Man with cerebral palsy behind success of Harbin volunteer team

Over the past 11 years, Hong Runhao and his volunteer team have given homework tutoring to 870 migrant workers’ children and leftover children in Daowai District, Harbin, capital city of Heilongjiang province.

Hong, 34, was born with cerebral palsy and his father abandoned the family when he was only 2 years old.

“My mother and I have received lots of help from our friends, neighbors and even strangers in society,” said Hong. “Without their selfless dedication, we may have faced more difficulties, so I decided to do something to repay society.”

In July 2006, in spite of the physical and language challenges caused by cerebral palsy, he began to organize a volunteer team to help those in need of help.

In the following five months, he walked around different colleges in the city and distributed leaflets to the college students, calling them to join in.

Finally, his persistence touched the college students, and more and more volunteers began to join his team.

Until now, 100,000 volunteers have participated in Hong’s team in succession and 6,300 volunteers are now distributed across 22 detachments, providing volunteer services to families in poverty, leftover children, the disabled and the elderly living alone.

He set up six volunteer service centers in four rural primary schools and two schools for the physically disabled.

Every week, Hong and the volunteers will come to the centers, helping the students study and organizing various activities, including physical activities, counseling and English communication.

They also bring daily and school supplies to the students.

In the past 11 years, the team has provided more than 1 million hours of volunteer service and Hong has received lots of honors for his contributions.

“I feel quite happy to be a useful person to society, but I am guilty of giving little care to my mother, who has dedicated all of her life to me,” he said. “However, she gave me great support and told me that she was proud of me.”