A Quest to Volunteerism

Volunteering is a noble activity intended to promote selfless service and or to improve quality of life. In return, this activity can produce a feeling of self-worth and respect.

It is in line with this that The Bright Eyes, one of the volunteer groups in Jiangsu University, organizes voluntary activities in different sphere of life. During vacations over the past 5 years, the group has been sending Chinese volunteers to Bijiashan primary school in Jinzhai, one of the mountainous cities in Anhui Province, to help the kids improve their quality of education.

This year’s edition took place at Jinzhai on 13th July, 2014, with 20 selected volunteers made up of students (undergraduates and postgraduates) and some Chinese teachers. Two days later, another Chinese volunteer and I also joined the group. We were warmly welcome upon arrival and given a place to rest.

The next day, the team prepared to meet the kids for the first time to teach them English Language and other courses such as Mathematics, Science, Physical Education, and so on. They were also taught Chinese traditional songs and dance as well as paper cutting.

It was such an amazing moment as the kids were eager to learn. Some, though shy were very smart to understand most of the things they were taught. To others still, it was not only an opportunity to be taught English Language by a foreigner but also a first experience to come in contact with a foreigner. It was full of excitement.

After class, the volunteers played various games such as basketball, table tennis, football and so on, together with the kids. This was to enable them discover their hidden talents and encourage them to build upon it. It was also an avenue to empower them to make their own active decisions. Furthermore, this session was to help them gain accurate experience, skills and confidence in their future career paths and life.

One of the beauties of this event is that, it unites volunteers from various fields, thus facilitating exchange of ideas and sharing of experiences. As the only foreign volunteer among them it gave me an opportunity to learn more about Chinese rural life, most especially their hospitality and amazing culture. Although it was a tough and stressful journey, knowing that I am offering helping hands to others unselfishly, without seeking any rewards makes me happy and puts smiles on my face.

I hope next time more foreign students can sign up to be part of this wonderful experience.