Love Story on Campus in the 90s
In 20xx, Liu Siyu, at 12 years old, saw a TV program about volunteers and the red ribbon campaign. He was immediately eager to join. So, he proactively registered with a volunteer association in Xishuangbanna.
What truly solidified Liu Siyu’s commitment to this path was a deeply impactful encounter. He accompanied fellow volunteers to a village in Yunnan to deliver supplies to families affected by AIDS.
In one household, the husband had contracted AIDS through shared needles from drug use and then transmitted the virus to his wife, who in turn passed it to their child through mother-to-child transmission. They were ostracized by their village due to their HIV status.
The husband had already passed away, leaving the wife and daughter to fend for themselves. After delivering the supplies, the little girl tugged at Liu Siyu’s sleeve and handed him a bundle. When he opened it, he found it contained various small denominations of money.
Liu Siyu asked, “Why are you giving this to me?”
The little girl replied, “Brother, can you use this money to save my mother?” Stunned, Liu Siyu responded, “The government will help your mother.” The girl then asked, “Will my mother die?” Liu Siyu choked up and couldn’t utter a word.
The girl’s question was one Liu Siyu could never answer. From that moment, he was determined to commit to this cause. He entered the field of public welfare with a heart full of compassion.
People often asked him, “In this day and age, helping others might backfire and hurt you. Why do you still pursue public welfare?”
Liu Siyu said, “I don’t believe in inherently bad people. I believe everyone’s heart is bright and beautiful, but reality can suppress our inner goodness.” During his years in Xishuangbanna, Liu Siyu sometimes couldn’t return home and would sleep outdoors.
Once, he tried to stop a hunter from killing a wild animal. Just as the hunter aimed his gun, Liu Siyu bravely stepped in front of it, declaring, “You can’t kill wild animals!” The hunter suddenly knelt before him, saying, “If I don’t catch anything today, my family’s livelihood for the month is gone. I have elderly parents and children in school to support!”
Liu Siyu felt heartbroken and realized that both public welfare and environmental protection must first ensure people’s right to survival. Empty slogans wouldn’t work.
He gradually changed his approach, promoting environmental protection in villages by teaching residents practical ways to conserve and better utilize resources.
From ages 12 to 18, Liu Siyu traveled across Xishuangbanna, writing the “Xishuangbanna Environmental Protection Report.” When he took this report to the government, they initially wouldn’t even let him in.
Undeterred, he stood by the glass door for five consecutive days until they finally let him in, reviewed his report, and adopted some of his recommendations to start environmental protection efforts.
Liu Siyu said, “I aim to facilitate change rather than just wait for it. Change requires action. The place where you stand is your China; as you are, so is your China. If you are bright, China is not dark!”
In 20xx, after finishing the high school entrance exams, Liu Siyu used his vacation to promote environmental protection and anti-drug and AIDS prevention in villages of Dai, Hani, and Jino ethnic groups.
He distributed clothes and books to children and promoted the use of energy-saving lamps. At that time, Liu Siyu’s parents earned a combined total of 800 yuan per month, while his monthly expenses were around 400 yuan. Yet, he spent less than 100 yuan on himself, eating only corn and buns, and used the rest of the money for public welfare.
Frequently participating in essay competitions and winning many awards, Liu Siyu earned some royalties and prize money. However, he was reluctant to spend it on himself, instead using it to buy energy-saving lamps for villagers. Even in winter, he wore sandals and had no winter coat.
When classmates asked if he was cold, he pretended not to be, saying, “I’m used to it!” One day, he couldn’t bear the cold any longer, took leave from school, and quickly bought a thin sweater, putting it on immediately in the store, to the surprise of the shop assistant.
Liu Siyu vividly remembers one time when he received environmental and AIDS prevention materials from a public welfare organization. After struggling to carry posters and pamphlets back to the dormitory, he had rope marks on his neck and his white shirt was dirty with sweat and mud. No one comforted or helped him, and feeling frustrated and helpless, he broke down and cried.
As he calmed down and looked out at the rolling mountains and lush greenery, he thought of the beautiful Xishuangbanna being destroyed, and the AIDS patients and poor children waiting for help. This renewed his determination to continue his public welfare work.
Now, many companies invite Liu Siyu to speak and train on social welfare and volunteer services, offering up to 100,000 yuan in fees. However, he never keeps a penny for himself. Instead, he asks companies to directly transfer the money to the accounts of those in need or to transparent public welfare organizations like “Siyu Responsibility Society,” monitored by school youth leagues, to fund public activities.
As a young volunteer, Liu Siyu has recorded over 4,000 hours of service. He no longer logs his volunteer hours because he spends most of his time engaged in various forms of public welfare, rendering formal records unnecessary.
From hoping for a red ribbon at 12, publishing his first article on environmental protection, to becoming a public welfare star as a university student, Liu Siyu’s youth has been different from most of his peers.
Reflecting on his youth, Liu Siyu feels a mix of emotions: “People see me as different. I don’t have time to sleep in, play football, go shopping, or even chase girls. Sometimes, I feel like I have nothing but public welfare.
I just want to shout in an empty place or splurge on youth occasionally.”
Through years of effort, Liu Siyu’s public welfare work has gained acceptance and support. Many young people have joined his cause. He raised funds to establish the Siyu Harmonious Society and the Yantai University Students Public Welfare Alliance. These young volunteers from the 90s, like clusters of shining flames, illuminate the public welfare sector and their own beautiful youth.
Thank you for reading! ” Sitestorys “
