The world of Tzu Chi January 2021 (Vol.130)

TZU CHI 130 17 faded, volunteer Ho Chan Won noted that it was well kept. Evidently, the family cherished the blanket. The first encounter Chan Won clearly remembers the fire that broke out in a Malay village that destroyed five houses, including Rizal’s, in July 2016. At that time, volunteers promptly visited and assessed the damages and distributed monetary aid, eco- blankets and other essentials to the affected villagers. Unbeknownst to them, Rizal’s life took a drastic turn two years ago—He became completely blind in one eye due to diabetes. Now, his other eye has only 50% vision. His deteriorating health and blurred vision forced him to quit working as a restaurant cook. In January 2020, during his follow-up visit to the hospital, the doctor confirmed he would need dialysis anytime soon. Rizal has three daughters, aged 4 to 11. After he fell sick, Ezrin, who has been working as a clerk in a construction company for more than 20 years, became the sole breadwinner. Her salary was barely enough to cover the family’s expenses. However, she was forced to stop work for two months during the MCO, and when she returned to work, she faced a 40% pay cut, which will last until February 2021. Instead of complaining about the hardship, Ezrin actively looked for a way out. Besides her day job, she wakes up at 5 a.m. daily to make Malay pastries to sell to nearby vendors. Rizal would help her fry murukku (a type of Indian snack) to sell to their friends and neighbours. Although they could not earn much from these jobs, they did not give up. Even a little extra income could help them pay for their youngest daughter’s milk powder. Glad to have done a good deed Ezrin shared, “Fortunately, a friend told me about the Tzu Chi’s ‘Kita1Keluarga’ relief programme, which was open to Malaysians. Hence, I tried to apply and see if I could get help from Tzu Chi again.” The couple felt the warmth in receiving the cash card from Tzu Chi, which entitled them to three months of financial assistance. When Chan Won showed them a video about the stateless people in Sabah, Rizal tried to open his eyes to view more clearly. What he saw was an elderly couple living in a shabby stilt house in the middle of the sea, people searching for food in a mountain of garbage, and a family who could not afford to buy milk powder feeding the children with syrup... “I thought our life is hard. I didn’t expect that there are people who suffer more than us,” Rizal uttered. He had been worried about his dialysis treatment for fear of burdening his wife, and worse still, it would be done long-term. But after seeing the plight of the destitute in Sabah, he suddenly realized that perhaps he was much luckier as he had a home, a family, food and freedom of movement. Chan Won then advised him to go for a detailed examination as soon as possible, and to apply for subsidy from SOCSO if dialysis was needed. In November 2020, Rizal received the last handout from Tzu Chi. The couple appreciated the financial relief, but more so the motivation and support. Chan Won, on the other hand, was touched by their diligence. He said he will continue to care for this family, and the volunteers are ready to help whenever they are needed. Kita 1 Keluarga, We Are One Family