Anna Zhao, Gong Haoying

    anna.whizh@yahoo.com

    ZHAN LEI, owner of Bodhi Bookshop, which also functions as a cafe, has been using her influence to support volunteer teaching. In Zhan’s bookshop-cum-cafe, or book bar, books written by volunteers about their own work are sold to raise money to fund volunteer teaching activities. Zhan also encourages her friends to join the activities.

    In order to serve the cause better in this fast developing technological age, Zhan is now cooperating with Yunlai App, a mobile application cloud service provider, to develop mobile applications for volunteer teaching.

    Getting to know

    volunteer group

    Zhan said her interest in volunteer teaching was sparked after she met Wu Jingxun, the initiator of Friends Camp, an NGO, volunteer teaching group, last year.

    She was deeply impressed by the group’s story.

    Wu formed the volunteer group Oct. 1, 2006 with a few people who had the same enthusiasm for volunteer teaching. The group has been working for six years in 19 schools in remote and unprivileged areas of Sichuan, Hunan, Shaanxi, Gansu and Qinghai provinces. In December 2011, the group was formally registered as a volunteer association in support of education in Chancheng District, Foshan City in Guangdong Province.

    Not all the members of the group majored in education. Zhan said one can only become a member of the camp if he or she is passionate and willing to create a better future for children.

    Zhan said since its inception, a total of 377 volunteer teachers have been to schools in underdeveloped regions and have helped over 1,800 dropout students resume their education.

    The group has seen strong growth with the support of many people and social entities, such as a BMW drivers’ club and Alibaba.com.

    Zhan is among the people who have helped the volunteer group with financial aid.

    Supporting volunteer work

    After learning about the Friends Camp, Zhan started to think about how she could contribute.

    “Each season of volunteer work lasts at least a semester and many people choose to stay in the place where they have volunteered after their work schedule ends. Some people have even abandoned lucrative jobs to pursue volunteer teaching,” Zhan said. “I myself have never taught in these places but I feel I can contribute.”

    She decided to make use of what she had around her.

    The book bar was elaborately decorated with flowers and neon lights. The right wall by the door hangs volunteers’ pictures of their teaching tour and places where Zhan has visited. A table on the opposite side is loaded with books whose cost will go toward charitable causes. Some are stories written by volunteer teachers. She would introduce the Friends Camp to people who showed interest in the books.

    “I choose to run a bookshop and I don’t expect it to make much money,” Zhan said.

    The book bar has become a place for her to make new friends and recommend those who are interested to join volunteer teaching activities.

    Sometimes she hosts small gatherings of people to share their volunteering experiences.

    Hosting charitable activities

    Zhan’s book bar also offers mini cultural salons for young people to meet and exchange. This includes discussions on music, travel, books, and other subjects.

    On Jan. 4, a promotional campaign for raising donations for children with thalassemia was held in Zhan’s book bar.

    Li Geci, organizer of the event, said she didn’t expect Zhan to provide a complete service for the whole event as all she asked for was space. “Zhan was very kind to have prepared more than I requested, including the projector and screen for a slide show.”

    Li said Zhan had also bought their postcards, and the proceeds from which went to the charity. She put the cards and promotional pamphlets in her book bar so that people would learn about it during their visits. “She wants more people to know what we are doing for these children and join us,” said Li.

    A frequent guest of the book bar said Zhan was hugely charming and contagiously enthusiastic. “She would offer to help if anyone talked about travel. Sometimes she would offer to lend her books to them.”

    A member of staff at the book bar said they have offered to serve during charitable activities held in the book bar.

    Zhan explained her motivations while making a cup of coffee behind the counter. “I didn’t open the book bar to do charity on purpose. I just answer to people’s needs whenever I can and I don’t care about what I will be paid back.”

    “I hope my bookshop becomes a place for people who are enthusiastic about charity work to gather and a place where people solve problems together,” said Zhan.

    I didn’t open the bookshop to do charity on purpose. I just answer to people’s needs whenever I can and I don’t care about what I will be paid back.”

    — Zhan Lei, owner of Bodhi Bookshop, who has been using her influence to support volunteer teaching