“I always enjoy the positive energy among the kids.” ~ Akina, volunteer
While having a passion for a cause is essential, it is through action that real progress and changes are made. This is particularly true in the world of volunteering and the story of RMHC Hong Kong’s volunteer Akina has shed an insight for it.
Although relatively new to volunteering at RMHC Hong Kong, Akina has quickly become actively involved in a wide range of services that she finds fulfilling. “I am only becoming more involved since last year’s Raffle Ticket charity sales,” she says. But this was not her first encounter with our service as she recalls some years ago that she joined her former company several times to prepare house meals for Shatin House.
Like many other volunteers, Akina experienced a halt in volunteering when the pandemic hit hard on many sectors with strict social distancing measures implemented.
After the pandemic subsided, Akina’s desire to volunteer was reignited. Thanks to today’s communication technologies that have transformed people’s behavior, including how they look for volunteering opportunities, she reconnected with RMHC Hong Kong in just one touch. “Through an APP where many volunteer opportunities can be found, I then reconnected with RMHC Hong Kong and began to volunteer again,” she says.
Akina has been getting more involved since the opening of the Kwun Tong House. And what kept her passion continuing to spark is the learning opportunities that she regards as valuable. “If not volunteering, I would not be able to experience something that will not happen in my daily routine,” she explains. “One of the most interesting experiences was participating in the Gala Dinner last year. I was one of the helpers for the charity sales. The use of the payment terminal was a brand-new experience to me.”
No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted. One of Akina’s responsibilities at RMHC Hong Kong is to play with our children. “As a ‘play buddy’ to the children of the House, I found it a bit challenging at first because it’s not easy to enter their world. Building trust and rapport is one thing, understanding their interest and using age-appropriate language required a lot of patience and active listening.”
She continues: “But I have enjoyed the process so much. I think it is the kids helping me grow instead. Their courage in fighting against illness is admirable. While they are doing so, they are still able to keep learning new things and are curious about the world. I always enjoy the positive energy among the kids.”
