Teaching earned Zheng Yunling a living for five years.

Now it offers the fermentation expert an opportunity to help others through a volunteer program.

Zheng has worked for three years as a volunteer coordinator through her job at Cargill Investment (China) Ltd, and is an experienced corporate volunteer and team leader for Junior Achievement - an international non-profit organization for youth education.

"Taking a volunteer job is something I've always wanted to do, and it's lucky I can combine it with my teaching job," said Zheng, who spends her weekends giving courses to primary and university students.

Zheng said her interest in volunteer work started in the United States after she resigned from her teaching job at the East China University of Science an Technology to do a PhD research program abroad.

Every semester, her North Dakota State University would be filled with volunteer opportunities such as spring campus clean-ups, church work or helping newcomers settle down.

"These were all happy group activities in which I could make lots of friends," said the doctorate in food and agriculture.

After coming back in 2003, Zheng took up a job as a fermentation analyst at Cargill Investment, a multinational company with a long tradition of organizing volunteer events. An opportunity in 2004 drew Zheng, the qualified teacher, back to her old profession, because the company was looking for someone with teaching expertise to be in charge of a business education course for young students.

Zheng now gives five classes on intentional trade, offers career guidance workshops to university students and is also responsible for recruiting and managing volunteers in the company.

"Despite heavier workloads, I enjoy seeing children benefit from my work," Zheng said. "I only wish to pass on that passion and children can say they actively want to take part when talking about volunteer activities."

(Shanghai Daily August 11, 2006)