Volunteer: Fujian offers eldercare idea for Madagascar

Now in her sixth year in China, Jacqueline Marie Ranjarasoa of Madagascar volunteered at an eldercare center in Minhou county, Fujian province, that provides home services.

Ranjarasoa, 27, married a Chinese resident surnamed Wang and has two children. She has learned to speak Mandarin fluently, along with some local dialects.

Life has greatly improved, she said.

"My family in Africa can afford to eat meat once or twice a year. But here, I can have all kinds of meat — pork, beef, mutton, chicken — as much as I want," she said.

Her sister-in-law, who is Chinese, works at the county's eldercare service center. From time to time, Ranjarasoa accompanies her to visit elderly people in their homes. She said she is impressed when seeing older residents receive dozens of services, including physical therapy, physical examinations and room cleaning, free of charge.

"The home-based eldercare policy is complete and humanized. If only Madagascar had such a system of social services for seniors," she said, adding that she has volunteered for a job like her sister-in-law's to help seniors in need.

After training, Ranjarasoa was approved to work as a partner of her sister-in-law. She performed a wide range of services included cutting fingernails, washing hair, washing clothes, washing dishes and disinfecting houses.

"She is honest, kind, attentive and helpful," said a resident surnamed Chen, one of her clients.

Ranjarasoa said she found self-worth in China. "Helping the elderly makes me happy and I will stick with it," she said, adding that she wanted to bring the experience back to her country and hoped seniors there would be able to live a happier life too.