Mutual aid provides win-win solution for busy neighborhoods

Zhang Huiying used to feel very lonely because she and her husband live far from their children.

To kill time, the 67-year-old resident of Jifu, a community in Wuhou district, Chengdu, Sichuan province, danced with her peers in the square outside her residence.

However, her life has witnessed a drastic change since she became a "shared granny" in July 2019.

The voluntary role sees Zhang taking care of children in the community while their parents are busy at work and don't have time to attend to them. Now, her life has more meaning and she is respected by the children and their parents.

The role is unpaid, but Zhang loves it as she is proud of her contribution to society and is regarded as a contributor instead of as an old woman idling away her time.

"As I am busy with the children, I feel healthier," she said.

Most of the children she cares for are school pupils, who are keen on novelty. Zhang surfs the internet every day to learn new things－new stories, new songs and new handcrafted items she can teach the children to make.

Yang Qiong, a community worker who helped launch Jifu's shared grannies program, said Zhang has a strong sense of fulfillment because she is loved by the children and their parents.

At weekends, the parents of children who are not familiar with Zhang take their kids to her home to chat and prepare dinner with her.

Last year, Zhang was sick for several days and could not care for the pupils. She was deeply moved when several of them paid a house call with their parents. "When I opened the door, five or six kids rushed up to me and held me. They said they missed me," she said.

Taking care of young students is a win-win solution. Thanks to the program, community harmony has been enhanced and many neighbors have grown closer.

More than 20 senior women act as shared grannies in Jifu. Before the program was launched, people did not talk to each other, but now, whenever the shared grannies walk in the community, people greet them. Young parents regularly visit and ask if there is anything they can do to help, Zhang said.

Yang said the program debuted in July 2019 because many young parents were busy at work and their children were left unattended when school finished in the afternoon.

As the community's retired residents had plenty of free time and wanted to take part in more social activities, local decision-makers introduced the shared granny program to allow female seniors to take care of the children.

In return, parents provide a range of care and reciprocal services for the elderly, which has developed into a relationship model based on mutual assistance, Yang said.