Volunteer platform helps visually impaired during Chinese New Year migration

p.china.org.cn

27th January 2020

Volunteer platform helps visually impaired during Chinese New Year migration

p.china.org.cn by Jin Ling, January 27, 2020

Chunyun, which is known as Chinese New Year migration, Spring Festival travel season, and the Lunar New Year rush in English, is the largest annual human migration in the world. China experiences an extremely heavy traffic load from about 15 days before Chinese New Year day until 25 days after it, especially on its railway system. Trains and railway stations become crowded, tickets are scarce, and other difficulties can emerge. This year, Chunyun will last from roughly Jan. 10 to Feb. 18.

Xiaodu (anonym) lost his eyesight when he was 10. He is currently a sophomore at Binzhou Medical University, which is located on east China's Shandong peninsula in the city of Yantai. The student is self-sufficient and usually travels independently.

Xiaodu is a loyal follower of a WeChat public account known as Sound Wave Help, which is run by the Beijing Sound Wave Disabled Persons’ Social Service Center and is dedicated to providing comprehensive information and various assistance to people with impaired vision in China. About a month ago, he noticed that its 2020 Chunyun services became available. The system makes it possible for volunteers and staff who work at railway, subway, and bus stations to aid people with disabilities who travel during this period. Originally only available in Beijing when it began in 2015, it can now be used in more than 39 cities in China.

The student read about the history of the program and decided to try it out for himself.

http://p.china.org.cn/2020-01/27/content_75651543.htm