Novatek Volunteers Accompany Visually Impaired Students on Learning Trip to Miaoli’s Historic Oil Wells and Jujube Orchards
Volunteer Service
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With nearly 160 years of history in Miaoli County’s Gongguan Township, the old Chuhuangkeng oil field continues to produce natural gas even today, and is a living piece of history in the Taiwanese—and global—oil mining industry. Gongguan County’s history of jujube cultivation also dates back more than a century. It is the only site of jujube production in Taiwan. During this event, volunteers from Novatek accompanied visually impaired students from the Changhua area to Gongguan so they could hear the cultural stories of these century-old industries.
By revisiting history, guides took the students on a mining adventure to Chuhuangkeng, where the first ever oil mine in Taiwan was discovered. The guided tour was packed with information, covering topics such as where the world’s oil fields are located, why oil exists in the first place, how to search for oil, Chuhuangkeng’s past and present, and protecting the Earth through energy conservation. After stepping out of the classroom, students were able to walk up and down the most renowned tourist site in Chuhuangkeng—the 550-meter long cart tracks. With a 60-degree incline that was anything but a gentle slope, the walk proved to be taxing and quite the exercise!
After a refreshing lunch flavored with jujubes, students spent the afternoon making their own special jujube jam, with one-on-one assistance from volunteers. The jujube farmers’ detailed introduction gave students a glimpse into how to identify Taiwan’s quality jujubes and the environment they thrive in. Last but not least, students had an opportunity to taste the jujube soft serve and brown sugar jujube snacks developed by the local farmers’ association. These treats were enjoyed by adults and children alike!
With the company of Novatek volunteers and through local learning, visually impaired students were able to learn new things, and through the integration of on-site visits and local food products, they also experienced a connection with the land and were able to understand that every piece of land we stand on has a variety of characteristics and stories. |
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