Qin Tian, 26, returned from the United Kingdom to her hometown of Xiangyang, Hubei Province, for Spring Festival and stayed on to help in the battle against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Her Chinese fiance, who is pursuing a doctorate at the University of Glasgow, stayed in the UK, but Qin, who earned a master's degree from the University of Birmingham, decided to get a refund on her return ticket so she could help out in Xiangyang.

Since Jan 24 she has been collecting and distributing relief materials along with thousands of volunteers who signed up for the Caocao Aid Group established by her mother in 2009.

Between January and March, the most difficult time for medical workers in the province, some of Qin's doctor friends wore plastic bags as protective suits and diapers so that they could work for 10 hours straight.

Nowadays, with hospitals across the province having returned to normal, she hands out daily necessities donated by various charitable foundations to impoverished rural households.

"Those who accept materials we collect really thank us for helping them come through the hardest times," she said.

Every morning, Qin helps distribute materials to hospitals, residential communities and rural households in need. In the afternoon she communicates with the recipients to get the latest information about supply and demand.

Sometimes, Qin and her father took turns driving the family car to fetch materials from Xiaogan, another city in Hubei, or Wuhan, the provincial capital, in a convoy with a truck and another car.

"We needed to drive about eight hours for a round trip and due to more checkpoints on the highway than before the outbreak, it was often 11 pm or 4 am when the materials arrived at the base," Qin said.

After arriving in Xiangyang, Qin would then help unload dozens of metric tons of materials, including medical equipment, disinfectants and food. She napped on a couch in the office for four or five hours a day, with scabs on her shoulders from unloading the goods testament to her hard work.

"So many doctors and nurses were fighting to save lives on the front line. What I could do was to give them as many weapons as possible," Qin said. "The quicker we acted, the earlier we could win the battle."

Qin, who studied language and cultural communication for her master's, said many of her friends studying abroad had made efforts to help Hubei. Some of them flew back to China to help, while others sent materials back home.

"In international classes, many Chinese students tend not to express themselves like many Western students do," she said.

"But that doesn't mean they don't have their thoughts. During the outbreak, I have seen their attitudes, which are inclusive and dedicated to the country and people."

Qin's motivation for volunteer work stems from her mother. When she was in junior high school, her mother took her to places like children's welfare homes or nursing homes to offer some help.

"The experience touched me a lot," she said.

"I used to complain about life, such as the strict requirements from my parents, but after learning many people were still living in misery, I realized that what I should do is to help those in need."

Qin is preparing for the civil service entry exam in Hubei and wants to apply for a position in a field like public welfare.

"Doing meaningful things makes me feel valued and positive and I would like to dedicate myself to this career," she said.

(Source: China Daily)