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

2021 • 01 18 eature Aged volunteer contributes her best with SOP in mind It was a race to offer timely aid as volunteers had to conduct home visits to more than 4,000 applicants within two weeks. Having enough manpower became a challenge. Nonetheless, spurred by great determination, Tzu Chi KL & Selangor mobilized its manpower whose efforts were equivalent to a total of 10,769 volunteers, and accomplished the mission by early August 2020. The accumulated 21,538 volunteer hours translated to over RM125,000 in monetary values. A s the Covid-19 pandemic afflicts the world, social distancing becomes a norm. How did volunteers ensure safety measures were observed during home visits? To this end, Tzu Chi International Medical Association (TIMA) was entrusted to draw up a comprehensive SOP, which was then clearly communicated to all participating volunteers before they were allowed out on duties. For 71-year-old volunteer Goh Kim Lan, her family members were against her participation in the programme, as her age put her in the at-risk group. However, she was able to convince her husband, reasoning that during the height of the pandemic, others had continued to bravely contribute without being harmed. Hence, she should be able to do the same as the situation had eased slightly. She promised that she would strictly follow the SOP to protect herself. In the end, her earnestness won the trust. He even agreed to take her to the police station to apply for a permit for her to be on duty. Kim Lan initially thought she would just be accompanying fellow volunteers in the visits, as she was less conversant in Malay. However, the other volunteers encouraged her to brave the language barrier, promising her that they would stand by her. As such, she overcame her worries and assumed the duty as a team leader. Kim Lan runs a kindergarten and as a Tzu Chi Great Love Mother, she is experienced in storytelling. She smiled and said she had no problem sharing topics on environmental protection, vegetarianism and Tzu Chi’s Bamboo Bank Era. But to do so in Malay was a challenge. “I made notes, so I could refer to them when the need arises.” Kim Lan was assigned to visit two Indian, a Malay and a Chinese families. She felt sad when facing these families who were struggling to make ends meet. She, herself, grew up in a humble family too, where her single parent mother struggled to raise her and her siblings. “No matter the problems, we need to face them squarely. Trying to get away never works, just like in the current pandemic, we need to brave it,” she said. Kim Lan cherished this opportunity. She felt great when she was able to give their lives a push forward and help in reducing poverty-related social problems. With the ongoing pandemic, she witnessed how people, regardless of race, had been adversely affected. Poverty is not confined to a single race as is stereotypically portrayed. If Kim Lan, a septuagenarian volunteer, could overcome obstacles and bravely volunteered to help, others should be able to do likewise. Translated by Goh Hwe Yong