Mandela Day in Cape Town

Photo by: Casey I-Yun Huang

"A fundamental concern for others in our individual and community lives would go a long way in making the world the better place we so passionately dreamt of" - Nelson Mandela

In the true spirit of giving, and in celebration of our beloved Tata Madiba, many South Africans did something charitable for at least 67 minutes on 19 July. 

- by Hanna Yen - 

- View original post at: Not Without Zest

Photo by: Casey I-Yun Huang

As an excitable and passionate person who's always preached about changing the world, I have always believed in the importance of giving. The best things in life cannot be enjoyed alone - and somehow your happiness seems to multiply the more you halve what you have and share it. What sets humans apart from primitive animals is our intelligence and emotions. We are all born with an innate ability to care for one another. Giving to the community, sharing, and spreading love, health and prosperity to all are all things that should be practiced as often as possible. 

I have been involved in a few philanthropic organisations over the years, such as SHAWCO and Habitat for Humanity, but the one I always find myself being drawn back to is Tzu Chi Foundation. This non-profit organisation strikes a personal tone with me as it was founded in Taiwan, home to the roots of my ancestry. In addition, my mother has also heavily invested in Tzu Chi for many decades, which further prompted me to commit to the cause that has inspired so much change in her life. 

Photo by: Casey I-Yun Huang

Tzu Chi Foundation has many volunteers in all the major cities of South Africa. They  do township visits, distributions of food and other necessities, or classes every weekend. This past weekend, 14 bright, eager Tzu Chi Cape Town's youth volunteers went to the Blue Downs township to complete the largest distribution Tzu Chi Cape Town has ever done; giving 930 Blue Downs inhabitants 20kg of rice and two blankets each. This was a 7 hour process, but the time whizzed by in a frenzy as we all scurried around carrying bags of rice and blankets, maintaining order in the queues, hugging and kissing the people of Blue Downs of all ages...Before we knew it, it was over, and our hearts were fuller. It's always important to try and make a difference in the world, and better another human's life however small the difference is. Planting a seed today could mean sowing a bountiful harvest in the future. Let's start a revolution of giving so that we may pass a better world to future generations

Photo by: Casey I-Yun Huang

Photo by: Casey I-Yun Huang

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