ESG News

Volunteer/Li Yuqin

Before the event, I mentally prepared several conversation topics that might interest the children, believing I was fully prepared. On the day of the event, having pets myself sparked my initial interest in the lecturer's content, and I also learned many relevant skills. During the hands-on session, I hadn't yet spoken to any of the kids, thinking I might observe their conversation patterns a bit longer to naturally blend in. However, when I saw a child cuddling a pet dog, revealing a sincere smile that hadn't appeared since the beginning of the event; when I saw the children playing simple games and laughing heartily, I realized that often, all adults need to do is to be there for them. Another level of realization was that, although it seems like the volunteers are "accompanying" the children, this interaction is mutual. The children's every move also healed us in a way. Their laughter made me laugh, and seeing them earnestly participating made me feel that my involvement was meaningful. Even if from start to finish, my interaction with the children was limited to waving hello at the beginning and saying goodbye at the end, on my way home, my heart still felt full and warm.