On the morning of May 4, under the arrangement of Nanfang Media Group and Galuminium Group, a group of young people from Guangzhou visited Linglong New Village in Xiangang Town, Kaiping to convey Youth Day’s greetings to more than 50 aged leprosy survivors. The 40 young volunteers from Galuminium Group brought oil, rice and consolation money and would be willing to help these elderly people in pairs in a long run. Although a light rain fell unexpectedly, these old people did not mind, because Chairman of Galuminium Group Mr. Ye Pengzhi decided to foot the bill for building a rain shed capable of defending typhoon.

“Because of the reports from medias including Nangfang Media in recent years, Linglong New Village begins to be known by the outside and the leprosy survivors are gradually accepted by the society,” Head of Linglong Hospital Mr. Dong Shumeng said to these young employees. Nowadays, the ever forgotten place would be visited by the public with love and obtain donations on holidays. “There are new cement roads leading to the outside and convenient water resource. We try to levy electricity according to the electrofarming standard.” Dong Shumeng said, though the medical condition and living environment had dramatically improved, there were still some urgent difficulties. “For example, the rain shed built 2 years ago was damaged by typhoon. But the hot summer with changeable weather is around the corner.”

They were eager to help these old people. That day the 40 young volunteers from Galuminium Group brought some life necessaries including rice and cooking oil and promised to build a new charitable care rain shed and showed the blueprint of the rain shed on the spot for these old people. More than 50 aged leprosy survivors lived in the two rows of door-to-door houses in the Linglong New Village, one of which was connected with the kitchen. The new wind and rain shed would cover the space between houses and extend to the door of the kitchen, shedding the sun, wind and rains for these old people.

“I am highly appreciated for what you have done for us.” Zhang Enyuan, a 66-year-old resident said. Arriving here at the age of 13 and going through a lot of rise and fall, he led others in singing some songs such as “Friends” “Red Sun” to express their thanks. President of the Labor Union of Galuminium Group Mr. Cai Xiaoqiang told us that Chairman Ye Pengzhi required the Labor Union to fully coordinate and support the activity immediately after we received the invitation from Nanfang magazine. We selected 40 excellent junior employees to take part in the activity, and donated RMB 20,000 to build the “Wind and Rain Shed” in the name of Galuminium Group in order to create a comfortable and stable living place for these old people.

As for the topic of how to have a meaningful Youth Day, on the spot, Deputy Director of the Administrative Committee of Nangfang Media Group, and Director of “Nanfang” magazine Mr. Cai Yuming said that these people are a group of people whom Nangfang Media Group concerns most. Though they have little connection with the outside world, they are cute, optimistic and active. We obtain the source forces for working hard and learn to be contented from them.

In Linglong New Village, the youth league members witnessed the value of swaying youth. 10 years ago, the 25-year-old Dong Shumeng graduated from Yangzhou University and was determined to root in the Linglong Hospital thousands miles away form his home with his girlfriend, Xu Nayi. Over the past 10 years, Dong Shumeng not only served as a doctor for leprosy patients, but also the housekeeper responsible for their food and living. On May 4, when the reporter saw Dong Shemeng again, who wearing a smile on his face, her wife Xu Na was hugging a half-year-old “Linglong baby”, and Dong Shumeng’s parents had moved here to live with them. Rooting in the grassroots for 10 years, Dong Shumeng was awarded many honorary titles including the “Model Party Member of Gongdong Province”, thus becoming a model for the young and gaining understanding and support from his family.

Shared from Nanfang Daily