Volunteer Events

Senior Center
Each month we organize a volunteer trip to a senior center in the suburbs of Beijing with two objectives in mind. First, we hope to widen the world perspectives of our students by giving them a glimpse of how others live. Second, we hope to promote the Confucian ideal of filial piety, a value that is ingrained in Chinese culture.
Here are some pictures of past trips to the seniors center. See our blog for the latest student volunteer excursion pictures and stories.

Beijing Xing Wang Immigrant School
This school was established to help poor working families who cannot afford to send their children to government subsidized schools. Volunteers contribute in many ways such as drawing pictures with the kids, playing music, or teaching English. They are very receptive and seeing new (especially foreign) faces brings them great happiness. It is also an opportunity for students to learn more about some of the socioeconomic issues China faces.

Xieqing Charity Orphan School, Tibet
Lotus arranges trips for students interested in volunteer teaching at this private school in beautiful Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in Sichuan province. The orphans are extremely grateful and keen to make foreign friends who give them a glimpse of a world outside their own.

Charity Bake Sale
Lotus students and host families enjoy participating in a great deal of charity fundraisers. During the Dragon Boat Festival, for example, we joined the efforts of well known charity organizations to make and sell zongzi (sticky rice wrapped in bamboo leaves) to raise funds for less fortunate students in rural areas of China.
Here are some pictures of past charity bake sales.