17 Young Volunteers Power Relief Effort in Remote Xizang

When a massive mudslide struck Gyirong county on August 26, Hao Zhen didn't hesitate to help. The 27-year-old volunteer and his team immediately went to work making sure displaced residents and rescue workers had food and shelter.

Hao was among 17 volunteers from China's Go West program who joined relief efforts in the remote border area of Xizang. While professional rescue teams searched the hardest-hit areas, the volunteers handled critical behind-the-scenes work that kept operations running.

"When the disaster first happened, a lot of affected residents and rescuers arrived in the area all at once," Hao said. "The first thing we had to do was make sure they had somewhere to stay and food to eat."

The young volunteers counted, sorted and moved thousands of boxes donated by Red Cross organizations, companies and foundations. They also managed logistics at the local emergency response headquarters and organized information from the disaster area.

For Hao, traveling from his hometown in Heilongjiang province nearly 5,700 kilometers away to volunteer in Gyirong was a choice his family initially questioned. They worried about the distance and the physical demands of living at high altitude.

"But I thought, if everyone worries about the hardship and the distance, places like this will have fewer and fewer young people willing to come," Hao explained.

The work brought real challenges. Only two of the 17 volunteers spoke Tibetan, creating communication difficulties at shelters. Local township officials stepped in to help with translations.

Food and accommodation were stretched thin in the first few days as large numbers of people arrived in the small border town. The situation gradually improved as local authorities coordinated with hotels and restaurants to provide additional support.

The Ripple Effect

The volunteers came from across China, including Heilongjiang, Jiangxi and Shandong provinces, with backgrounds ranging from medicine to education. Five additional Go West volunteers remained in the county seat to welcome relatives of missing people and handle public service calls. Volunteers from nearby counties also arrived to help, creating a network of support that extended far beyond the immediate disaster zone.

The experience changed how Hao views disaster relief. "Before this, I had only read news stories about volunteers helping after disasters," he said. "Now I realize that you don't have to be on the search-and-rescue front line to make a difference."

Moving boxes and arranging accommodation may seem far removed from dramatic rescue operations. But Hao no longer sees them as minor jobs. Each task directly supports the people doing frontline work and helps affected residents begin rebuilding their lives.

After more than a year living on the plateau, Hao's body has adapted to the altitude. He planned to stay for three years when he arrived in February 2025.

"The disaster happened right here, where we work and live," Hao said. "Since we chose to come here as volunteers, helping when something like this happens is simply part of what we should do."