3000 Benefit from Winter Relief

Photo By: Joanne Lan

At the Southern Hemisphere, this time of the year marks the start of Winter. Tzu Chi Volunteers held a winter relief distribution at the capital city of Pretoria. After 5 days of preparation, the volunteers visited the informal settlement of Mooiplaas and identified 3000 households who do not have basic supplies such as water and electricity, not to mention their empty dinner tables. 

- Translated by: Po-Chuan You

During the event, Members of Parliament, social workers as well as representatives from Taipei Liason Office all joined Tzu Chi for a volunteer experience, assisting to hand-deliver the goods to the needy. A total of 130 volunteers were involved on the day of the relief distribution, both Chinese and local. Our video crew were even required to scale the rooftop of containers in order to get a full bird-eye view of the scene. 

Photo By: Joanne Lan

Volunteers assisted the recipients according to the coupons they had received during the home care visits by the during the course of the year. At the same time, the volunteers handed out sweets and biscuits to the restless children. To further lighten the mood, they also gave a Tzu Chi sign-language performance and asked the crowd to join hands and, together, wish for a better world.

"We really hope we can help more people through this cold winter by keeping them warm." - a volunteers expressed on the scene.

Members of Parliament, social workers as well as representatives from Taipei Liason Office have all supported the actions of Tzu Chi by personally participating the relief efforts.

"For the past 6 months, lots of the residents don't have rice to cook a meal. That is why some of them have walked kilometers to come and receive the rice today. These goods really allowed them to have hope." - says Lebosa, government social worker.

Photo By: Joanne Lan

Photo By: Joanne Lan

All 3000 recipients received 2  bags of rice (10kg each) from Taiwan, along with scarves and socks in the hope of providing them with a warm winter.

At the entrance, volunteers were also handing out registration forms for Tzu Chi's bamboo piggybank, inviting everyone to become a Tzu Chi volunteer in order to help more people.

From atop the rooftop of the containers holding the rice, our volunteer video crew could see a variety of colour amongst the crowd, a blessing of the mixture of the Rainbow Nation. The event carried on from noon till sunset; the beautiful sun shining upon the rice as well as every participant's compassionate hearts.

Post by 大愛全球新聞.