Weiyong Wang, from Netherland volunteered for 3 weeks at the Disabled Children Centre in Shanghai
After getting settled in Shanghai and in the flat, where I would stay throughout my entire placement, I was very eager to start my volunteering. Actually being in the place where I've been looking forward to for weeks, made me even more excited and thrilled than I already was! I would work at The Disable Children Center for children with Cerebral Palsy, initially by myself, but another volunteer joined me for about a week. Immediately after entering the center and gotten introduced to the place and the kids, I was overwhelmed by everything that was going on over there! We were shown around getting so many impressions and leaving the center after the first day to make my way back to the flat, I felt good. I felt good seeing the children smile when doing something funny. I felt good being able to help. I felt good the children were greatly taken care of. But mostly, I felt good knowing the children were getting the necessary help and the love and caring they need at the center. I can remember myself thinking "this is a good place here". Having all these feelings of care, compassion, inspiration, affection, peace and motivation, I was looking forward to going to the carecenter the next day and seeing the children again!
There were many kids with a varying degree of their physical and/or mental dysfunctions, aged two to nine years. Depending on this, they were divided into small groups, each going through their daily program. The group I assisted in, existed of five adorable kids aged six to nine years, who were all physically disabled and some were not able to speak, but they were all very bright and so lovely! I helped with classes like physiotherapeutic exercises and education (like giving English lessons, which were very fun!), but also in basic things as feeding/helping with eating lunch, dressing them and just having fun playing with them!
Since I would only stay for four weeks in Shanghai, of which the last week the carecenter would be closed for Chinese New Year holidays, I worked at the carecenter for three weeks. Working days were from 9.30 am to 4.45 pm and were pretty tiring, probably more mentally than physically. However, knowing you can make their day by little things as teaching them English words in a playfull manner or singing with them, makes you feel not tired at all! Besides, the kids have a two hour nap at noon, during which you have lunch and are free to sleep as well, if you would need a nap. A typical day would look as follows with in green the things you actively participate in as a volunteer:
- 9:30 am: arrival at the Cere Carecenter
- 9:30 am - 10:00 am: snack-time, toileting and stretching the muscles
- 10:00 am - 10.45 am: exercising / massaging by educated staff
- 10:45 am - 11:15 am: toileting, stretching the muscles, walking and going to the dining-room
- 11:15 am - 12:00 am: kids having lunch
- 12:00 am - 2.00 pm: getting the kids ready for napping, having lunch ourselves, free time
- 2:00 pm - 2:45 pm: getting up, toileting and snack-time
- 2:45 pm - 3:30 pm: massaging by educated staff / playing / education
- 3:30 pm - 4:00 pm: toileting, walking
- 4:00 pm - 4:45 pm: sitting / walking
Usually during their sitting-time, I would teach the kids English or just talk and play with them to entertain them. One thing that is good to know, is that the staff can be very accurate time-wise, especially during lunch, but at other points they don't seem to mind the time at all, like during snack-time and walking. This can be confusing sometimes, but as long as you go along with it, all will be just fine. Another thing is, most of the time they'll tell you to just sit down, they'll do it themselves and it's not necessary to help!, out of politeness or not tell you to do anything at all and just do it themselves. Don't be thrown off by this, because it's really meant in a polite and kind way, so the best thing to do then is to help anyway!
I have to say, there were many things that impressed me during the whole time I was there. Seeing the bright happy faces of the kids not only made my day, but made every minute of it! Next to that, the kids I was with during my three weeks were actually very clever, which surprised me! Teaching them English words and hearing those same words two weeks later really impressed me, since my initial conception was that they could not fully understand everything, especially knowing some of the kids can't talk! The thing that made me feel lucky that I was in the cerecenter with disabled children more than any other place, was that the moment you interact with them, you close them in your heart, I even dreamt of them! Because, they're not like any other healthy kid that can run around and play, but they're still very lively in their own way. And this is exactly the thing that makes it special: even if they have a disability, that does not restrict them from being as lovable, funny, naughty, cute, adorable and sweet as they were.
Wei-yong Wang, Holland, Jan 2009
