Honoring visionaries who made a difference

British Council recognizes those who studied in UK and returned to help their communities, Yang Feiyue reports.

The end of the year is a time to reflect on what has gone and been done. In the spirit of the season, the British Council acknowledges achievements by graduates who studied in the United Kingdom.

Zhang Jin was one of the many who were honored at the Alumni Awards in Beijing in early December, an event hosted by the British Council.

Zhang, in her 30s, studied real estate finance in Cambridge in 2004-05.

In 2012, she quit a well-paid job in Hong Kong and returned to her hometown in Sanmen county, in Zhejiang province's Taizhou city, to build a library.

Zhang came up with the idea after she met a local youth during a vacation back home in 2011.

The high school graduate didn't have a clue about what he wanted to do and, like many of his generation, was only into computer games.

"It was quite a shock to me, reminding me of what it was like for myself at his age," Zhang recalls.

The experience in the UK and her love of reading led to the decision to establish the library.

She wanted to bring something tangible to her hometown.