A Tree Grows in Inner Mongolia: A Tale of Human Connection Across Borders The story of Ronald Sakolsky, an American teacher who donated $5,000 to a Chinese farmer's tree planting efforts in Inner Mongolia two decades ago, has a peculiar resonance.
Yin Yuzhen, the farmer in question, recently extended an invitation to Sakolsky to visit the forest that his generosity helped bring into being. Yin's determination is remarkable.
As a woman from a poor family in Shaanxi province, she married a man who lived in the Maowusu Desert (also known as Ordos Desert) in Inner Mongolia and together they battled against the harsh conditions of the desert to plant trees.