Remembering the lesser-known voices from across the border who are part of the reconstruction efforts in Sichuan

Three years have passed since a massive earthquake struck Wenchuan, Sichuan province. The killer quake left a trail of

destruction in its wake, but was also an occasion when people

decided to brave the odds and work collectively for providing aid and relief to the victims.

It was also a time when there were no boundaries. Foreign aid workers joined hands and shoulders with Chinese relief workers in rescue and relief operations as well as post-quake rebuilding efforts. Most of the foreigners in

the early quake days were professional rescuers, charity workers, doctors and volunteers. Later came others like psychotherapists and construction engineers.

Many of them have since returned to their hometowns. But several have

chosen to stay back. Some work for international organizations, but there are also several others who enact their roles as individuals.

There are at least 20 international non-governmental organizations working on the reconstruction efforts in Sichuan, says Gao Guizi, coordinator of Sichuan May 12 Non-government Assistance Service Center.

To understand what keeps the aid workers ticking, China Daily spoke to

four foreigners - an Irishman, an American, a Malaysian and a Singaporean - who have been in Sichuan for three years to understand their experiences in the quake-zone.