The World Of Tzu Chi(Vol.128)

2020 • 11 38 ocal News Distributing food to alleviate their burdens Due to poor economic situations, the demand for seafood has dropped and this greatly affected the incomes of the indigenous people. As this compounded their already difficult lives, volunteers also rendered short-term relief to help them get through the tough times. Living in a remote area with poor mode of transportation, it is not easy for the residents to get fresh supplies of fruits and vegetables. Hence, the indigenous people mainly consume seafood as their staple food. In order to include some fresh fruits and vegetables in their diet, volunteer Yeo Yoke Lin made the purchase along with rice and other food supplies. In the afternoon of October 11, together with ten other volunteers, they revisited to distribute the food supplies. The indigenous people were pleased to receive them and thanked the volunteers profusely. Tee bte Achai, a 58-year-old grandmother, has been living by Sungai Beban for 36 years. Together with her husband, they relied on the sea to raise their nine children. She was grateful for the food supplies which formed part of their daily necessities. Nooraoni, a tanned-looking lady with a defined facial contour, is Tee’s daughter-in-law. She has six school-going children. Her husband is a fisherman, who also hunts occasionally for some extra income for the family. “Thank you for your help. Sometimes we really don’t have anything to eat. Life has been very difficult.” These food supplies came in time to lighten their household burden. Learning to recycle for a cleaner environment The indigenous people live by the sea. Each time as the tide recedes, it brings rubbish from the sea to shore, accumulates along the coastline thereby polluting their living environment. While there to distribute the food supplies, the volunteers took the opportunity to share about recycling as a protection to their environment, keeping it clean and free from pollutants. With a poster on the branch of a mango tree, volunteers gathered the indigenous people. “By recycling 50 kg of papers, we can save a 20-year-old big tree. By recycling an aluminum beverage can, we can conserve enough energy to run a television for three hours...” Volunteer Heng Kwe Lang shared about littering and its threat to the environment and marine life. Throwing rubbish into the sea only pollutes the ocean further. She urged them not to litter, but instead to collect recyclable items which can later be sold to supplement their income or if they wish can be donated to Tzu Chi to help others in need. Everyone present was listening intently, eager to learn more. The volunteers then led Tee, her two daughters-in-law and more than a dozen grandchildren into a recycling activity. They picked up rubbish in their surroundings, sorted the rubbish collected and cleaned the recyclables. With the environmental awareness created and knowledge imparted, it is hoped that they can work together for a cleaner home and environment.