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

TZU CHI 124 33 returned to the village to distribute food supplies to 23 families. Each household received three 10 kg sacks of rice, a 5 kg bottle of cooking oil, two 1 kg packs of sugar, two 300 ml bottles of soy sauce, a 2 kg pack of chocolate beverage powder and two 550 g packs of instant oats. Ruhill Minah binti Taji, a Semporna native who has lived in Kampung Ketam for more than a decade, has eight children and collects scraps for a living. Her husband gathers shells from the swamps to be traded for an average monthly income of RM200 to RM300. The family scavenges for their food and clothes from the landfill. Despite living on garbage scraps, Ruhill affirmed, “I’m happy living here as I have my children by my side, rather than begging on the streets. Here, I’m able to find nice clothes for my children and even precious kitchen scraps, fruits and vegetables. We consume them after washing them clean.” Ruhill lost her source of income when the recycling vendor stopped coming lately, compelling her to forage for discarded fruits and vegetables from the wet market. Sometimes, she gathers leftover food or rice left by the road for birds and takes them home to clean and feed to her family. “I’m thankful that my children have never fallen ill from the food. God bless us,” she remarked. Ruhill also expressed her gratitude to Tzu Chi for providing material relief to ease the family’s burden and hoped for the organization to continue helpingmore impoverished families. Another villager, Kinidi bin Sabtu Ramli, works at a plantation, plucking oil palm fruits to sustain himself. He had been living in penury after his employment was suspended since three months ago. “When push comes to shove, I’d rent a boat from a friend for RM20 to fish. If I’m lucky, I’d be able to sell 1 kg of fish for RM10 and buy some rice to make porridge at home,” confided Kinidi, who thanked the volunteers profusely. Ruhill Minah binti Taji, a mother of eight, is grateful to be able to earn an independent living by collecting scraps instead of begging on the streets. [Photograph by Sim Ping Ping] Rural Communities Never Forsaken