Editor's note: In this series, we share stories and experiences showing how expats are dealing with the novel coronavirus pneumonia outbreak.

Echar Christopher Sunday, a Nigerian businessman in Zhanjiang, Guangdong province, wrote a letter to the city's foreign affairs authority on April 27 in appreciation for being given a chance to volunteer in the fight against COVID-19.

Echar, 43, who has been living in Guangdong for a decade, applied to become a volunteer in March, after authorities called on residents, including foreigners, to help with the prevention and control of the pandemic.

After his wife was approved as a volunteer, she helped Echar submit an application letter to the local foreign affairs authority. "My Chinese wife helped me a lot to become a volunteer," he said.

Zhanjiang has more than 1,900 foreign residents. Echar, among the first group of 46 volunteers involved in foreign affairs management in the city during the pandemic, said the volunteers can communicate in English, Japanese, Korean, French and Spanish.

"The life here is easy, nice, less traffic and peaceful," he said, adding that volunteering was a way to help contribute to building a cross-cultural society.

In Zhanjiang, Echar exports Chinese goods including daily necessities and electrical products to Africa. He and his wife, who married in 2009, have two sons.

"Zhanjiang is more like my second home. I am grateful that I had a chance to do something for the city," he said.

After days of online and offline training, Echar was given the job of raising awareness of ways to control COVID-19, including distributing brochures at the Zhanjiang airport and helping to take the temperature of passengers arriving in the city.

"Some foreigners did not realize the importance of taking a nucleic acid test for the virus," he said.

After days of volunteer work, Echar said he realized it would be helpful to visit communities where many foreigners live to promote awareness of prevention and control methods.

"In the fight against the disease, we should work together, no matter where we are from," he said.

Echar and his wife visited local communities, helping people from African countries to be more aware of regulations, policies and measures taken by the health authorities during the pandemic.

"I am grateful to be trusted by African brothers and sisters. They open up about their life here and challenges. And I hope I'll be of help to them," he said.

"More communication would help foreigners know more about Chinese culture. Moreover, it would help us to be more aware of prevention and control of the disease," he said.

Local officials invited Echar, his family and 35 foreign teachers and students on a tour of some scenic spots in Zhanjiang during the May Day holiday to show their appreciation for their contributions.

Echar Christopher Sunday