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Wokai came to Nanjing about four months ago when a dedicated Beijing volunteer met, in a coffee shop, with a handful of interested individuals to discuss the possibility of a new chapter. With a small group of core members, the fledgling chapter set about garnering interest around Nanjing University in order to set up a Chinese student base. Since then, the chapter has grown to approximately 20 dedicated volunteers and has held two successful events, with a collective attendance of 100 individuals, raising 2,580 RMB. What makes Nanjing a special chapter, though, is the passion of its mainly Chinese, college-aged, student members.
Chinese students from a young age may be taught the tenets of community service and humanitarianism, but may also lack many opportunities to turn such ideology to praxis. The concept of microfinance and the structure of an organization like Wokai are, at first, unfamiliar to most students. After explaining the idea and answering a few questions, however, the response is always the same: “Sounds great, but what can I do?”
The Nanjing chapter hopes to empower students and all citizens, foreign and Chinese, with the ability to affect meaningful change in rural China through their own efforts. While building a community, promoting cross-cultural communication, and educating about development, modest chapter events allow students to dedicate themselves to a cause and see the fruits of their efforts through Wokai’s dynamic online platform. Chapter organization and local events give to students the opportunity to enrich their own country, about which they care deeply.
I look forward to the future of Nanjing and other chapters throughout China. I believe the Nanjing chapter will continue to grow and to expand into foreign and professional circles. Ultimately, however, it is the unwavering passion of young Chinese that is the heartbeat of the chapter and the future of successful development in China.
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