“One hand cannot clap on its own but it needs the other hand to make a clap.”

by Bonnie Horbata

What is a volunteer?  What is the value of volunteering?  Volunteering is about giving, contributing, and helping other individuals and the community at large.  It is working with others to make a meaningful contribution to a better community.

People volunteer for an endless variety of reasons.  Many people want to gain experience, acquire new skills, meet new people, or expand their network of contacts as a way to get a new job or start a career. Others just want to give back to their community, to help a friend or promote a worthwhile activity.

Without faithful volunteers, most non-profit and charitable organizations would not be able to provide the level of service and/or reach the people who are in need. Whether it is the United Way, the Cancer Society, or the many feed the homeless programs; these organizations do not have the manpower or funds to do all the work.  That is why volunteers are so important and needed.

One of the pleasures of working at Captivating International is meeting the many volunteers who are a part of our community.  I would like to spotlight just a few of these people who would probably prefer that I not write about them; but their actions are like a perfect pebble thrown into calm waters whereby each circle surrounding the first dip has a ripple effect that grows and grows.  Their efforts also grow and grow and help to make Captivating International’s work meaningful and productive.  Thank you to all of our volunteers.

Here are several experiences from our recent volunteer tutors in Shenzhen, China. They have been coming every week to teach girls and prepare them for higher education opportunities. In addition to tutoring the girls, each of them contributes to other volunteer activities like the Captivating Kidz with Heart Mini Olympics and the Gala & Auction event.

Tutoring the girls has been a wonderful personal experience for me. It really is a chance to give back. It is easy to fall into the trap of getting all that you can for yourself with the world that we live in.  Too often we only consider this effort and forget to look beyond ourselves and our responsibility to give back. This has been a very rewarding experience. I truly care about these girls and want them to do well.All of these young ladies are very diligent with their study, and they all have a hunger to learn. This makes teaching a great experience! I love that Captivating is changing these girls lives! They are getting opportunities that they never thought possible. They are getting opportunities that I never thought possible! This endeavour is something truly special to be a part of.One of the greatest successes that I have noticed so far is an unwillingness to give up! These girls have a gritty, never say die attitude. And even though their situation is a difficult one, they refuse to allow that to hold them back. They see that they have the opportunity before them to advance themselves, and they are going for it!”  – Ryan  Morgan

“Of all the amazing new experiences I have had in China, tutoring English for Captivating has been my absolute favourite” – Kia Hamilton

“Tutoring the Seng girls has been an interesting and rewarding experience. The girls truly understand that education is the key to improving their lives, and therefore, they are very dedicated to their studies and are hard-working. I have enjoyed getting to know them better and hopefully helping them to reach for their dreams. “  – Julie Ponthier

CAPTIVATING’S ONE MORE YEAR SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM | CHINA | EDUCATE GIRLS

Tubi Ermo: Reaching for the Stars

I am Tubi Ermo, a Grade 10 student sponsored by you. Last semester was difficult as I was still adjusting to high school. I found out that my favorite subject is English. But I realized that a junior high school level would not be enough for the exams, so I am now focusing on building up my...




CHINA | SUPPORT A REMOTE VOLUNTEER TEACHER

Teacher Cheng's Hope for Her Students

Hello everyone, I'm Cheng Manyu from Huanggang, Hubei.

This is my third semester volunteering at Yire Elementary School. Why did I choose to volunteer here?

During my university days, I watched a TV program called "Top 10 Most Touching People in China," which...




CAPTIVATING’S ONE MORE YEAR SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM | CHILD SPONSORSHIP | CHINA | EDUCATE GIRLS

Beyond Grateful

Hi, my name is Tiantian, and I am a beneficiary of the One More Year program. I want to thank everyone who has contributed to this program. Your kindness and care have restored the lives of students like me. This sponsorship has removed the financial burden on my family, allowing me to focus...




CHINA | EDUCATE GIRLS | SUPPORT A REMOTE VOLUNTEER TEACHER

Teacher Xu's Personal Growth

Today marks my 220th day serving as a volunteer teacher in the Daliang Mountain area. During this time, I have come into contact with a new field - preschool education. Before this, I had only heard about it and assumed it was simply about keeping...




CHINA | EDUCATE GIRLS | SUPPORT A REMOTE VOLUNTEER TEACHER

Queen of Our Hearts

He Zhenzhen is a veteran volunteer teacher from Yongzhou, Hunan Province. It is her seventh semester of teaching, and she is currently the principal of Ga Le Aimu Primary School. She is responsible for teaching the Chinese language to the Grade 3 students and is the head teacher of that class. She has been...




CHINA | MY FIRST JOB PROGRAM

New Graduates of the Tailoring Skills Training

The second Tailoring Skills Training under our My First Job program officially started with thirty participants last August 26, 2022, and lasted for three months. 

Training began very smoothly and the trainees learned fast and well. The teacher stressed the punctuality of the trainees and was...