Nantong charity welcomes international hands

Vicky Garduno, an academic vice-principal at Nord Anglia School Nantong, distributes boiled eggs to the elderly. [Photo/WeChat account: gh_78ba52d6e1ed] 

The Mo Wensui free breakfast service station in the Nantong Economic and Technological Development Area (NETDA) recently welcomed its first international volunteer — Vicky Garduno from Mexico, now an academic vice-principal at Nord Anglia School Nantong. 

Wearing a red vest, she learned to cook porridge and wash dishes, providing a warm breakfast for over 100 elderly people. 

The Mo Wensui free breakfast is a local volunteer project that has been running for six years, serving over 130,000 people, including elderly without family support, low-income families, and sanitation workers. 

In addition to serving at the station, Vicky participated in door-to-door porridge delivery, bringing warm meals and care to those who couldn't make it. Inspired by her, Nydia Pena, another drama teacher at the school, also joined the volunteer team. 

Mo Wensui was originally a pen name of an anonymous donor, meaning "Do good without asking who I am." The initiative has grown into a volunteer force of 2.6 million in Nantong, with over 12,300 volunteers participating in the free breakfast service. 

''I want to bring the story of the love breakfast back to Mexico,' Vicky said, adding that she would share it during international cultural exchange activities to allow students and teachers from different countries to experience the collective strength and humanistic care of Chinese volunteer services.