“The desire to shield others from the rain comes from once having been soaked.”
This sentiment captures the motivation behind many volunteers’ involvement in public welfare. Empathy allows us to feel the pain of others—we don’t need to have lived the same experiences to walk side by side, but hearing each other’s voices connects us deeply. Many volunteers, though not themselves in distress, are moved by distant cries and yearn to bring even a flicker of light to those lost in darkness. Let us get to know one such humble yet remarkable volunteer and her story.
ICSO Outstanding Volunteer
Profile:
Wang Yuran
The University of Edinburgh – Drug Discovery and Translational Biology
Department: ICSO·US (United States Division)
During a summer school research program in the United States, Wang Yuran came across a promotion for the ICSO “Light Bearers” public welfare project and joined the ICSO·US Division. In the midst of the urgent pandemic relief efforts, she showed up wherever help was needed. Without a word, she devoted herself wholeheartedly to the cause—standing outside for over ten hours in freezing weather. During ICSO’s first mass COVID testing event, she taped a QR code to her chest to serve as a mobile code scanner, shortening waiting times for others. As the pandemic worsened, she even managed to donate a box of protective suits by exhausting every possible method.
Beyond this, she was also selected for epidemiological investigation work, making over 100 contact-tracing calls daily. To save time, she sometimes went a whole day without eating, drinking, or using the restroom. When her peers asked why she worked herself so hard, she simply said, “I’ve been in the rain. I just want to hold an umbrella for someone else.”
In the third phase of the “Light Bearers” project, she bravely stepped up to the front lines of volunteer activities. While sorting donations, she silently carried the heaviest loads. When delivering supplies to high-risk areas, she showed no fear and stepped forward without hesitation. Asked why she wasn’t afraid to go to these areas, she replied, “I’m scared. But I’m more scared that people in the disaster zone don’t have enough to eat.”
She always gave selflessly. Her presence could be seen in every task—sweating, exhausted, but never stopping to rest. Later, she became the captain of a volunteer cycling team, delivering milk formula to infants in need. She helped sort and pack vegetables donated by caring individuals, leading efforts to deliver supplies to remote regions. Although she often returned home very late, she never gave up, firmly believing in taking responsibility and taking action. Through her example, she delivered a powerful “practical lesson in pandemic volunteerism” to everyone involved.
In this global battle against COVID-19—an invisible war—she spread positivity through courage and embodied the sense of duty of Chinese youth through real action. She is a true role model for young people. Together with local volunteers, she participated in aid projects for groups lacking governmental assistance, clocking over 405 hours of service and visiting countless impoverished families, benefitting thousands of individuals. Her work not only brought warmth and care from society to these communities but also helped them regain their dignity and hope.
She said:
“Public welfare knows no borders.
Volunteering is a belief I hold onto for life.
When the pandemic struck, the city hit pause.
Bustling streets turned empty.
As the shadows loomed, it felt like everyone held their breath, awaiting the darkness.
But we believed—
In every darkness, there’s always a faint glow,
a spark waiting to ignite.
We will overcome the virus,
and the homes and hopes we dream of
will one day arrive.”