The world of Tzu Chi March 2021 (Vol.132)

TZU CHI 132 33 Rising Above Poverty Opening the door to happiness R ecollecting their visit on July 1, 2018 to the home of a former Tzu Chi care recipient, Muhammad Alim bin Abdullah (Lim), this was what the volunteers described: “The moment we entered his house, we were greeted by a sour odour. Under the sofa and the table was food that had gone stale with maggots all over…” Two years later, on July 26, 2020, the volunteers paid their regular visit. The family’s living conditions had improved and Mrs. Lim happily chatted with them. It was hard to relate Mrs. Lim to a mother with post-partum depression, who once locked her young daughter, Shely Lim (main picture, middle) in the room, cut and threw the curtains out of the house, and left soft drinks and plates of food below the table and chair for prayers instead of Report and photograph by Yong Siew Lee Translated by Yew Siew Yong Shely Lim, an introvert, used to have low self-esteem due to her family background. When she participated in the voluntary service as a beneficiary of Tzu Chi study grant, she opened her heart to happiness and transformed into someone devoted to helping others.