Ding Guomei: Delivering more than meals through the streets of Yinchuan

Ding Guomei, a delivery rider at an Ele.me station in Xingqing district, Yinchuan city

In the streets and alleyways of Yinchuan, the capital of Northwest China’s Ningxia Hui autonomous region, Ding Guomei rides through the city each day carrying not only takeaway orders, but also a growing sense of community responsibility.

As new forms of employment continue to expand across China, food delivery riders have become an essential part of urban life. Ding, a courier at an Ele.me delivery station in Yinchuan’s Xingqing district, is one of many workers helping keep the city running.

But for Ding, the job has become more than a way to make a living.

Taking over family responsibilities

Four years ago, Ding’s husband was seriously injured in a traffic accident.

To support the family, she took over his electric scooter — and the delivery orders that came with it.

At first, the work was far from easy. Unfamiliar with city routes and lacking physical endurance, she relied on hand-drawn maps to memorize delivery routes and improve efficiency.

Through persistence and long hours on the road, she gradually grew from a newcomer into one of the station’s key delivery workers, maintaining a record of zero complaints, no late deliveries and no false orders throughout the year.

Her dedication later earned her the title of National May 1 Women’s Pacesetter.

Ding Guomei is delivering orders.

A rider with a second role

Unlike many delivery riders, Ding carries something extra in her delivery box besides meals — community service cards linked to local neighborhood assistance programs.

Last year, she joined a “community guardians” initiative and became what local authorities call a “dual-network rider.”

In addition to taking food delivery orders through the platform, she also participates in the community service network, helping connect residents, neighborhood workers and local police.

On her phone is a special messaging group that includes community grid workers and riders like herself.

Together, they form part of a grassroots governance network across the neighborhood. When riders notice sanitation problems or broken streetlights, they report them immediately with photos. If they encounter elderly residents living alone, they check whether help is needed. Suspicious situations are also quickly reported to community police officers.

Ding Guomei (L) talks with an elderly resident to better understand his needs.

Measuring the city with her wheels

Like many delivery workers, Ding spends much of her time serving other families while having limited time with her own child.

To better support workers in flexible employment, Xingqing district launched 178 service stations last year, offering public services tailored to delivery riders and other new-economy workers whose schedules often leave little time for daily errands.

Ding Guomei embraces her son.

From delivering meals to delivering care, Ding has gradually become more than a courier.

Through her daily work across the city, she has also become a mobile link between residents and community services — using her wheels not only to navigate the streets, but also to help strengthen neighborhood life in her own way.