Maimaiti Ailijiang Abuduaini, 22, received a gift on his birthday recently. He was honored as a Chinese College Student of the Year 2020.

The award was created in 2006 under the guidance of the Ministry of Education. Normally, only 10 students receive the honor each year, but for 2020, the number was doubled.

Maimaiti Ailijiang Abuduaini, a junior at the School of Civil Engineering and Architecture in Wuhan, Hubei province, comes from Kashgar in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region.

In January last year, rather than returning home, he decided to remain in Wuhan to help with the fight against the coronavirus.

"I learned from the news that Wuhan needed volunteers everywhere, so I contacted my tutor in hope of making some contribution within my capabilities," he said.

For more than 80 days, he worked as part of a volunteer service team, along with his football coach, transporting food and medical supplies to various hospitals and institutions in Wuhan.

"I know there are volunteers like us safeguarding my hometown and my family. So we are protecting our country in different places," Maimaiti Ailijiang said.

Dai Kaifu, the head of the school, commented, "To be part of the nation's battle against COVID-19 shows the strength and courage of the younger generation, and their deep love of our country and people."

Beyond transporting supplies, Maimaiti Ailijiang also volunteered to help test the nation's first COVID-19 vaccine. He dubbed himself a "vaccine warrior".

"Something had to be done," he wrote on his WeChat social media account on April 12.

His courage and kindness won the support of family members. "Kid, just go ahead," Maimaiti Ailijiang's father wrote by text message. "Although we are worried, we fully understand the importance of what you are doing. Your mother and I are proud of you."

On April 26, Maimaiti went to the hospital to get a blood test after two weeks of observation. All indicators were normal. He said that it was the most relaxed day in three months for him.