Xiang Qiuhua plays with Syrian children. [Photo/WeChat account: tzfb001]

A native of Linhai, a county-level city in Taizhou, Xiang Qiuhua was recently recognized for his humanitarian efforts in Syria. He was touched to receive a heartfelt thank-you letter from Damascus for his work helping Syrian orphans.

Xiang's journey began several years ago when he learned about the dire situation facing the children during a visit to Syria. Their resilience in the face of extreme hardship moved him to tears, and he made a personal commitment to alleviate their suffering.

Despite facing numerous obstacles, the determined Xiang, who is nearly 60 years old, continued to travel back and forth to Syria, ensuring that the impoverished and helpless children could receive food. However, his mission took a momentous turn five years ago when he crossed paths with a Syrian businessman who owns Syria's most esteemed olive oil company and shared his vision to help Syrian children.

Leveraging this newfound partnership, Xiang Qiuhua founded an import and export company focused on distributing Syrian olive oil in China. The business venture has been a resounding success and has played a significant role in providing warm meals to an increasing number of Syrian children.

Since last year, Xiang has also taken on the responsibility of adopting 26 orphans, providing each household with approximately 360 yuan ($50.32) per month for support. Additionally, he introduced the "Common Prosperity Workshop" model, which had previously seen success in Zhejiang province, to Syria. These workshops have been established in seven cities, where skilled designers from Xiang's company teach embroidery techniques to locals. To date, over 150 students have received training, empowering them with valuable skills.

Xiang humbly acknowledges that there are many other Chinese individuals in the area who share his noble aspirations. Although his resources may be limited, he firmly believes that around every corner and beyond, countless like-minded individuals are tirelessly working together for the greater good.