Confronted by crowds at the Hankou Railway Station in Wuhan, Hubei province, in 2017, then 24-year-old Lugazo Abubakar Lugazo was at loss, as he had no idea which way to go, nor could he speak any Chinese.

A passenger who had been sitting next to him on the train volunteered to take him to the university on the subway.

"He couldn't speak English, so we had to communicate using translation software," Lugazo said.

Lugazo had just arrived in China from Tanzania to study at Central China Normal University. The warmhearted man, he recalled, was the first "Lei Feng" he met.

The name refers to a deceased soldier and a role model in China who is remembered for selflessly helping others.

The experience inspired Lugazo. Several months later, he joined the university's International Students' Volunteer Team and was given a red jacket bearing the portrait of the late soldier.

The following year, he was at the Wuhan Railway Station volunteering. "I was not able to speak good Chinese at the time. My partner taught me three sentences: 'Hello! Do you need help? May I carry your luggage for you?'" Lugazo said. "Once, after I helped an elderly woman, her grandson, who was about 5 years old, came up to me and said 'Thank you, Lei Feng!'. That really touched me," he said, adding that the woman gave him a keychain as a gift.

Lugazo studied Chinese for a year before applying for a master's degree at the School of Education and went on to study for a doctorate in developmental and educational psychology in 2021.

Another of the Tanzanian's favorite memories was teaching English to children in a remote part of Yichang, Hubei, in 2021.

Many of their parents were migrant workers, so the children lived with their grandparents.

"They were shy and barely expressed themselves," he said.

Lugazo remembers a 10-year-old boy who was always alone in one corner. "His grandfather brought him to me, and I took him to the teachers' dormitory. We played games and became friends."

At first, the boy barely participated in games during class, but after a week, he was taking part just like the others. The change made Lugazo happy.

In China, the Lei Feng story is well known, and his spirit has been passed down from generation to generation, crossing the boundary of cultural difference.

These days, anyone can be described as a "Lei Feng" if they show a willingness to help others.

Established in 2012, the Central China Normal University international volunteer team numbers 115 students from 50 countries. They routinely volunteer on and outside the campus.

Once a month, they visit subway stations, giving directions to passengers, helping elderly people buy tickets and picking up garbage. Three times a week, they teach English, Spanish, French and Arabic free of charge.

They also pick up trash in parks, plant trees, visit lonely seniors and children with leukemia, and have also volunteered at major sporting events such as the Wuhan Marathon, the Wuhan Open and the 7th CISM Military World Games.

In recognition of his hard work, Lugazo was named team leader in 2019. Now fluent in Chinese, he and the other volunteers are dedicated to their work, although not everyone needs their help.

"Many people are shy, in which case we do not bother them," he said, adding that the team chooses those who seem to need help most.

Fatima Alsughair, a 27-year-old Jordanian participant, said the volunteers offer information about subway lines and other assistance to those who appear to be lost.

Alsughair is studying to teach Chinese and will graduate next year. She submitted an application to volunteer after seeing photos of other team members.

"My father always told me if you are able to help others, you should not hesitate to do so; and when you help others, never think about what you will get in return," she said.

On March 5, national "Learn From Lei Feng Day", the team shared their understanding of the Lei Feng spirit at a primary school. Alsughair, who didn't know about the soldier until she joined the group, said that what touches her most about his story is that Lei never boasted about what he had done, which "was very rare".

Lugazo remembers one of the soldier's famous quotes: "Human life is limited, but service to the people is infinite". The Tanzanian said that volunteer work has become an important part of his life and has helped an otherwise "introverted and nervous man" become brave.

The team has been given a number of honorary titles at the municipal, provincial and national levels, and other foreign students have been inspired to join. The university said they have shown dedication, love, mutual aid and progress, and their efforts are appreciated.

Contact the writers at [email protected]