Student volunteers help elderly couples turn back the clock

Ripple effect

Some of the volunteers have found love themselves through the Dream Fulfillment Plan by meeting their future spouses.

Chen believes that this ripple effect of love and happiness is influenced by the elderly couples' views on love and marriage. She has also been moved by the love shown by the older generation.

"Many of them we photograph were soldiers. At our age, they left their homeland to defend their country. Some were lucky to return after the war, but others never came back," she said.

"I saw or read about these wars in television dramas and books. The experience of meeting these veterans face to face had a deep effect on me."

Chen believes that by listening to the seniors' experiences and learning from them, she can learn to approach life's challenges calmly and rationally.

It is the third time Chen has taken part in the project. She previously traveled to Jingdezhen, Jiangxi province, and Shaoshan, Hunan province.

This year, she went to Danzhai, Guizhou, with a total of 14 freshmen and sophomores. The team was divided into six groups responsible for photography, videography, writing, makeup, operations and props.

With support from the local Youth League Committee, over a 15-day period, the team took wedding photos for 29 couples who are 50 or older.

Chen said the unique cultural heritage and natural beauty of the places they visited added to the project's charm.

"The contentment of people living amid the mountains had a healing effect on everyone involved," Chen said, adding that she wants to continue taking part in the project.

Zhao Chen expressed the same desire, adding that the growth and personal development experienced through volunteering have far exceeded his expectations.

He believes that by learning from the older generation's selflessness and dedication, young people can find inspiration and motivation for their own studies, work and personal lives.

The first time Zhao Chen took part in the project last summer, he led a group to Huangmei — taking the initiative to contact the county authorities and elderly couples.

"I was rejected three times before finally getting a reply from the county. It is not an easy task, as during the summer vacation, numerous university volunteer teams across the country try to obtain support from local authorities," he said.

There were many other challenges, including the need to overcome language barriers to communicate with seniors who only spoke dialects, as well as arranging accommodations and logistics support for members of the group.