The world of Tzu Chi Apr-Jun 2023 (Vol.146)

TZU CHI 146 23 dire need. Their charitable act deeply moved Grandma Maimun and it dawned on her that there is more than one way to be philanthropic besides making monetary donations. There is a green patch beside the retired couple’s corner terraced house. Every morning while dewdrops still linger, local residents can already be seen passing by, going on their morning walks and exercises. One morning, Grandma Maimun met volunteer Kng Bee Lan, who complimented on how lush the butterfly pea flower plants were cultivated by Maimun. Bee Lan asked if she could take some home for her mother to dry and also share with others, and there began the exchange between them. The curious Grandma asked, “What are all these plastic bottles hanging off your hand.” Bee Lan replied, “I collect these items for Tzu Chi, an NGO, to sell to recycling plants. The proceeds will go towards helping the needy.” This reply coincided with the TV programme Grandma Maimun had seen. The elderly couple was so enthused that they started collecting recyclables at home and during their daily walks. They would rinse, crush, sort, and pack the items into different bags before requesting Bee Lan to take them to Tzu Chi. ‘The more you do, the more you can do’ The more they did, the merrier they got; the frequency of transporting the recyclables became higher and higher. This put Bee Lan under a little stress as she had only a small car and her day job made it challenging for her to make the trip so often. Before she could find a solution, help came unexpectedly. Volunteer Tai Man and her daughter-in-law often passed by Grandma Maimun’s house during their daily morning exercises, and they always enjoyed conversations with the elderly lady. When Tai Man heard about the Grandma’s new cause and the transportation issue, she offered to help, since she herself was attending the recycling centre at Taman Asean every Wednesday. This offer boosted the couple’s confidence and intensified their efforts to promote recycling. Inspired by Grandpa Amin, Ahmad Zaki started scouring the main refuse dumping bins to collect recyclable items before heading to the mosque for early morning prayers. Once the collection accumulated to a certain amount, he would ask Grandpa Amin to pick them up. Even at the mosque, worshipers have now joined in the effort by bringing their recyclables for Grandpa Amin to collect. On March 6, 2023, Tai Man and her daughter-in-law paid a visit to the elderly couple.GrandpaAminwas sittingandflattening mineral water bottles, while Grandma Maimun was packing them tightly into bags. Tai Man reminisced about the bags of crushed tin cans they once collected from this hardworking couple. Grandma Maimun chimed in, sharing that one time, Grandpa Amin had overexerted himself and ended up with pains in the arms which he was still recovering from. The enthusiastic and dedicated Grandpa Amin has high blood pressure, high blood glucose, and high cholesterol, and his heart function is also slightly compromised. However, he is always heard saying, “We all must help each other; no matter what race or religion we are, we need to care for others. After we sell these items, the money generated goes to help many poor people. Recycling is something that anyone can do. Let’s do it!”