The Guizhou Connection: A Heartfelt Service Trip by DCB Students

In the early hours of 12 September, over 60 excited students from Years 7 to 9 geared up for their five-day service trip to Zhaoxing (肇兴), an ancient village in Guizhou, with a rich history spanning over 860 years. Over the next 12 hours, the students travelled by plane, bus, and train to the ancient village, for an immersion in one of China's largest Dong minority settlements in southeastern Guizhou. 

Now in its second year, the Guizhou Project is one of the largest and most impactful service events by Dulwich College Beijing’s largest student-led service CCA (co-curricular activity) - the Interact Club. The initiative involves a team of dedicated student leaders, volunteers and teachers who support this local community by bringing joy to the children and building connections while also engaging in meaningful community service.  

Pre-Trip Preparations and Fundraising Success

Before setting off, the volunteers and participants attended regular planning meetings to design various activities to engage the local children. They brainstormed ideas like colouring, playing Jenga, and making rubber bracelets—simple ideas that bridged worlds – introducing recreational materials the local children had never seen, let alone imagined, illustrating the disparity between their own lives and the children’s.

Interact members and Guizhou trip volunteers also organised a range of fundraising activities, engaging participants from DUCKS (Dulwich College Kindergarten School) to Senior School. These included stalls selling ice lollies, bubble tea, and Polaroid photos to raise funds for the Guizhou service trip. Funds raised were used to purchase essential items such as a refrigerator, flour, oil, toys (rubber band, Jenga, wheel car, and mini star origami), educational materials and remaining funds were donated to the rest of the families and the school in Guizhou. Thanks to the hard work of our volunteers, the student-led fundraising events were a huge success! 

Visiting Zhaoxing: Cultural Immersion and Dulwich Values in Action 

While in Zhaoxing, the team mostly stayed in the village before visiting local elementary schools, immersing themselves in local Guizhou culture and traditions. On the third day, the DCB team visited their first local Guizhou school, where our students not only distributed goodie bags and necessities but were struck by the excitement of the children over items that were everyday staples in Beijing – a sharp contrast with their own lives. Year 12 Eleanor D, one of the student trip leaders, described the children as energetic and welcoming, willing to talk about themselves and share their lives. This inspired Interact volunteers, who had invested time and effort in building relationships with the children. 

Beyond these interactions, our DCB students also had the rare opportunity to meet and speak with local families. Year 12 Euiyeon Y, another student leader, observed how local kids rarely ate meat and eggs except on special occasions and how transactions were mostly done by exchanging goods instead of using currency to purchase. These visits offered valuable insight into a life vastly different from their own, fostering empathy and shared understanding.

A highlight of the trip was a day dedicated to cultural immersion, where students learned the Dong Chorus, a World Intangible Cultural Heritage, which are traditional polyphonic folk songs that has existed for thousands of years and is performed without musical instruments or a conductor. They also donned traditional Dong attire, savored regional dishes and tried other local customs. 

Long-Term Goals

Looking ahead, the team has ambitious goals, including creating a running water system for the village. Currently, the locals rely on water from mountain springs, a challenge during the dry season. This initiative ensures clean drinking water to help avoid the risk of diseases and to reduce the hardships of daily life – from one community to another.  

However, our mission goes beyond infrastructure. In a recent presentation to parents, outgoing Interact co-President Charlize A-Y shared how the impact of the trip began even before they had arrived in the community. The participants’ thoughtful preparation – from researching the community’s needs and meeting with locals to organising activities that aimed to be both meaningful and impactful – had a profound impact on the younger students who understood that service is a mindset of collaboration and respect, rather than a one-time act. “This wasn’t just about providing resources or improving the school environment. It was about creating connections, sharing experiences, and learning together. The local students were genuinely engaged, not because of what we brought, but because we were there with them, participating in their world and building friendships.” 

We are proud of how our peers demonstrated leadership, organisational skills, and adaptability, contributing to their personal growth while addressing some of the genuine needs of the local Zhaoxing community. As Charlize said, “Service isn’t just a one-time project; it’s a continuous relationship. It’s about connecting with others in a way that leaves a lasting impact on both sides, and we’re excited to keep nurturing these connections and growing this project in the years to come.”

*About Interact

Interact is the largest service organisation in DCB with over 15 years of history. We operate numerous annual events at school such as Pink Week, Movember, Trivia Night, Christmas Bazaar, CNY Bazaar and many many more. Service organisations at DCB all fall under the Interact Service Umbrella, and we collaborate extensively with them to cultivate an altruistic student body. Interact's vision on promoting and demonstrating the value of community service, and we strive to start from a young age to experience the impact and joy of direct service and indirect service. 

This article draws from two student pieces, merged and refined for clarity and brevity.