Volunteering as a united family: Four foreign nationals' stories of fighting against the COVID-19 crisis in Zhejiang

2020-06-30 08:42:35 source: Ding Shan, Wang Yanqiong, Du Yufeng, Wang Luyi


"I'm Sumayyahyyah from Mauritius. This is my husband Hamad from Pakistan!" At Panhealth Medical Center in Wenzhou, we met the foreign couple Sumayyahyyah and Hamad.

 

Sumayyahyyah Hosanyi, 31, and Hamad Abdul Zahir, 35, gave up the chance to return home and chose to stay in Wenzhou to fight the epidemic during the Spring Festival. 

 

The couple was stationed at the intersection of Wenzhou South Expressway to help with passengers' information registration and temperature check-up since February 1 this year. 

 

微信图片_20200623170421.jpg


When the news of the driver's diagnosis came, Sumayyah was a little bit worried. Hamad, who has always been "mild", couldn’t help but blamed, " You were so close to the driver when checking the ID card. You even touched your nose with your hand!" Sumayyah felt grieved, admitting that she was not careful enough.

 

At that time, Sumayyah's family was worried about her safety. Her mother gave an ultimatum to the couple in the video call, "Return home immediately!" After deep consideration, Sumayyah decided to stay. She said that the Chinese government has strong appeal and the people are united and self-disciplined. If China is compared to a ship, the people on board will paddle in the same direction. What's more, China also has the experience of fighting against SARS. "I believe China has the ability to defeat the virus," Sumayyah said.

 

In late March, the epidemic became aggressive in Mauritius. Sumayyah immediately released a short video on social media, detailing the epidemic prevention experience accumulated in China, such as "keep a safe distance with strangers", "try to work at home ", "wear masks when going to public places". Sumayyah also went to Wenzhou Central Hospital, the designated hospital for epidemic treatment, to learn professional epidemic prevention knowledge and pass the learning notes to doctors and friends in Mauritius, Pakistan, and other countries. To encourage people to live in isolation at home, Sumayyah launched an interesting online activity called "isolation diary" to share interesting moments. After the release of her own delicious Birjani rice, more than 8,000 followers shared their life through dance videos, teaching videos of "micro class", etc.

 

As Sumayyah and her husband became "Internet celebrities", the director of Public Health of Mauritius called and praised the braveness of Sumayyah at the end of March. Knowing that the epidemic prevention materials for medical staff in her hometown were still insufficient, she asked for help from Panhealth Medical Center in Wenzhou. With the support of the local government, a batch of medical masks, protective clothing, goggles, and other materials were delivered to Mauritius and Pakistan.

 

Since the Spring Festival, Amar, a Yemeni doctor in the international outpatient department of Yiwu Chouzhou hospital, has been persisting in the hospital. Meanwhile, Amar took short videos in his spare time in various languages to publicize epidemic prevention knowledge and released them through WeChat Moment and other platforms. He also insisted on propagandizing the touching story of China's concerted efforts to prevent and control the domestic epidemic and join hands with other countries to fight the epidemic within the scope of his ability on foreign social platforms.

 

微信图片_20200623170427.jpg


Amar masters three languages including Chinese, English, and Arabic. Thus he aims to compile and distribute various epidemic prevention and control information in WeChat Moment. His mobile phone has become a mobile consulting platform, providing 24-hour online service.

 

With the growing influence of Amar, many foreign media have consulted him about the epidemic situation and anti-epidemic experience of China through online videos. Due to the time difference, most online interviews are in the early morning in China, but Amar never turns them down. Every time, he appears on the video with full energy.

 

"As a doctor, no matter which country I am in, I should take responsibility for normal times and do better at special times," Amar said that China makes him feel extremely warm and happy, and their family will continue to work and live here.

 

Hami, from Iran, is not a member of the Jimingshan community, but a well-known "star resident". He is not only a member of the Council of community residents but also good at dispute mediation, thus earned a nickname as "international good uncle". This year, he gained another title—anti-epidemic "foreign pioneer".

 

Hami's anti-epidemic story started from his keeping on duty in the Jimingshan community. He Wenjun, Secretary of the community Party committee said, "It was Hami who took the initiative to apply for volunteer work." After 17 years in China, Hami regarded Yiwu as his second hometown. He took it for granted to make contributions to his hometown during the epidemic.

 

微信图片_20200623170436.jpg


Jimingshan community is known as the "UN community". More than 1380 overseas people from 74 countries and regions live, work, and study here. Residents from different countries have different habits in food and other aspects. With the help of Hami and community workers, they are able to meet their basic needs.

 

There are relatively few people at night, but it's not easy at all. Hami stood for eight hours and came home early the next morning. He never complained.

 

With the improvement of the epidemic situation, it has become the focus of community work to help companies return to work. Jimingshan community is close to Yiwu International Trade City. There are 1,035 enterprises in the area, including more than 260 foreign trade enterprises.

 

In order to help enterprises return to work and production, a series of preferential tax policies have been issued by local departments. Hami joined in again.

 

Hami has been doing business in Yiwu for more than 10 years. Yiwu's first foreign trade company founded by foreigners with the right to import and export was founded by Hami. He has a lot of experience in contracting with local departments and is able to ponder and understand the new policy easily.

 

To make efforts, Hami is trying new ways. Being a host is one of them. In May, the Yiwu Municipal Party Committee of the Communist Youth League and Jiangdong district office hosted the "live marketing", in which Hami was invited to sell food. Soon after the live broadcast, the number of viewers jumped up to more than 10,000, and many fans on the screen brushed the name of "Hami" to support him. In this anti-epidemic campaign, what struck Hami most is that "we are a family regardless of nationality."


(Compiled and translated by Xu Yuhong)

read more

12079061 Volunteering as a united family: Four foreign nationals' stories of fighting against the COVID-19 crisis in Zhejiang public html

"I'm Sumayyahyyah from Mauritius. This is my husband Hamad from Pakistan!" At Panhealth Medical Center in Wenzhou, we met the foreign couple Sumayyahyyah and Hamad.

 

Sumayyahyyah Hosanyi, 31, and Hamad Abdul Zahir, 35, gave up the chance to return home and chose to stay in Wenzhou to fight the epidemic during the Spring Festival. 

 

The couple was stationed at the intersection of Wenzhou South Expressway to help with passengers' information registration and temperature check-up since February 1 this year. 

 

微信图片_20200623170421.jpg


When the news of the driver's diagnosis came, Sumayyah was a little bit worried. Hamad, who has always been "mild", couldn’t help but blamed, " You were so close to the driver when checking the ID card. You even touched your nose with your hand!" Sumayyah felt grieved, admitting that she was not careful enough.

 

At that time, Sumayyah's family was worried about her safety. Her mother gave an ultimatum to the couple in the video call, "Return home immediately!" After deep consideration, Sumayyah decided to stay. She said that the Chinese government has strong appeal and the people are united and self-disciplined. If China is compared to a ship, the people on board will paddle in the same direction. What's more, China also has the experience of fighting against SARS. "I believe China has the ability to defeat the virus," Sumayyah said.

 

In late March, the epidemic became aggressive in Mauritius. Sumayyah immediately released a short video on social media, detailing the epidemic prevention experience accumulated in China, such as "keep a safe distance with strangers", "try to work at home ", "wear masks when going to public places". Sumayyah also went to Wenzhou Central Hospital, the designated hospital for epidemic treatment, to learn professional epidemic prevention knowledge and pass the learning notes to doctors and friends in Mauritius, Pakistan, and other countries. To encourage people to live in isolation at home, Sumayyah launched an interesting online activity called "isolation diary" to share interesting moments. After the release of her own delicious Birjani rice, more than 8,000 followers shared their life through dance videos, teaching videos of "micro class", etc.

 

As Sumayyah and her husband became "Internet celebrities", the director of Public Health of Mauritius called and praised the braveness of Sumayyah at the end of March. Knowing that the epidemic prevention materials for medical staff in her hometown were still insufficient, she asked for help from Panhealth Medical Center in Wenzhou. With the support of the local government, a batch of medical masks, protective clothing, goggles, and other materials were delivered to Mauritius and Pakistan.

 

Since the Spring Festival, Amar, a Yemeni doctor in the international outpatient department of Yiwu Chouzhou hospital, has been persisting in the hospital. Meanwhile, Amar took short videos in his spare time in various languages to publicize epidemic prevention knowledge and released them through WeChat Moment and other platforms. He also insisted on propagandizing the touching story of China's concerted efforts to prevent and control the domestic epidemic and join hands with other countries to fight the epidemic within the scope of his ability on foreign social platforms.

 

微信图片_20200623170427.jpg


Amar masters three languages including Chinese, English, and Arabic. Thus he aims to compile and distribute various epidemic prevention and control information in WeChat Moment. His mobile phone has become a mobile consulting platform, providing 24-hour online service.

 

With the growing influence of Amar, many foreign media have consulted him about the epidemic situation and anti-epidemic experience of China through online videos. Due to the time difference, most online interviews are in the early morning in China, but Amar never turns them down. Every time, he appears on the video with full energy.

 

"As a doctor, no matter which country I am in, I should take responsibility for normal times and do better at special times," Amar said that China makes him feel extremely warm and happy, and their family will continue to work and live here.

 

Hami, from Iran, is not a member of the Jimingshan community, but a well-known "star resident". He is not only a member of the Council of community residents but also good at dispute mediation, thus earned a nickname as "international good uncle". This year, he gained another title—anti-epidemic "foreign pioneer".

 

Hami's anti-epidemic story started from his keeping on duty in the Jimingshan community. He Wenjun, Secretary of the community Party committee said, "It was Hami who took the initiative to apply for volunteer work." After 17 years in China, Hami regarded Yiwu as his second hometown. He took it for granted to make contributions to his hometown during the epidemic.

 

微信图片_20200623170436.jpg


Jimingshan community is known as the "UN community". More than 1380 overseas people from 74 countries and regions live, work, and study here. Residents from different countries have different habits in food and other aspects. With the help of Hami and community workers, they are able to meet their basic needs.

 

There are relatively few people at night, but it's not easy at all. Hami stood for eight hours and came home early the next morning. He never complained.

 

With the improvement of the epidemic situation, it has become the focus of community work to help companies return to work. Jimingshan community is close to Yiwu International Trade City. There are 1,035 enterprises in the area, including more than 260 foreign trade enterprises.

 

In order to help enterprises return to work and production, a series of preferential tax policies have been issued by local departments. Hami joined in again.

 

Hami has been doing business in Yiwu for more than 10 years. Yiwu's first foreign trade company founded by foreigners with the right to import and export was founded by Hami. He has a lot of experience in contracting with local departments and is able to ponder and understand the new policy easily.

 

To make efforts, Hami is trying new ways. Being a host is one of them. In May, the Yiwu Municipal Party Committee of the Communist Youth League and Jiangdong district office hosted the "live marketing", in which Hami was invited to sell food. Soon after the live broadcast, the number of viewers jumped up to more than 10,000, and many fans on the screen brushed the name of "Hami" to support him. In this anti-epidemic campaign, what struck Hami most is that "we are a family regardless of nationality."


(Compiled and translated by Xu Yuhong)

]]>
epidemic;foreign;Mauritius;Wenzhou;community;doctors;Medical;video;anti;couple