On May 31, 2025, the Volunteer Service Team from the School of Materials and Chemistry (SCHM) at the University of Shanghai for Science and Technology (USST) visited the Yangpu District Dinghai Road Sub-district Disabled Persons' Federation. They carried out a themed volunteer service activity titled "Fragrant Zongzi, Warm Hearts: A Journey of Love," bringing festive warmth to community members with disabilities.
The Dragon Boat Festival is one of China's traditional holidays, and making zongzi (sticky rice dumplings) is a key custom. At the event, volunteers demonstrated traditional wrapping techniques for triangular and pyramidal (four-cornered) zongzi in small groups. Volunteer Wang even innovatively designed an anti-slip tying technique to help residents with limited hand mobility complete the task successfully. One resident with hearing impairments, with volunteer assistance, wrapped her first handmade zongzi and signed her appreciation, expressing how touched she was by the beauty of traditional culture.
Beyond teaching the skills, the volunteers also introduced the origins of the Dragon Boat Festival, the story of Qu Yuan, and regional customs using illustrated display boards. They invited participants to share memories of celebrating the festival in their hometowns. As the event concluded, the students packed the freshly made zongzi into special gift boxes, each accompanied by a handwritten blessing card.A social worker from the Disabled Persons' Federation commented: "The students from SCHM broke down communication barriers with their professionalism and patience, truly achieving the inclusion of people with and without disabilities."
Through this activity, the volunteers not only brought traditional culture into the community but also showcased the spirit and social responsibility of SCHM students. SCHM has always been committed to developing every student into a well-rounded talent. By participating in community service activities like this, students can apply their knowledge in practice while growing and progressing through serving society. In the future, SCHM will continue to encourage and support students in engaging in more such social service activities to contribute to building a harmonious society.
Full text: https://chxy.usst.edu.cn/2025/0610/c3648a342979/page.htm
