China's educational authorities have launched a new subsidy program offering financial support for students from ethnic minorities. The program, which kicked off at the beginning of this year, aims to give China's minority students a chance at a better education.

China's State Ethnic Affairs Commission in conjunction with China Construction Bank recently launched the support fund for college students from ethnic minority backgrounds.

The support fund will offer scholarships and fellowships to poor students in China's 16 minority areas including the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Tibet Autonomous Region and Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. It will provide each student with an annual subsidy of about 3000 yuan; the equivalent of around 400 U.S. dollars.

Reyila is a Uyghur student. Although both of her parents both work, their combined salaries are not enough to support tuition fees for their three children.