The world of Tzu Chi March-April 2022 (Vol.140)

TZU CHI 140 07 a monthly income range of RM4,850 and RM10,959, had slipped into the bottom 40 per cent (B40) category due to the health and economic crises caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. This translated to 20 per cent of M40 households, raising the absolute poverty rate from 5.6 per cent in 2019 to 8.4 per cent in 2020. Feeling for the plight of families financially hampered by the pandemic, Tzu Chi launched the K1K 2.0 in November 2021 to extend short-term financial aid to them. By lending a hand to needy families, they hope to spread ripples of love and kindness in the community. A concerted effort to reach out to the needy Besides visiting the applicants’ families in person to understand their backgrounds and employment situations, the volunteers also visited schools in Klang Valley to introduce the K1K 2.0 to the headmasters and teachers, so that more needy families could receive help through the schools’ recommendations. Last December, when the volunteers were racing against time to conduct home visits to more than 3,000 applicant families, an unexpected massive flood hit several areas in Klang Valley and disrupted their plans. However, this did not dampen their spirits; instead, they persevered on, supporting each other in accomplishing their missions. In their preliminary visits to the applicants of diverse racial and religious backgrounds, the volunteers, dressed in their distinctive white pants and blue tops, would politely introduce themselves before verifying the applicants’ details and finding out more about the challenges they faced and how they sustained their livelihoods during the pandemic. For those who had not heard about Tzu Chi, the volunteers seized the opportunity to introduce them to the organization’s missions, which are committed to illuminating the world with selfless love and compassion. From January to March 2022, a monthly provision of between RM300 and RM500 was handed out to each of the 2,012 beneficiary families (9,650 individuals). Additionally, every primary and secondary school student in these families also received a subsidy of RM150 for the new school year. Kita1Keluarga 2.0 Relief Programme