Huang Hanyuan (Photo: Huilong Town)
Note: The following is narrated in the first person by overseas Chinese Huang Hanyuan.
My name is Huang Hanyuan. I have lived in Australia for many years and have long been involved in local overseas Chinese organizations. Today, there are approximately 20,000 overseas Chinese from Huilong living in Australia. Although we are far from home, everyone still deeply cares about our hometown and hopes to contribute to its development.
When we first arrived in Australia, unfamiliar with the language and local society, the only people we could rely on were fellow villagers. Later, hometown associations were established and became our shared "home" overseas.
During traditional Chinese festivals such as Spring Festival and Mid-Autumn Festival, these associations organize gala events, lion dances, dragon dances, and ancestral worship ceremonies, offering emotional comfort and cultural belonging to overseas Chinese communities. They also help new immigrants settle in, providing information about employment and daily life support.
Over the years, hometown associations have gradually built relationships with local governments and begun participating more actively in social affairs.
As the reputation of the overseas Chinese community continued to increase, so did our influence within Australian society. Yet no matter how long we live abroad, our greatest concern remains our hometown.
Almost every year, we return to Huilong, Gaoyao, actively supporting local development in any way we can. Overseas Chinese communities have donated medical equipment and supplies to support the construction of healthcare facilities in Huilong, contributed funds for roads, schools, and ancestral hall restoration projects, and organized large-scale charitable initiatives.
One project that left a particularly deep impression on me involved hearing aids. I mobilized overseas Chinese communities in Australia to raise funds and donate hearing aids to people with hearing impairments across the Zhaoqing region. In total, we donated 15,000 hearing aids.
I believe giving back to one's hometown is a responsibility. Community leaders should use the organizational networks of hometown associations to unite overseas Chinese communities in support of local development.
These continuous connections have created lasting emotional ties between Huilong, Gaoyao and overseas Chinese communities around the world. Though separated by oceans, we continue to share the same sense of belonging and hometown identity.
Reporter: Liu Yuheng
Text: Tong Hua
Revised by Huang Qini
