The Tzu Chi Foundation has been operating in Sri Lanka for almost 3 years now. Under the tireless effort of the personnel who stayed behind after the devastating tsunami of 2004, and Brother David Liu (CEO of Tzu Chi Singapore and Tzu Chi Malacca), Tzu Chi has finally been approved as a registered charitable organization in the country on August 16, 2007.

Sister Goh Eng Eng and charity workers on home visit to understand the living condition of the care recipients.

The Singapore volunteers joined the charity workers in visiting the poor living in remote villages of Hambatota.

Sister Wong Ah Lan from Tzu Chi Malacca has been stationing in Sri Lanka since year 2006. Her motherly love for the local people has earned her respect from many.

It’s been more than a year since their last visit to Sri Lanka. The last time Sister Goh Eng Eng and Sister Lim Chwee Lian had been to this island nation was April last year to celebrate the Handover Ceremony of the Great Love Houses for the locals.

The two home visit volunteers made a return visit on September 10 to begin a 10-day home visit trip in Hambantota, a district about 220 kilometers south of Sri Lanka’s capital Colombo.

After three and a half hours flight from Singapore, they arrived at Colombo Airport, heavily guarded by sentries following the aerial attack initiated by the country’s separatist rebels, bombing a military base by the international airport few months back. Life seems to have returned to normal now. But a tense atmosphere hung in the air even people went about their daily activities.

It’s been nearly three years after the Indian Ocean tsunami swept across the shores of 12 countries. The Hambantota district in the southern coast of Sri Lanka is one of the areas worst hit by the tsunami waters. But recovery had proved to be slow for this fishing and salt harvesting township. The damage to buildings is still visible with dilapidated mosques and buildings covered with overgrown weeds. However, the beaches where fishing boats gather and the town bazaar remain crowded and busy. The people have resettled and are carrying on with their livelihood.

With more than a hundred families given aid, medical care, emergency relief, education and transport allowances, Tzu Chi Hambantota has become a ray of hope to the poor and suffering people in the last three years. Presently, the office is caring and following up with a total of 73 home-care cases, all of which were taken care by Sister Wong Ah Lan (social worker of Tzu Chi Malacca branch), leading 5 other local charity workers. With the presence of Sister Wong passing on her work experience to them, seeds of love are growing in Sri Lanka.

Marking a milestone

Volunteers and rear personnel from Taiwan, Malaysia and Singapore have retreated to their home country for almost 3 months now given the unstable political situation in Sri Lanka. Assistance for the needy, however, has never been halted and is still being carried out by the local workers.

Three years after its operation, the Tzu Chi Foundation was finally registered as a charitable organization locally on August 16, 2007. This was made possible through the combined efforts of those who stayed back, and the support from Brother David Liu, CEO of Tzu Chi Singapore and Malacca.

“It’s indeed good news that the hard work Tzu Chi devoted on this wounded land is being recognized.” said Brother Liu while breaking the news to everyone. But he quickly confessed that he was “thrilled for only an hour”, because the registration signifies also that “there’re a lot more work to do in the future”.  Lack of manpower, language barrier and the backwardness of the society are just part of the reasons how arduous the task will be, and one that is certainly much challenging than in Singapore and Malaysia.

Nonetheless, the responsibilities to propel Tzu Chi missions in the country still lie on the local member themselves. It is thus vital to erect an effective organizational structure and to pass on Tzu Chi values to its existing members. In view of this, Brother Liu hopes to recruit suitable candidates to be stationed at the office on a long-term basis. Now that Sister Wong Ah Lan has volunteered to stay back, he hopes more volunteers from Singapore and Malaysia will come forth to assist.

Loving mother of Sri Lanka

Sister Wong Ah Lan first came to Hambantota together with a batch of volunteers in March 2005, three months after the tsunami. The sufferings and simple-mindedness of the people moved her deeply and she vowed to do something for them. When Tzu Chi set up an office in Hambantota in 2006, she volunteered to be stationed there to lead the charity mission.

For the past one year, she and the local workers have been visiting big and small towns and even far-reaching villages tending to cases, deliver aid and shower the great love of Tzu Chi people to the impoverished locals and land. She even vows to devote the rest of her lifetime to the people of Hambantota.

She takes care of the colleagues, who’re mostly young, with the love of a mother. Under her lead, the charity workers have made obvious progress. She is addressed as 'Mama' by everyone and is well-respected by the care recipients.

Embrace the suffering beings

Hambantota covers an area of 2593 square kilometers and has a population of 520,000, of which 96% live in the rural areas; and 240,000 are unemployed. The living standard is generally low and some houses are shabbily built with no toilet facilities, power supply and water.

Due to lack of transportation, it is difficult for the sick living in desolated places to seek medical help, or even for children to attend school. It is said that “Poverty leads to sickness and sickness leads to poverty”. Sad it may be, but it’s a vicious cycle that seems to go on forever for the people in Hambantota. Fortunately, with Tzu Chi's help over the years, quite a number of people have been provided with food and medical care.

“Embrace the suffering beings” has always been the aspiration of Master Cheng Yen and one that is being carried out by her disciples around the world. “Coming to Hambantota to help the needy is simply one of my greatest blessings.” muses Sister Goh Eng Eng.