Volunteers offer help during surge in COVID

GUIYANG — Despite wintertime, a team of volunteers is delivering medicine in Nanxiyuan community in Guiyang, Southwest China's Guizhou province.

Nanxiyuan community is home to 1,060 relocated residents from seven townships in Huaxi district in the city. Among the residents, more than 300 are elderly or have disabilities.

During the country's campaign to eliminate absolute poverty, relocation was a typical way to get locals out of poverty by moving them from mountainous areas to more suitable places for living.

Wei Yuanfen, 36, is a relocated resident in Nanxiyuan community. She stays at home to look after her two children, with one, who is 13 years old, suffering from a mental disability.

Her children had fever in recent days due to COVID-19 infections, and Wei had no suitable medicine. "The fever didn't go away," Wei says.

The volunteers delivered medicine to her home.

Last June, the community organized a volunteers group and invited Party members and university students to get involved in the community's management, especially for COVID-19 prevention and control measures.

"Over the past few days, some residents have been infected with the virus and had symptoms such as fever and cough, but some families had trouble going out and buying medicine," says Song Changju, an official in the community.

Song says more than 100 volunteers delivered medicine, antigen test kits, and daily necessities, such as food and oil. At the entrance of the community clinic, some volunteers distributed traditional Chinese medicine to residents for free.

Yao Xiaoxie, 21, is one of the volunteers. Three years ago, Yao and his mother were relocated to the community. Yao's mother cannot hear, so the community workers often visit the family to offer help.

Last September, when Guiyang was baffled by the rapid rise of infections, Yao became a volunteer and helped to deliver food and supplies daily. Sometimes, he could only rest for two or three hours a night, but he never complained.

Volunteers are also vital in delivering medicine to relocated residents in need in Longsheng community, a resettlement site in Tongren, Guizhou.

Most middle-aged residents work outside the province, leaving behind the elderly and children.

Tuo Zhenni, a volunteer from the post-1990 generation decided to deliver medicine to neighbors. She says they are like "a big family" and it is necessary to "look out for each other when someone needs help".

"I am always on call for any activities in the community, and I hope every volunteer service from me can bring warmth to the ones in need," says Tuo.

Xinhua