The world of Tzu Chi July 2020 (Vol.124)

N early 30 percent of Sabah’s population are non-citizens, with many of them comprising stateless individuals who claim to be Sabahans, but are in fact descendants of stateless immigrants who have laid down roots in the East Malaysian state. Despite being born and bred in Sabah, these stateless individuals are deprived of an education and healthcare benefits due to the lack of identification documents. The children are ineligible for school and are trapped in a cycle of poverty. Tzu Chi’s presence in Sabah is spread across offices in Kota Kinabalu, Sandakan, Tawau, Keningau and Tenom. Since early April, local volunteers had been receiving requests from members of the public to provide assistance to migrant workers and stateless persons burdened by dire circumstances due to MCO restrictions. In mid-April, Sabah-based Tzu Chi volunteers overcame logistical challenges and travelled to remote rural villages to find villagers living in precarious conditions – in derelict shelters with children surviving on sugared syrup and depleted food reserves. The concerned volunteers initiated efforts to distribute emergency supplies to the impoverished villagers, benefitting a total of 5,771 households as of June 21, 2020. The villagers were grateful for the assistance, estimating that the supplies would last them for at least one to two months. The volunteers also provided roundworm medication to 167 local children below the age of 12, most of whom were raised in an unconducive environment with limited access to sanitation and had never sought medical attention before. TZU CHI 124 29 Rural Communities Never Forsaken