Last May's earthquake in Sichuan Province dealt a difficult blow to many, especially the 10,000 families who lost their children during the quake. 8,000 lost their only child.
Now nearly a year later, more than of these families will have a fresh beginning, as they welcome new babies this year. According to official reports, 757 women who lost children during the earthquake are pregnant.
As a result of the devastation, nearly six thousand women who were previously prohibited from having children due to the one-child policy, were given permission to have additional children. In some cases, sterilizations were reversed.
While these new children can never replace the loss previously experienced by hurting families, they provide a sense of hope for the next generation. Even though the earthquake destroyed so much, there's new life from the ruins.