An earthquake-hit village in Yunnan province received some early Christmas cheer over the weekend as the German premium vehicle maker Mercedes-Benz pledged funding for school reconstruction and staged special Star Wish classes with the help of volunteers.

Located in the remote mountainous regions of Huize county, Hunshuitang Primary School was severely damaged by an earthquake - a major setback for the impoverished community, where the average annual wage is below 3,000 yuan ($487.62) per person.

At a ceremony on a misty Saturday morning next to the rubble of the razed teaching building, it was announced that Mercedes-Benz's Star Fund would donate 2 million yuan to rebuild the primary school as the latest Mercedes-Benz Hope School.