Novatek Volunteers Accompany Visually Impaired Students to Explore the Persimmon-Drying Industry in Xinpu and Participate in a Coastal Cleanup and Marine Ecology Experience
Volunteer Service
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Volunteer: Sun Jun-de
This was my first time leading a volunteer activity for visually impaired students. When I received the volunteer handbook a few days earlier and saw the students’ records noting various degrees of disability, I thought this would be a fairly challenging event.
When I arrived early at the persimmon-drying farm in Xinpu to greet the students I would be guiding, I was unexpectedly touched by their enthusiasm. One boy happily shared little stories about school life with me; he could even sing and play the piano. All the inconveniences I had imagined beforehand seemed to disappear. In the morning, volunteers assisted the students in using watercolor brushes stained with persimmon juice to paint various motifs on canvas tote bags provided by the farm. Although the children cannot see, their parents and caregivers will surely feel proud when they see the finished work at home.
At noon we went to Qionglin for a shared dishes, and gradually the practical difficulties they face became more apparent. Everyday actions we take for granted—serving rice, helping ourselves to dishes, ladling soup—require the students’ reliance on others. The volunteers at our table eagerly helped serve the roasted chicken, fish, king oyster mushrooms, and other abundant dishes. The students enjoyed the food immensely and even began scoring each dish one by one—their childlike delight made me laugh.
In the afternoon we went to Nanliao Fishing Port for a beach cleanup. Beforehand, environmental volunteer instructors explained the impact of litter on the environment and showed photos to illustrate their points. I saw a student lean forward and press his face close to a photo, as if he wanted to see what was in it. Their effort to perceive and understand showed how much they also wish to experience the world adults speak of.
Because the winds at the beach were too strong, for safety we moved the cleanup activity to a nearby windbreak forest. Volunteers walked along, picking up roadside litter and placing it into the garbage bags the students were holding. At the end of the activity, the environmental instructors used a Q&A format to prompt the students to think about how to reduce waste and avoid burdening the environment.
The colorful world we take for granted must be explored by these visually impaired children through touch, hearing, and other senses. Yet on their innocent faces there was curiosity and courage. May they keep that purity and continue to explore the world.
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