The World Of Tzu Chi(Vol.115).

TZU CHI 115 31 supplies; and providing long-term emotional support to the families of thosewhoperished in the disaster. The Master believed in ensuring peace of mind for disaster victims by granting them a sustainable place to call home, hence Tzu Chi’s framework for housing and community planning measures were held to exacting standards for safe and comfortable living spaces. Tzu Chi’s prefabricated houses are well- equipped and fully furnished with the disaster victims’ best interests in mind. Each unit measures approximately 427 sq ft and contains three bedrooms, a living hall, a dining hall and a bathroom. It is hoped that providing disaster victims with a roof over their head would boost their morale and spur them on to rebuild their homes and their lives. Local government officials from various counties pitched in to help Tzu Chi secure permission for the use of public land to facilitate the construction of Great Love Villages, while some landowners generously granted Tzu Chi the use of their land. Work on the first Great Love Village concluded on November 15, 1999 in Puli, ready to accommodate 320 households. More than 1,700 prefabricated houses were assembled over the span of three months before the project wrapped up on December 28. The volunteers then moved on to focus their efforts on Project Hope, but at the same time, they continued to express concern for the new inhabitants of the Great Love Villages through monthly visits and various activities to engage the youths. Hsu Feng-zhu’s family of five lost their home to the earthquake. As the breadwinner of the household, Feng-zhu faced immense pressure to make ends meet. He had to take up casual employment to supplement the income from his full-time job, hence he was grateful to be provided with reliable housing in a Great Love Village. “The care and encouragement offered by Tzu Chi volunteers over the past 20 years have motivated me to pick myself up and move on in life,” professed Feng-zhu, who has turned 60. “I’ve since signed up as a Tzu Chi donor as I hope to help the suffering.” Twenty years on, memories of those who had lent a helping hand to the disaster relief efforts might have faded over time, yet the impact of their selfless deeds is everlasting. The seeds of compassion and kindness, once sown, will only grow into a gift that keeps on giving. Tzu Chi initiated a donation drive to raise funds for disaster relief efforts, which garnered encouraging support from the public. [Photograph by Hong Hai-peng] Medical personnel from Tzu Chi Hospital and TIMA extended their services to victims in eight hard-hit disaster areas, including Jiji and Puli. [Photograph by Guo Yi-de] Revisiting the 1999 Jiji Earthquake