The 2010 Shanghai World Expo is a high-profile world event, but many Chinese children in poverty-stricken rural areas know little about it and may not have the chance to visit. To allow more children to participate in the Shanghai Expo, P&G invited many of its new employees as Expo guides to visit P&G Hope Schools and share stories about the Shanghai Expo with the children. I was very lucky to be one of the first volunteers.
June 25, 2010 was a memorable day for me. After a long drive, we finally arrived at “San Jiazi P&G Hope School”, three hours away from the city of Tongliao in Inner Mongolia. The school was built in 1998 with the support of P&G, and today, thousands of students have graduated from the school. At present, 413 children who hold Mongolian, Han and Manchu nationalities study at San Jiazi P&G Hope School.
After a warm welcome ceremony, Jade, another P&G employee and I walked into the classroom and were immediately greeted with a burst of applause. I could feel a strong sense of welcome and anticipation through the children’s timid smiles and curious eyes. At that moment, any tension and fatigue I had from traveling were completely swept away, and I was bursting to tell them what I knew about the Shanghai Expo. We started by defining the World Expo word by word, telling them the history and stories behind the Expo, and briefly introducing the China Pavilion as well as some foreign national pavilions. The children were particularly excited when we played the Expo promotion film and took them on the virtual tour of the USA Pavilion. Not only was this their first time experiencing the Expo so closely but also their first time seeing notebook computers and visual effects. I had never realized so profoundly that a spoken exchange of thoughts, opinions, and feelings were so much more meaningful and significant than monetary aid. We will never know how much our encouragement meant to these children. It is the kind of intangible wealth that could perhaps brighten their lives, sow the seed of their dreams and inspire them to make greater efforts!
For me, this trip also means very much to me. It was my first time visiting a P&G Hope School and teaching a class of village children. Frankly, what I saw and experienced both shocked and impressed me. My experience has led me to think through the values of life and realize that personal development and success are just a small part of life. We have greater and more important things to fulfill. These children bring me a peace of mind, and I will try my very best to bless and care for them.
After this trip, I have found a new respect for P&G. Based on what I’ve seen and heard, I firmly believe that P&G has and will continue to fulfill its social responsibility to care for more children in more parts of China. In 2009, the company donated RMB 40 million in both cash and products to 37,000 primary schools in more than 260 cities across 25 provinces in China, helping 17 million children in need. At present, the 200th P&G hope school is under final site selection. I am so proud of this great number and this great company! With P&G’s help, more children have had the opportunity to receive basic education and work toward their dreams. I greatly appreciate what P&G and its kind-hearted employees have done for Chinese children who are in need. They have truly demonstrated the meaning of love without borders.
In China, there is an old saying that a single spark can start a prairie fire. As a volunteer, what I have done alone is not worth mentioning, but if we all work together, we can contribute a lot. I am not sure whether I have sown a seed of dreams for these children, but I am sure the children can sense my love for them. I look forward to seeing them again and to my next Expo in the Village volunteer trip!
Touching lives, improving life. P&G™