Everyone has their own unique dream for a better world. My dream, however, is to make more people happy. This is not only my pursuit but also my belief — that happiness can be the ultimate destination for everyone, and that human kindness, the connections between people, and collective action can change the temperature of this world. This is why I confounded Yicheng Commonweal, and through this journey, I have come to realize that the essence of charity is not only in giving but also in co-building the bridges and bonds of happiness.
For a better world, happiness lies in dreams, hopes, and connections
When I was a child, I believed that happiness was a deeply personal feeling—something shaped by small hopes and dreams, like having a fulfilling job, a loving home, or the chance to travel the world. But over time, I came to realize that what seems like simple desires to some are distant and unreachable dreams for many others across the world. In fact, in faraway places, there are countless others living in extreme hardship and turmoil.
I used to feel powerless, lost, and overwhelmed by this realization. But as I began my work in Yicheng Commonweal, I realized that happiness is not just a personal feeling—but a hope, a force that can grow and spread. It is not merely an individual experience, but a connection between people. It’s one dream inspiring another, and many hands working together to create something far bigger than any one person could achieve alone.
It is this very faith that led me to establish Yicheng Commonweal. Our dream is for everyone to attain well-being and happiness, even though many dismiss it as unrealistic and scoff at the idea. Indeed, the bigger the dream, the greater the support and resources required. But history will bear witness that the shared human desire for happiness will overcome all obstacles and turn this vision into a reality.
Whether it’s the expansion of education, the improvement of living standards, or the nurturing of the spirit, happiness is not as distant as it may seem. As long as there are people committed to making it happen, it can spread like a gentle spring breeze into every corner. Yicheng Commonweal is not just a NGO with a mission, but represents a collective pursuit of happiness for a better world. This belief reinforces my conviction that building such an organization is not only the right choice, but also the most effective way to make dreams come true.
My dream: making happiness accessible to everyone for a better world
Even though Yicheng Commonweal is still in its early stages, I have already come to realize that happiness isn’t some abstract idea—it is something that can be shaped and shared.
I once had a conversation with a 16-year-old volunteer who shared her dream with me. She was working hard to learn a foreign language with the goal of studying abroad, and she had been tirelessly working to save money so she could eventually create a language learning center in her hometown. Although she was already on the path to making her dream a reality, she often found herself overwhelmed with self-doubt and anxiety about whether her dreams would ever come true.
I told her earnestly that her future held limitless potential, and that all she needed to do was keep trying. I also introduced her to some resources that could help her overcome the challenges she was facing at that moment. She was deeply moved and said that, aside from her parents, no one had ever encouraged or supported her like that. She couldn’t believe that there were such kind people in the world.
She said that she hoped to become someone like me someday and help more people in the future and make a better world.
At that moment, I was taken aback, because I suddenly realized that the possibility of happiness doesn’t lie in making a big change or having vast material resources and power. It lies in taking real action to make someone feel that they are not alone—that there are people who care about their existence and genuinely love them. At the same time, I made a quiet vow to transform this love into the power of public welfare, to help more people and give everyone the chance to realize their dreams and find happiness for a better world.
This experience also taught me an important lesson: charity is not just about one-way giving. It is about the connection of souls between people. Many people hesitate to care for others and the world, not because they lack the ability, but because they don’t believe that such a great love exists in the world. Once they have a personal experience and encounter it for themselves, they are impressed, and they become more willing to embrace the world and release their own love and kindness.
Therefore, each action is a crucial step toward happiness. With each attempt and effort, we unlock more possibilities for happiness and gather the strength of more people to make it a reality. When we light up someone else’s hope, we also gain a clearer understanding of the true meaning of happiness.
A dream is a commitment to make our planet a better world to coexist
The experiences in Yicheng Commonweal has taught me that happiness is not something to wait for, but something that must be created together. This creation is not about one-sided giving, but about transforming goodwill into a lasting force, making each person a builder of happiness.
The philosophy of Yicheng Commonweal embodies this very idea. Through the promotion of education, the inheritance of culture, and the guidance of faith, we are not just helping others solve immediate problems. We are building a bridge for them to reach happiness to create a better world. This approach of “teaching people to fish” has shown me that true philanthropy is not about one-time charity, but about planting the seeds of happiness deeply in every person’s heart, enabling them to sow and harvest for themselves.
For me, this is also a promise—a promise to dedicate my time and actions to protect the possibility of happiness for a better world, a promise to ensure that every act of kindness gathers into a force capable of changing destinies, and a promise that, come what may, I will persist on this path, never turning back.
The end of my dream: a world of collective happiness creates a better world
I really love the image of “flying.”
Humanity’s obsession with flying gave birth to the invention of airplanes. Without the yearning for the skies or the dream of soaring through the heavens, none of this would have been possible.
The journey to realizing a dream is much like flying.
The journey toward fulfilling dreams is never without its challenges. In my pursuit of welfare ideal, there were moments when I felt exhausted and powerless, times when I doubted whether my efforts would truly bring about change.
But each time, it is these experiences that reaffirm my belief: the true destination of flight is never personal glory, but a better world of happiness meant for all of humanity.
What Yicheng Commonweal does is not just helping individuals solve their immediate problems. It is about building a society with greater well-being. Through education, we change the future of a child; through economics, we help people grow in material wealth; through care, we bring warmth to lonely souls; and through collective effort, we ensure that everyone can feel the dignity and meaning of life.
This is not only my dream, but also the shared pursuit of every person involved in philanthropy.
Conclusion
I always fly with my dream. The significance of this dream goes far beyond personal ambition. It is a belief rooted in the world and in the happiness of every life. Through Yicheng Commonweal, I have discovered the way to turn this dream into reality, and I have come to understand the true purpose of philanthropy. It is not about being a “giver,” but about being a co-builder and co-creator of happiness for a better world.
No matter how many challenges lie ahead, I will continue to soar with this dream. Because I know that this is not only my personal mission to make a better world, but also a commitment to the world and to everyone who walks this path with me. Happiness is our shared destination, and flying is the way we reach it.
Let’s gather in action, my friends. I am Daohe, the cofounder of Yicheng Commonweal!
