The world of Tzu Chi February 2020 (Vol.119)

TZU CHI 119 15 of delving deeper into the settlement’s background were cast to the back of her mind as she was occupied with work commitments. In 2007, numerous buildings in the settlement were earmarked for demolition to make way for the construction of Universiti Teknologi MARA’s medical faculty and student hostel blocks. Ean Nee, who was then a lecturer at New Era College, returned to capture the stories of the ageing residents and attempted to halt the demolition plan, but all efforts to salvage the buildings eventually proved futile. Ean Nee befriended many of the settlement residents during the two years spent working with them on the documentation project. Some of the residents, whose children had been separated from them soon after birth, voiced their yearning to be reunited with their long-lost offspring. In 2009, Ean Nee started documenting the stories of the residents in a more systematic and organized format through video clips, a documentary and several publications, in addition to co- authoring a book that chronicles the residents’ quest to search for their next of kin, entitled The Way Home . “Throughout the project, I had been pondering the implications of the segregation policy on the residents. How do we relieve their trauma? This is where social workers come in. I started helping the residents settle bureaucratic procedures and track down their next of kin,” Ean Nee affirmed. Preserving history As a newscaster-turned-social worker, Ean Nee now devotes her time to the settlement’s cause, advocating for the preservation of its historical value and related historical artefacts. She founded Care & Share Circle, a volunteer- driven collective that works to preserve the legacy of the settlement. She has also been leveraging her keen eye for stories and the journalistic skills honed from her career in the media industry to amplify the residents’ voices and make their stories heard. “The residents are not helpless victims. They are capable of contributing to the community in their own way. Therefore, our focus is gradually transitioning from recording personal histories and reuniting residents with their families to preserving the collective memories of the settlement community,” she explained of her documentation project. Ean Nee mooted the idea of the Valley of Hope Story Gallery, a project aimed at restoring the dignity of the residents and raising awareness on their right to be treated with respect as human beings. She also attempts to bridge the gap between the residents and the outside world by organizing outings to the beach, concerts and artistic performances, enabling them to gain exposure to social life beyond the confines of the settlement. Furthermore, she conducted recreational activities, such as art lessons, for the residents to partake in, encouraging them to spend their time more productively instead of idling their days away watching television or picking fights over trivial matters. “Rebuilding the residents’ self-esteem and dignity is a continuous work-in-progress. In fact, we’re rewriting the history of leprosy institutions in Malaysia. The settlement is no longer perceived as a place shrouded in doom and gloom, but a paradise for former patients to seek refuge in,” she offered. Love Lives On in the Valley of Hope