According to Changjiang Daily, one out of every five people in Wuhan is a volunteer. While many might put this down to the legacy of the city’s battle against Covid-19 last year, devoting time to volunteer work has been common among residents for some time.
From the young to the old, volunteers can be found everywhere in the city’s streets and alleys, offering assistance and providing services.
Over the years, Wuhan has developed various initiatives to engage and encourage the general public to volunteer in their free time. During the city’s fight against Covid-19, thousands of volunteers were mobilized to help with the delivery of community services, including ferrying medicines and supplies to local residents.
“I have lived in Wuhan for 66 years and love the city deeply,” said Hu Sheng, 74, a volunteer at Hubei Provincial Museum. “In Wuhan, we are not spectators or outsiders, but participants, supporters, and actors in the creation of civilization.”
In March, Hu was honored with a national award for people who volunteer their time to help others, along with six individuals and collectives in the city. So far, a total of 34 people and organizations from Wuhan have been honored with the same award since 2015, putting the city near the top of the national rankings for that category.
As of June 4, there are an astonishing 2,244,600 registered volunteers from Wuhan registered in the national volunteer service information system, accounting for 19.83 percent of the resident population. In addition, the city boasts 8,688 registered volunteer groups and 95,039 active volunteer service projects, with volunteers donating at least 20.83 million hours of their time.
