The world of Tzu Chi May 2020 (Vol.122)

Shelter for the homeless Entrepreneurs give back to society The Penang state government and Social Welfare Department have arranged for the homeless roaming the streets to be housed in the Caring Society Complex in an effort to curb the spread of Covid-19. Besides preparing toiletries, clothes and multipurpose foldable beds for the homeless seeking shelter in the halfway house, Tzu Chi volunteers patiently guided the boarders in personal hygiene practices and encouraged them to make themselves at home in their new lodgings. The volunteers were pleased to notice that a few days after moving in, several of the boarders took the initiative to clean their surroundings. The volunteers enlisted the services of a barber, who trimmed the boarders’ hair and beards. Some of the boarders were moved to tears upon seeing their freshly-groomed appearances, which left them feeling as though their dignity had been restored. As of April 23, 2020, Tzu Chi Muar volunteers have distributed a total of 513 provisions of relief supplies and monetary assistance to beneficiaries from various communities, including members of the public, Tzu Chi care recipients and foreign labourers, besides delivering 100 packs of provisions to the Muar Social Welfare Department. The entrepreneurs’ group based in Malacca rose to the occasion by manufacturing 20,000 pieces of protective clothing, hood covers and boot covers and donating them to the Malacca General Hospital. This effort was initiated by Molly Wong, the executive director of Fook Huat Plastic Industries, who is a regular Tzu Chi donor and a relative of a Tzu Chi commissioner, the late Tan Peng Hong. She rallied two Malacca-based businesses to sponsor the sewing and processing of the water-resistant layer of protective gear, in response to the Ministry of Health’s call for the local plastic industry to produce 500,000 sets of protective clothing, hood covers and boot covers. TZU CHI 122 13 Marching Forward Hand in Hand