"The children's smiling faces are what encourage me to continue doing this," said 72-year-old Liu Peichang from Yichang city, Hubei province, who has helped 62 students from poor families gain an education over the past 22 years, Chinanews.com reported on Thursday.

Decades ago, Liu, then a policeman in Yichang, had the thought to help poor students after he heard from local cadres who were sent to help Tibet that many children there couldn't afford school.

In 2000, Liu started to contact local governments from across the country and kept himself busy with financing students from poverty-stricken families. Besides giving them financial support, he also cared about the students' studies and life and kept in touch with them and the families.

"I am very grateful for grandpa Liu. He gave me hope in such a difficult time for my family and I will work hard to finish my college study," said Xiaoyang, a girl of Qiang ethnic group from Maoxian county, Aba Tibetan and Qiang autonomous prefecture, Sichuan province, who is now studying at North Sichuan Medical College. Liu will support her until she graduates from college.

So far, Liu has spent over 200,000 yuan ($29,560) in financing 62 unprivileged students from 15 provinces and autonomous regions across the country. Among them 55 were minority students.

Now, some of the students Liu aided have completed their studies and gotten married. In Liu's cellphone he also keeps photos of those students that he sometimes flicks through. "I'll keep aiding those who are in need," he said.