ESG News

Changhua County Visually Impaired Association / Yu-chen Cheng

My own family has had a visually impaired child for almost five years now. Fortunately, he only suffers from low vision and can still run around and play, performing activities as if he had full vision. Nevertheless, I still feel a bit saddened. It was the first I ever participated as a volunteer in an event organized by the Novatek Foundation. To be honest, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t quite nervous. After all, I’ve never been in contact with anyone who was fully blind before. Even if I had wanted to help with all my heart, I didn’t know where to start.

When I recall that first time, when the bus came to pick us up at the meeting spot, I instinctively asked everyone to get on the bus. However, since most of the students were blind and didn’t know each other, the process of getting them on the bus and finding a seat was difficult enough to make me scramble. Although I felt a little frustrated, I believed that I could do better the next time.

I was saved though! There were senior volunteers who provided immediate assistance. I learned from the senior volunteers that we needed to guide the students fully. It wasn’t enough to just direct them by grabbing these kids’ hands or holding their shoulders as they walked, but to guide them by telling them to hold my arm and follow me. At that moment, I thought to myself, “how much courage would I need to give my complete trust to some strangers!”

I think that this courage and trust should also be attributed to the volunteers, who are all willing to selflessly give their time and effort as well as these companies that are willing to undertake social responsibility, because the kids knew that they are safe with the help of the volunteers. In addition, the volunteers can take them to many new sites and places, creating many beautiful memories, getting these students in touch with a variety of ingredients, tasting fresh and delicious food, and learning about the animals and plants in the surrounding environment. This allows the kids and even their parents to be worry free, let go, and enjoy a new environment in an space of complete trust.

When I saw the relaxed and joyful expressions on these kids’ faces (maybe their pressure from schoolwork was overwhelming), I felt it was more than worthwhile to be a volunteer. I followed these kids as they led me in experiencing the beauty of the mountains and forests, the fresh air, healthy and delicious meals, and meeting several familiar yet unseen ingredients one after another. You could feel the novelty, interest, and anticipation emanating from these kids. These vivid and lively reactions were all present in their conversations. This image of relaxed enjoyment conjured up by these activities is truly beautiful.

I want to give a special thanks to the Novatek Foundation for organizing such thoughtful activities, and providing these kids with an experience outside of class that benefits both body and mind. I would also like to thank the Novatek volunteers for spending time with the kids and accompanying them on each journey, every step of the way. Such an excellent and responsible enterprise and its employees are sure to create sustainable development and benefit more people.