Tackling difficulties

Yu recalls that the program encountered many difficulties early on.

The budget has always been tight, but there are good-hearted helpers to lend a hand. For example, one of Yu's friends, who happened to have closed his wedding photo studio in Wuhan, donated about 100 sets of secondhand wedding dresses.

The university pays for uniforms and insurance for students. Though some offer donations, most funds are raised by students, who sell secondhand items in a flea market on campus, do part-time jobs and pay their own expenses.

At first, when volunteers went into the community to talk to the elderly, many did not trust them, worrying that it was a fraud for money.

Now, the program's reputation has increased, and besides canvassing, they coordinate with the university's Communist Youth League of China to contact their counterparts in communities to reach elderly residents, who can also find ads for the program on newspapers and online platforms.

"No pain, no gain. It's through these difficulties that students have learned about the significance of the project, and overcoming them gives a sense of achievement," Yu says.

"The program has developed into maturity and can easily be duplicated now. I'm glad to see that other universities and institutions are also running similar projects for the elderly, benefiting the greater population."

Contact the writers at [email protected]