Why they stare at old people’s curtains?

The ordinary act of pulling curtains holds special significance for 330 elderly residents in Xinghualing district of Taiyuan, north China’s Shanxi province.

More than 30 volunteers in Taiyuan initiated the Curtain Action to care for the elderly in April 2021. They made agreements with the elderly that opening the curtains in the morning indicates a safe wake-up, and closing them at night conveys their well-being throughout the day.

Over the past two years, the action has evolved into a heartwarming commitment between volunteers and the elderly.

The beneficiaries of the action are mostly the elderly living alone or facing difficulties in life. Volunteers identify older individuals with limited mobility and various health issues through community outreach. After obtaining consent from the elderly and their families, volunteers place a conspicuous sticker on the windows of these homes.

The agreement is to open the curtains by 9 a.m. and close them no later than 9:30 p.m. As of now, the number of elderly participants in the activity has grown from the initial 16 to 330.

Source: CCTV News App; trans-editing by Wang Yunya