Semi-Temporary Shelters Cash-for-Work Program (1st day)

Today is the first day of the Semi-temporary Cash-for-work Program. Yu-Ping and I will be the ones in charge of this whole program and it is quite different than anything else that we have done so far. Our local volunteers have come from all over the country and now they vow to help out everyday in their lives! What a great thing! It is very touching this cycle of Great Love.

Tzu Chi's Cash-for-work is a program aiming to help the survivors move on from the tragedy by providing them the means to start anew. It is not about the amount of work done vs. the amount of money given, it is more about creating positive affinities and gathering love and kindness. At the time of the disaster, the cash-for-work program is precisely the kind of assistance that victims require. Tzu Chi simply provides the catalyst to prompt volunteerism, and then encourages the disaster victims themselves to rebuild their own communities. It is this type of support that changes mind-sets and prompts people to stop feeling sorry for themselves and to start looking for solutions to their problems. This program gives disaster survivors the opportunity to rebuild their homes and rediscover hope through their own strength. Tzu Chi volunteers have brought support and blessings from all around the world to help Nepal disaster survivors rebuild. The Cash-for-Work program is carried out with a spirit of gratitude, respect and love. When handing cash to participants, they do so directly with a 90 degree bow that lets the recipients experience the warmth of true caring. This unique humanistic touch in turn has moved and inspired many locals to keep their heads up and stand strong for the future.

Venerable Master Matteyyva sharing the reasons why we are all here today: to help in build 7 semi-temporary shelters for the 60+ nuns from Bigu, Dolakha. 

Yu-Ping conducting the Cash-for-Work orientation session! Sharing with the local participants the meaning behind the program = spreading the seeds of great love and sowing more blessings. 

Watching Master's Teachings before the construction work start! The video is in Mandarin with English Subtitles. After watching the video, we have two volunteer to do the translation work for the people that do not understand these two languages. So one volunteer translates from Mandarin to Tibetan, and the other volunteer translates from Tibetan to Nepali. This way, all the participants can understand the teachings of Master Cheng Yen. All the participants listened very carefully throughout the teachings and we invited all the construction workers, as well. It was really a time to calm our hearts and just absorb wisdom and knowledge. What a great way to start off the day!

Putting the Tzu Chi logo stickers on the construction hard hats. 

Everything is treated with gratitude, respect and love in Tzu Chi!

Work has officially started! The construction workers are explaining every single detail about the construction project! So grateful to have them to show us how to do everything and being so patient with our learning curves!

Team work at its finest!

The nice family that provides us lunch. Three brothers whom have own the restaurant for 10 years now.  * Lauman (32)  * Maohav (28) - Nepalese Army Police  * Suresh (26) and their two children. They are so kind hearted and when they heard that we were an international foundation that was doing relief work in Nepal, they gave us a giant discount for the food. They said that they were so grateful that foreigners all the way from Taiwan came to Nepal to help them, so they need to help their own people, as well. So once again, the cycle of great love and giving is being shown over and over again! Nepal really is a blessed place! Embedded in the culture are the notions of unconditional love and giving without asking anything in return. People are really naturally rooted with compassion and pure kindness. We have much to learn from their way of life! 

They even helped us carry our food to the construction ground. It really is true that positive energy is contagious and like-minded people attract one another! We are so happy that we get to eat food that is made with love everyday! So blessed! 

The participants were very good about being orderly and everyone quickly helped out in each task that was needed to be completed. Everyone received one set of reusable eating ware, which includes: bowl, cup, utensils, and a personal eating ware bag that holds everything together. This is part of the recycling education in Tzu Chi and it also links to good hygiene practice, because everyone has their own reusable items and will not cross share with anyone else. 

Drishika Dugar – 16 year old daughter of Kumode Dugar. She has attended one of our earlier relief distributions and was really impressed at how thoughtful Tzu Chi is with everything. She loved being a part of the Tzu Chi family, so she was eager to volunteer some more when she heard we were doing shelter projects. As a child, Drishika’s grandmother (Kumode Dugar’s Mother) would always bring her to do charity work. Especially on her birthdays, they would go to the homeless shelter to help with their hot meal programs. Her grandmother would always guide Drishika’s hands to serve directly for the homeless people. When she was 9 years old, she said that all of a sudden she had an epiphany, where she realized that instead of having a party, she could donate her party money to those who are in need. So she decided to use her party money to buy school supplies for a near-by orphanage. Since then, she has not had a birthday party, but has continued to give school supplies to both orphanages and schools all over Nepal. She has a huge heart and loves to be able to help. She is still studying at the moment, but whenever she has time, she would always make the effort to join in any kind of volunteer work. She says that she is very grateful for everything Tzu Chi has done for Nepal and she is proud to be able to call herself a Tzu Chi volunteer.

Eating time! Dal, Bhat, Tarkari (Traditional Nepali Food) Yummy!

One of our team leaders demonstrating to all the participants on how to properly hold the reusable bowl. In Tzu Chi, we learn about eating etiquette and how to properly conduct ourselves during meal times. This is also a type of spiritual cultivation!

Thanks to this Aji (grandmother), we can have a clean bathroom to use everyday at the Cash-for-Work program site. Isn't she just the cutest thing ever??? 

Being able to work together with all of you is one of the greatest blessings ever! I am so grateful for each and everyone of you! Every one of you has your own life story to tell and each and every detail is what makes life worth living for! I am so proud of you all! Keep up the great work! What you guys do everyday is making a huge difference for those who are in need! 

On behalf of humanity, I thank you!