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

2020 • 07 30 pecial Feature Due to its remote location, the existence of a nameless village in the town of Penampangwas unknown to outsiders, until Tzu Chi Kota Kinabalu received a report regarding the villagers’ dire predicament. Help arrives at nameless village Reported by Chuang Ching Chih Photographs by Liew Zing Yi I n a nameless village not far away from the Sabahan capital of Kota Kinabalu, about 80 to 90 Muslim households from the Philippines were in need of assistance. Despite being born in Malaysia, the villagers are considered stateless owing to the lack of identification documents, leaving them with no other employment option than casual labour to earn a daily wage. Following the prolonged MCO, lasting 56 days from March 18 onwards, the villagers struggled to make ends meet. On May 19, 2020, a team of 25 volunteers gathered at SJK (C) Yue Min, Penampang and braved rugged terrain over a seven-minute trek to