Volunteer group leader puts daily needs of others first

Wang was always busy dealing with residents' problems, taking care of the elderly, mediating conflicts between couples and fixing broken sewer pipes or heaters. If people couldn't find her in the neighborhood committee office, they would visit her house, and she always welcomed residents in need.

She said she tried her best to raise money for people who were seriously ill or disabled, and she offered to help vulnerable groups without asking for any reward. During holidays, she saved money from her meager income to take care of lonely seniors.

"Whether a problem is trivial or major, ignoring it or failing to resolve is not an option. I should not break their trust," she said.

In 2008, a child in the community was diagnosed with leukemia. Wang mobilized members of the volunteer group to donate money while working with local media to collect public donations.

"Every time we raised 1,000 or 2,000 yuan, we rushed to the hospital to pay for treatment, and we finally collected more than 130,000 yuan for the child," Wang said, adding that the child was successfully treated.

As a member of the Hui ethnic group, Wang has united people of the Hui and Han ethnic groups in the community.

She takes care of Han people who are dealing with life difficulties and helps them find opportunities to earn a living, such as opening a barbershop or a fruit store. "Here, the Hui and the Han cannot live without each other. As President Xi Jinping said, people of all ethnic groups are tightly bound together like pomegranate seeds. Everyone respects each other, understands each other and cares for each other."

Wang has moved her office from her house to a 1,400-square-meter volunteer service center.

Inspired by Wang and her volunteer group, Litong district has 60,000 registered volunteers, nearly 90 percent of them women.

"More young people have volunteered to join us, and they will gradually play a leading role in the group. They will pass on our mission in the future," Wang said.

"The medal is full of responsibility and honor, and it means a lot to me. It reminds me of the struggles and difficulties the CPC experienced during the 100 years it spent leading Chinese people to live a happy life. The medal is a symbol of the greatness of the Party and the country's prosperity."

Hu Dongmei contributed to this story.