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“I wish I could do more, and I believe only through collective effort can we end this epidemic,” he said.

Wystix’s feelings were echoed by Bruno Schuyten, a Belgian who have been living in the subdistrict for eight years.

“I feel safer having to face it here than I would back in Europe (especially if I were a foreigner in Europe). The community service centers have been working round the clock to answer every foreigner’s questions and fears with official information as fast as they can, which I’m very grateful for. This is why I wanted to volunteer and help them,” Schuyten told Shenzhen Daily.

To ease the stress and care for people’s mental well-being during this difficult time, NSIC also organized a series of online psychological counseling sessions to help those in need.

Schuyten is among those who are invited to organize daily free online activities as a means to support mental health of the community. “We’ve seen how fast and effective the Chinese Government has been to handle the situation, we are also proud to have the opportunity to serve our community, which is there for us when everything is normal and safe,” said Schuyten.

Yang Ye-jee, a 26-year-old woman who has called Shenzhen home for 20 years, lives in Bao’an District. Yang is a freelance Chinese and Korean translator. However, Yang is losing clients due to the effects of the COVID-19 outbreak. So she decided to sign up as a volunteer when she saw the opportunity in Zhaoshang Subdistrict, serving as a translator and a coordinator between the community and South Korean expats.

Although Yang has to take the Metro to volunteer, she feels safe and content. “The community is offering the protective gear we need, and the workers are like brothers and sisters who care about me,” she told Shenzhen Daily.