The world of Tzu Chi April 2020 (Vol.121)

2020 • 04 34 ocal News Translated by Translating Team B eginning late January 2020, teachers from Da Ai Kindergarten Kepong have been imparting Covid-19 preventive measures to the students, besides explaining to them the origins of the novel coronavirus through storytelling sessions. “Human beings contracted the virus from consuming bats and other exotic meats, so we have to learn to respect the lives of all sentient beings,” elaborated one of the teachers, Goh Tee Boon, who also inculcated among the kindergarteners the significance of adopting a vegetarian diet in protecting lives and preventing viral infections between animals and humans. Furthermore, the young ones took heed of the principle of “respect for all life” endorsed by Master Cheng Yen and resolved to commit to vegetarianism. One of the kindergarteners even proposed the idea of producing picture books and informative cards to promote the benefits of a vegetarian diet. The teachers led their students to the Jing-Si Books & Café outlet opposite the kindergarten to spread the message on vegetarianism, with the hope of encouraging the wider public to embrace a vegetarian lifestyle. Teachers and students of the kindergarten have committed to a vegetarian diet, besides initiating an awareness campaign, which ran throughout February and March, to appeal to parents to join their children in observing vegetarianism as a means of protecting the lives of animals and preventing future viral epidemics triggered by animal sources. Wong Si Ying from the six-year-old class remarked, “My father used to consume meat but no longer does so, because I’ve informed him that animals might carry viruses. He has promised me to go vegetarian.” Meanwhile, Tee Boon highlighted the importance of instilling in children proper lifestyle habits from young and guiding them in incorporating these habits in daily life, which will motivate them to influence their parents to participate in the vegetarianism movement. KL & Selangor 2020.02 – 03 Reported and photograph by Da Ai Kindergarten Kepong Kindergarteners Spread Message onVegetarianism