Author: LI Weimiao, LIN Huating, LIU Dun 

Publisher: China Education Daily

Date: May 24, 2024

In the quaint town of Qianchang, Jingshan City in Hubei Province, a sense of anticipation swept through the elderly community as volunteers from Jinan University prepared to immortalize moments through photography. Dressed in their finest attire, the elders eagerly awaited their turn in front of the lens, each wearing a shy yet hopeful smile.

Clad in blue vests, the volunteers of the Image Youth Volunteer Service Team from Jinan University orchestrated the photo sessions with precision and care. Some meticulously captured moments with their cameras, while others curated the images on computers, ensuring each photograph reflected the essence of the individual being captured.

The inception of the Image volunteer team dates back to 2013, inspired by a serendipitous encounter experienced by Gao Yufen, a teacher from Jinan University's School of Foreign Languages. Moved by the profound impact of a single photograph on an elderly individual's life, Gao Yufen and her students embarked on a mission to preserve the stories and memories of rural elders through the lens of a camera.

Driven by a desire to break away from traditional ID-style portraits, the team sought to encapsulate the authentic essence of their subjects' lives. Despite initial hesitance and awkwardness from the elderly in front of the camera, the volunteers skillfully navigated these moments, capturing genuine emotions and candid expressions with finesse.

Each photography session became a poignant exchange of emotions, with the elderly eagerly selecting their favorite images and the volunteers eagerly anticipating the heartfelt reactions upon viewing the photographs. Xu Yue, the current captain of the Image volunteer team, expressed profound joy in witnessing the smiles and emotions evoked by the captured images.

Venturing through rural landscapes such as Chaozhou in Guangdong, Xupu in Hunan, Dazhou in Sichuan, and Fengcheng in Jiangxi, the Image team transformed mobile spaces into photo studios, allowing the elderly to take center stage in their own life stories. Through conversations and shared moments, the volunteers provided a platform for the elderly to voice their dreams, concerns, and joys, fostering a sense of emotional connection and support.

From humble beginnings with a team of 7 individuals to a formidable force of 128 members, the Image volunteer team has touched the lives of 6147 elderly individuals, gifting them with 7018 precious photographs. The spirit of compassion and empathy instilled by the team has also inspired numerous students from Jinan University to join the cause, using the power of images to convey care and solidarity.

The noble efforts of volunteers like Gao Yuye, who continued to spread joy and capture memories even after graduating, exemplify the lasting impact of the Image volunteer team's work on both the recipients and the volunteers themselves. Through this initiative, Jinan University students have embraced a deeper sense of community, extending their care and compassion to the elderly within and beyond their own families, freezing moments of happiness and warmth through the lens of a camera.