Expanding reach

What began as a small campus initiative has since developed into a much broader support network.

Red Stars now has nearly 4,000 volunteers, has organized close to 300 events, and has served over 30,000 people who are blind or have low vision.

In 2024, Hu established a rehabilitation center to support people who lost their eyesight later in life, expanding the initiative far beyond running.

"This has been made possible by national policies," Hu said. He noted that in late 2023, the China Disabled Persons' Federation directed every province and region to establish at least one service center for each type of disability beginning in 2024.

Red Stars' center is located on the campus of JGSU, which provides space and equipment free of charge. The 1,000-square-meter facility includes tactile pathways, a sports zone, a Braille library, and life-skills spaces designed to help participants relearn daily tasks in a safe environment.

Zhang Qian benefited greatly from the center, gaining orientation and mobility skills that now allow him to travel independently. "I used to wait at home until my family had time to take me out," he said. "Now I can go wherever I need to on my own."

Zhang Qian now works as a trainer at the center, helping others learn how to navigate life without sight.

The Red Stars model is also expanding beyond JGSU. In Yudu county, also in Jiangxi province, a new running group for people with visual impairments has been launched with the program's support.

Several other universities have visited JGSU to learn from Red Stars and apply its approach to their own projects, such as audio-described films, accessible design projects, and hiking groups for people with visual impairments.

"The methods may differ, but we share the same goal: bringing society together to support people with disabilities," Hu said.