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Cai Yuqing was selected as one of the first 45 women to receive a scholarship to attend a vocational education program. She chose to study Computer Applications Technology at the Guangdong Women's Professional Technical College.

As with all of the scholarship recipients, tremendous personal obstacles prevented Ms. Cai from completing her education earlier in life. She has a paralyzed right leg that has limited her motion, and has used a crutch for much of her life. A significant amount of her family's resources went toward medical treatment rather than education. She was later forced to drop out of school when her younger brother was admitted to vocational school and the family could not afford to pay for her to continue her education.

Despite these obstacles, Ms. Cai showed resolve and a commitment to improving her life. Like millions of other Chinese women, she migrated from her family home in Guangxi province to work in a factory in China's industrial south. Separated from her family and struggling through rigorous workdays for minimal pay, she was determined to earn enough money to enroll in a vocational program in sewing. After three years, she was finally able to afford the training course and soon was able to sustain a local sewing business. During this time, she married and had a son.

Things took a turn for the worse when her husband, also disabled, was unable to find work. During this time, Ms. Cai characterized her family as "penniless".

Only through the contributions of her elder sister was she able to purchase a second-hand computer and begin taking short-term basic computer courses.

The Asia Foundation's scholarship program comes at a pivotal time in Cai Yuqing's life. In a letter written to the Scholarship Review Committee, she was "exhilarated" to learn about the Wal-Mart-funded scholarship program. This scholarship represents a rare opportunity for her to participate in a three-year program where she will develop the computer skills she needs to pursue new employment opportunities.

Cai Yuqing is one example of how this Wal-Mart-funded scholarship program can transform the lives of Chinese women workers. The Scholarship Review Committee has worked diligently with local vocational schools and the applicants to make sure that the women with the greatest need are selected as scholarship recipients and that they receive the appropriate support throughout the course of their studies. During the next three years, The Asia Foundation will provide 70 deserving women with scholarship opportunities to attend vocational school programs that will make them more marketable for jobs. Programs include computer technology, human resource management, business administration, logistics management, computers, foreign language, economics, and education.