Liu Beibei, Newman Huo
A FIVE-STAR voluntary worker wants to see more Shenzhen people become involved in voluntary work to make Shenzhen a better place.
“I’m expecting to see an increasing number of residents become volunteers in various fields and work together to make Shenzhen a more caring, friendly city,” Zhao Shunchao said.
In her mid-30s, Zhao has lived in Shenzhen for almost two decades after running away from her hometown in Shaanxi Province in 1990 because her parents favored her only brother. However, she felt homesick only a week after arriving in Shenzhen.
Born into a family of five children with the youngest a boy, Zhao always felt she was unloved as she was growing up.
“Going through all those years has made me understand my parents more and I often regret not having told them when I left my hometown,” Zhao said.
She had been remitting money to her mother every month from 1990 through 2002, and kept more than 60 receipts for the remittances totaling more than 200,000 yuan (US$28,571).
She donated all the receipts to Shenzhen Museum in April. The receipts have become part of the museum’s permanent collection to illustrate the life of a migrant worker in the city.
During her stay in Shenzhen, Zhao had taken various jobs to earn a living. From 1997 through 2005, she worked for Shenzhen Gas Corp. Ltd. She is now working for an advertising company.
“Over the years, I’ve received so much help from so many people, including strangers. It often makes me think of how to help other people in need,” she said.
One day, at the beginning of 2001, she learned how to become a volunteer with the Shenzhen Volunteers’ Association (SVA). Realizing that joining the SVA would be a great opportunity to meet people of like mind and to help other people in need, Zhao went to the SVA headquarters in Futian District and fill in an application.
Since then, she has been involved in environmental protection and helping disabled people as well as teenagers who have been involved in crime.
“For me, nothing can really compare to the feeling of reward and satisfaction I get after I’ve helped people in real need,” she said.
The voluntary work Zhao has done in her spare time over the past years has made her popular with other voluntary workers. In 2003, the SVA presented her with an award as a five-star volunteer.