The world of Tzu Chi September-October 2021 (Vol.137)

2021 • 10 20 T o many, raising a white flag is a sign of defeat. However, since the end of June 2021, it represents a symbol of hope for Malaysians. Nik Faizah Nik Othman, deputy head of the Kelantan Amanah’s women’s wing, on her Facebook post, urged those who had run out of food to do so at their homes. “Let the people around you help you. Do not do anything that will hurt yourself and your family!” A social activist, Nik Faizah has been extending help to women and low-income families in the community for a long time. She was saddened to see so many families struggling to make ends meet, and in some cases, it had even led to domestic violence and life-threatening situations. Her post subsequently triggered a White Flag movement on social media. People shared the idea, and various groups, organizations and individuals responded to the movement and reached out to those who hoisted a white flag through donations of material supplies. Generosity abounds Due to the raging pandemic, Malaysia had again implemented a nationwide full lockdown on June 1, 2021. Many economic sectors were affected, rendering many families short on food and cash. In response, Tzu Chi launched the Food Care project to assist affected families through distribution of food supplies, as well as extending care and any other assistance needed. Each beneficiary family would receive a care package consisting of fresh fruits and vegetables, cooking oil, rice, rice vermicelli, bread, biscuits, canned baked beans, and so on. On July 18, the first FoodCare distribution was held at 40 Tzu Chi recycling centres and community centres, for over 4,800 families in KL and Selangor regions. The visible presence of Tzu Chi in the communities created awareness for others in need to seek help. It was heartwarming that some suppliers had chipped in by donating goods or offering a special price for the purchases. Among them was the owner of Grand Union Supermarket in Serdang, Ng Weng Chai, who sponsored a total of 800 loaves of bread and offered special prices for other food supplies. He believes that doing our best to help the needy in these difficult times will help maintain peace and stability in society. Employees of a rice wholesaler, OEL Distribution (KL), also contributed a total of 299 bags of 5 kg rice for distribution over the course of six weeks. Cheong Shaw Boon, who initiated the donation said, “My colleagues responded enthusiastically. Everyone was willing to play a part.” Vigilance, a responsibility While braving themselves to be at the frontline to distribute aid and alleviate suffering, the volunteers were vigilant about safety, where only those who had received at least their first vaccine dose were mobilized for the mission. The list of volunteers involved was also submitted to the police station for permit application, and the police were invited to observe the event. Also, to avoid crowds, beneficiaries were given time slots to collect the food parcels. On the day of the distribution, the volunteers ensured that SOPs were strictly observed, i.e., social distancing, wearing of masks, face shields and gloves by volunteers, while the beneficiaries were required to scan ovid-19 Relief