to help and spent about two months raising $5,000 through a US-based charity to support Yin's tree-planting work. The money helped her buy saplings as she and her family continued their efforts to hold back the desert. Over the years, the trees grew into a forest of more than 50,000 trees. Sakolsky and Yin first met in person in 2000 but eventually lost touch for more than two decades. In 2026, Yin searched for her old American friend online. Their efforts to reconnect succeeded, and on August 23, 2026, the two finally met again at an airport in Ordos, Inner Mongolia, where they embraced and cried.

Get breaking news anytime, anywhere. Download the TOI app now!