Novatek Volunteers Accompany Children from the Orphanage to a Toy Museum and Leather Craft Workshop
Volunteer Service
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Volunteer / Zhan, Xiao-Lan
Today the sky was unusually clear, the sunlight spreading like a golden stage laid out just for our little explorers. In the morning, the instructor introduced the children to the softness and resilience of leather. Watching their small hands, clumsy yet full of curiosity, stamp their favorite words and apply color—each stroke and drop seemed to write a part of their growth story. When the final metal clasp was fastened around a wrist, the sparkle in each child’s eyes was not only pride in their work but also newfound confidence in their ability to create. In that moment, I deeply felt that the power of handcraft is not merely transforming materials into objects, but quietly threading courage and self-affirmation into every imprint.
In the afternoon, we entered the toy museum. Antique rocking horses, bamboo dragonflies, marble boards, and many traditional toys quietly awaited a new generation of fingers to touch and play. The children rolled their handmade cars across the floor, producing a colorful display, and the spiraling motion felt like rewinding time—briefly transporting them back to their grandparents’ childhoods. Watching them sway on rocking horses and ride on various pedal toys until they didn’t want to get off, I heard the purity of their laughter and sensed their wonder and respect for past culture. Toys are not only playthings; they are vessels of memory and bridges of emotion passed between generations.
I stood by, my heart moved like a sunlit river flowing gently through each moment. This day taught them not only how to make leather keychains and how to enjoy traditional toys, but also patience, trust, and sharing through creation and exploration. As the evening glow faded and we waved goodbye, one of the children I had been accompanying ran up and hugged me—an indescribable stirring in my heart. The clear weather left clear memories; these memories will wrap around my heart like a bracelet, reminding me that every moment of accompaniment may be the brightest star on a child’s life journey.
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