ESG News

Volunteer: Po-Hsuan Lai

This was my first time participating in a volunteer activity, and at the beginning I felt slightly nervous about whether I would be capable of accompanying and guiding visually impaired students. However, after reviewing the volunteer training materials and remembering a few key guiding principles, the task proved to be much more manageable than I had initially expected.

Upon arriving at the venue, the children enthusiastically jumped off the bus. After a brief round of introductions, we immediately began the first activity—rice noodle DIY. Throughout the activity, volunteers needed to pay close attention to each child’s learning pace and provide clear verbal explanations of the process, ensuring that the visually impaired students could fully engage and feel a strong sense of participation.

Over the course of the day, we packaged rice noodles, made traditional red turtle cakes, herbal rice cakes, and pounded mochi together. The experience concluded with a visit to the Xiangshan Wetlands, where a professional guide introduced the wetland ecosystem and shared insights into environmental conservation. The children showed great interest in the hands-on activities they created themselves. During longer explanations, however, their attention would occasionally drift, requiring volunteers to gently engage them in conversation to help refocus their attention.

I truly appreciated the opportunity to accompany the child assigned to me and even felt that he was more mature and optimistic than many sighted children of the same age. Before participating in this activity, I assumed that visually impaired students would require extensive assistance. However, through direct interaction, I realized that they are highly independent and possess diverse talents. For example, while exploring the wetlands, one of the children was able to name many species of crabs commonly found along Taiwan’s sandy beaches—demonstrating a depth of knowledge that many of us volunteers did not have.

I firmly believe that as long as these children continue to maintain their optimistic and resilient attitudes, they will undoubtedly shine and thrive in their respective fields as they grow.

Before we departed at the end of the event, the child asked me, “Do you think I was easy to accompany?” and even expressed hope that we could meet again in the future. At that moment, I felt a deep sense of warmth and fulfillment.

I highly recommend this volunteer activity to colleagues who wish to contribute to society while gaining a deeper understanding of children with visual impairments. Participation not only enhances awareness of students with special needs but also offers a meaningful sense of accomplishment and joy through service to others—perfectly reflecting the company’s commitment to social inclusion and sustainable development.