第 82 頁 – 慈濟月刊｜美善故事的心靈故鄉

Transforming the Lives of Young Tibetans With Scoliosis

Compiled by Li Wei-huang
Information provided by Bian Jing
Translated by Siri Su

Tzu Chi collaborates with Yushuzhou Hope Charity to help young Tibetan patients afflicted with scoliosis obtain medical treatment.

Leaving his hometown in Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in Sichuan Province, China, Nima embarked on an 800-kilometer (497-mile) journey to Chengdu, the provincial capital. After getting off the train, he headed straight to 416 Hospital. Although he was 20 years old, he stood only 145 centimeters (4’9’’) tall due to severe scoliosis.

Scoliosis is a condition in which a person’s spine has an abnormal curve, sometimes resembling an S shape. It occurs in about three percent of the population, but the cause of scoliosis has been elusive. Surgery is required in extreme cases. After corrective surgery, a metal ring is surgically fastened around both the patient’s head and waist, connected by four supporting rods. Traction applied through the head ring gradually reduces the spinal curvature, allowing patients to stand taller.

Nima underwent three corrective operations, gradually gaining the ability to stand straight within nine months of hospitalization, increasing his height to 165 centimeters (5’5”). Afterward, he was only required to wear orthoses for rehabilitation, which are devices designed to support or modify an injured or malformed part of the body. His greatest relief came in the form of improved breathing: “Breathing is no longer a struggle,” he said.

Nima’s father, Tapo, recalled his child being born with a noticeable spinal curve, which worsened with age. He feared his son might pass away at any moment. But if Tapo was so concerned, why did he wait until Nima was 20 years old to seek treatment?

Challenges hampering medical care

Yushuzhou Hope Charity (YHC), based in Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province, has long been helping young Tibetan patients with scoliosis receive medical care. According to Geding Pengcuo, head of YHC, such patients face challenges in accessing treatment due to their parents’ limited health awareness, inadequate access to related information, and physical distance from advanced medical resources.

Without proper treatment, a patient suffering from scoliosis may develop thoracic deformities, which can compress their nerves or impact the functions of their heart and lungs, potentially leading to respiratory failure. The average life expectancy for untreated patients is 45 years. Early diagnosis and treatment are crucial. Surgery offers the best outcomes, minimizes rehabilitation challenges, and significantly reduces medical expenses.

In Beijing and Chengdu, there are three hospitals that specialize in treating severe scoliosis patients. YHC combines medical and charitable resources, regularly inviting specialized doctors to travel to the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau for scoliosis screenings and arranging medical treatment for patients. Dr. Zhou Lijin (周立金), an orthopedic surgeon at Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, asserted, “Many Tibetans don’t know what scoliosis is or where to find medical treatment. To help them, we must reach out to the remote regions they live in, regardless of the distances.” Amidst their efforts, there have been instances where patients’ families had such limited understanding of the condition that doctors had to make multiple visits before convincing them to seek medical care.

In 2019, through YHC, Tzu Chi volunteers in Chengdu first came into contact with Tibetans afflicted by the condition in neighboring Qinghai Province. The volunteers witnessed firsthand the struggles of these young individuals, who lived at altitudes of 3,000 to 4,000 meters (9,840-13,125 feet). They observed the challenges they faced in accessing medical care due to limited resources, misconceptions, or economic difficulties, and clearly saw how this could profoundly impact their futures. A Tzu Chi care team was thus formed and joined YHC’s Caring for Tibetan Children project to support this group of children and adolescents through their demanding and costly medical journey.

The journey from Chengdu, about 500 meters above sea level, to Yushu Prefecture in Qinghai, with an average elevation of 4,200 meters, presents significant challenges for Tzu Chi volunteers. Every step or ascent requires caution to prevent altitude sickness. Sometimes, even the doctors themselves have to wear oxygen masks during screenings.

After screening, YHC arranges for scoliosis patients in need of surgery to go down the mountains for treatment. Generally, more severe cases of scoliosis require several corrective surgeries, with treatment spanning from six months to one year. The substantial medical expenses, exceeding 31,000 U.S. dollars, are partially covered by the government with additional support from Tzu Chi. Volunteers also assist with the patients’ daily needs during their hospitalization.

Health workers assess the condition of a young Tibetan suffering from scoliosis.

Courtesy of Tzu Chi Hualien headquarters

Care during hospitalization

On August 26, 2019, the first three patients receiving aid from Tzu Chi arrived in Chengdu for treatment, accompanied by their families; among them was Nima. The largest group in the following five years arrived on October 23, 2023: 39 people—consisting of 13 scoliosis patients, their family members, and YHC volunteers—endured a grueling 36-hour train journey from Tibet before reaching Chengdu.

Tzu Chi volunteers’ companionship typically begins with a warm welcome at the train station. Whether they are from western Sichuan, Qinghai, or Tibet, most patients and their families are visiting Chengdu for the first time. Volunteers hope to help them settle in as quickly as possible. They thoughtfully prepare Tibetan tea to accompany meals, assist with hospital admission procedures, and provide toiletries, buckets, and other daily necessities. They also supply suitable clothing according to the season. Due to differences in dietary habits between Tibetans and Han Chinese, the families of most patients choose to co-rent small kitchens to prepare their food. Volunteers ease their burdens by bringing them cooking and dining ware from their own homes.

Volunteer Ji Yahong (紀亞紅) mentioned that while a few school-going children can speak some Mandarin, their parents face language barriers. Such differences in language, culture, and living habits have proven to be significant obstacles in the process of seeking treatment. Since the families require assistance even in communicating with the medical staff, they need all the help they can get.

Tzu Chi volunteers visit patients every Tuesday throughout their extended hospital stays, helping them and their families cope with various challenges. Such visits continued uninterrupted even during the COVID-19 pandemic. When the children are emotionally affected due to pain from treatment, volunteers guide them to cultivate gratitude and actively cooperate with the treatment. Since they may encounter difficulties washing their hair after the head ring is installed, volunteers prepare toothbrushes, sponges, and face cloths and carefully clean their scalps. When parents worry about family members back home and feel down, volunteers listen to and comfort them, or prepare hot soup or dumplings for them to lift their spirits. Most of the young patients are unable to attend school due to their illnesses, so volunteers help them learn Mandarin.

A noticeable number of individuals among the patients are monastics. Geding Pengcuo explained to Tzu Chi volunteers that due to their religious beliefs, many Tibetans believe that serious illnesses are a result of karma from past lives. As a result, children born with congenital diseases or physical disabilities are often sent by their parents to monasteries for ordination, with the belief that doing so can resolve their karmic debts and alleviate their pain and suffering.

Bazang was one such monastic. He didn’t receive medical care until he was 30 years old. As a result, his medical journey was more challenging. Unlike others who left the hospital on foot after treatment, he required a year of rehabilitation after leaving the hospital before regaining mobility. Volunteer Wang Lin (王琳) confessed that it wasn’t until she helped Bazang change into surgical attire that she truly grasped the impact of scoliosis. “I was truly shocked to witness his deformed and twisted spine,” She remarked. “Treatment is absolutely essential for these patients.” Whenever volunteers see children discharged from the hospital after successful treatment, their joy matches that of parents.

Tzu Chi volunteers, in partnership with YHC, have provided support for more than 200 young Tibetans with scoliosis and their families over the past five years. In March of this year, 60 children were simultaneously undergoing treatment at two hospitals, marking the highest number to date. Tzu Chi and YHC also conduct screenings for Tibetan children and adolescents with congenital heart disease and congenital hip dislocation and help those severely in need of treatments receive care at hospitals in Chengdu, Xining, Beijing, and other locations. Wherever these individuals receive treatment, local Tzu Chi volunteers are there to provide support.

So, what’s Nima’s current situation? After recovering, he decided to stay and work in Chengdu. Now, when new patients arrive for treatment, he helps as an interpreter and assists volunteers with hospital admission procedures. Having gone through a similar journey, Nima’s presence offers encouragement to these young patients as they eagerly await their chance to recover.

A volunteer washes a scoliosis patient’s hair at 416 Hospital in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China.

Bian Jing

Compiled by Li Wei-huang
Information provided by Bian Jing
Translated by Siri Su

Tzu Chi collaborates with Yushuzhou Hope Charity to help young Tibetan patients afflicted with scoliosis obtain medical treatment.

Challenges hampering medical care

Health workers assess the condition of a young Tibetan suffering from scoliosis.

Courtesy of Tzu Chi Hualien headquarters

Care during hospitalization

A volunteer washes a scoliosis patient’s hair at 416 Hospital in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China.

Bian Jing

A Volunteer’s Visual Journey With Tzu Chi

Narrated by Chen Rong-feng
Interviewed and written by Lin Mei-hong
Abridged and translated by Wu Hsiao-ting
Photos by Chen Rong-feng

I’ve loved taking photos since my teenage years. After joining Tzu Chi, I kept growing my photography and videography skills, eventually venturing into aerial imagery. My goal is simple—I want to use my skills to capture the beauty and goodness of the world.

—Chen Rong-feng

Photo by Lin Mei-hong

I have been curious about “new” things since childhood, especially when it comes to electronic products and devices. In elementary school, I even dismantled a radio my dad bought to study its inner workings. During high school, I developed a fascination with cameras. I recall waking up one morning at two to capture the school gate, using a B shutter speed for 20 seconds. In the interplay of moonlight and car lights, the majestic school gate showcased the beauty of a dignified academic institution. I submitted the work to an intramural competition and won first place.

Time flew quickly after high school. My eldest son was born in 1991, when I was 28. While on a business trip to Japan, I purchased a mini digital video camera, marking the beginning of my journey into videography. In 2006, I attended a Tzu Chi year-end blessing ceremony for the first time. At the volunteer recruitment area, I enthusiastically noted my expertise in photography and videography on a form. Soon thereafter, I received an invitation to join Tzu Chi as a documenting volunteer. I began training in 2008 to become a certified volunteer.

I always followed my own approach through my years of taking photos, doing things as I liked. When I first joined the foundation, I was uncertain about which aspects of a Tzu Chi event to capture. I vividly recall my dissatisfaction with my work at my first Tzu Chi camp. However, when I submitted the photos I had taken to Jian Hong-zheng (簡宏正), the coordinator for the Image Team, I was pleasantly surprised. Looking at my photos, Brother Jian exclaimed, “Everything I needed is right here!” This affirmation greatly cheered me and set me on my determined journey as a documenting volunteer, motivating me to continuously refine my skills.

In early 2010, I joined fellow Tzu Chi volunteers from Taiwan on a mission to Guizhou Province, China, to distribute aid to the needy. When we arrived at the distribution venue in Pingyan Township, Luodian County, we were greeted by the heartwarming sight of hundreds of villagers and children forming two rows, applauding and warmly welcoming us. The sight moved me deeply. I found myself wondering, “What have I done to deserve such warmth from people I have never met?” I followed the other volunteers without saying a word, afraid that if I spoke, tears of emotion would spill from my eyes.

During home visits, we were welcomed into their households as if we were part of their family. This heartfelt reception stemmed from the love nurtured by my fellow volunteers during their ten years of work in Guizhou. I felt deeply grateful that my role as a documenting volunteer brought me to Guizhou, allowing me to be showered in such warmth while I captured one poignant scene after another through my lens.

The rural homes we visited were typically basic, crude structures that provided minimal shelter from wind and rain. I vividly remember a home visit to the Li family. Mr. Li had suffered a bone fracture, and lacking the financial means for medical treatment, his arm had become deformed. His wife, experiencing back pain, struggled to carry water for the family. The family had no source of income at all. We checked their pot and saw some poor-looking corn porridge inside. When we learned that such meager fare was their main food for three daily meals, I couldn’t contain my emotions. I rushed outside and began crying uncontrollably.

I used to think that crying was embarrassing for a man, but I couldn’t hold back my tears that day. They just couldn’t stop flowing. It was the first time I had shed tears in 40 years, and I must have cried without stopping for a good half hour.

After this trip to Guizhou, I set aside my love for the pursuit of enjoyment and pleasure. Before, I used to travel abroad for sightseeing once or twice a year. Although such travels brought me happiness, the joy was short-lived. The charitable mission to Guizhou, however, left an indelible mark on me. After that trip, almost every time I traveled abroad, it was for Tzu Chi.

Innovative solutions

I faced several challenges after taking on the role of coordinator for a community documentation team. At the time, our documenting volunteers lacked a dedicated database for their work, making it difficult for some of them to find photos to complement their articles. To address this issue, I collaborated with other volunteers to establish a dedicated File Transfer Protocol platform. This platform allowed our volunteers to easily upload and share data. Additionally, I worked with computer engineers to develop an online event schedule, which helped us post information about our community’s Tzu Chi activities. This saved us a lot of time and money. It reduced the need for phone calls to disseminate event information and encouraged greater participation from those interested in the events.

The challenge of not having a storage system for articles and photos extended beyond our specific community. I recognized that our volunteers’ hard work was not adequately preserved and that a considerable amount of time and manpower was spent gathering relevant data, so I began contemplating cross-district data integration. I started collaborating with Zhang Ting-xu (張廷旭), a volunteer from Tzu Chi’s central Taiwan Information Technology Team. We developed a dedicated software system for data integration. After we were successful, Zhang remarked in friendly banter, “This software was created at your request; you’re responsible for promoting it!”

In response, I reached out every day to the coordinators for documenting teams in different districts in central Taiwan, providing explanations and tutorials on archiving using our software system. After a year of efforts, relevant records from across the central Taiwan district began to be uploaded to the system, easily accessible through a simple search. Eventually, this system expanded to include other areas in Taiwan.

Later, I became the coordinator for Tzu Chi’s central Taiwan Image Team. I pondered: “How can I attract new volunteers? More importantly, how can I rekindle the initial enthusiasm of our senior volunteers?” I decided to introduce courses in 2018 to tackle these questions. The course design was diverse, allowing instructors to use personal photos for storytelling or inviting professional photographers to engage with our volunteers. Photos can speak volumes; for instance, instructor Chen Jian-hua (陳建華) used pictures of his mother to reflect on accompanying her through the last leg of her life, while Li Ying-qing (李盈青) shared the challenges she had experienced in her life through photos documenting her growth and development. Everyone got to know the instructors better through their photos, but also gained insight into the art of storytelling through photography.

I also collaborated with bakeries and dessert shops, requesting their products for volunteers to photograph. The resulting photos became promotional materials for the businesses. I invited commercial photographer and Tzu Chi volunteer Ye Tang-ming (葉唐銘) to share insights on composition and the use of light and shadow in pastry photography. During class, everyone arranged and presented the pastries provided by our collaborating businesses. Ye reminded everyone that the direction of light sources would change at different times, resulting in various effects, and that photography is subjective, with no definitive right or wrong. Following the instructor’s guidance, participants took their photos and then uploaded their work to a messaging app group chat for immediate sharing and discussion. Afterwards, the participants were able to eat the pastries, bringing sweetness to palates and hearts alike.

At the end of the course, I used the Kahoot! app as a fun, interactive way for participants to review what they had learned. I gave prizes to the top three scorers in the review game. It was a lot of fun to see participants navigate through a series of tense and joyful moments during the activity. Creating classes that were eagerly anticipated by our volunteers became what I considered my greatest achievement.

Chen Rong-feng developed a passion for photography during high school and often went outdoors for photoshoots.

Courtesy of Chen Rong-feng

Tzu Chi volunteers went to Luodian, Guizhou, China, in 2010 to distribute aid to the needy. Here is a touching moment captured by Chen Rong-feng.

Aerial imagery

My foray into aerial imagery began in 2014. That year, Tzu Chi held a Buddha Day ceremony at the Taichung Intercontinental Baseball Stadium in Taichung, central Taiwan. While I was documenting the ceremony with a camera, a buzzing sound caught my attention. Following the sound, I looked up and saw a drone for the first time. Involuntarily, my gaze followed it as it soared into the sky, and I found myself drawn closer to the drone operator. I was completely mesmerized when I saw the spectacular aerial view captured by the drone.

I couldn’t get the image of a drone out of my mind after that and purchased a drone the following year. I practiced flying it whenever time allowed and shared the videos I took online. Some people left negative comments upon seeing my footage, saying things like: “It’s not just about flying high in aerial imagery.” Instead of becoming disheartened by such comments, I recognized my inadequacies from their perspectives and encouraged myself to keep improving my skills.

I established an aerial imagery team in 2018, with the goal of sharing my drone flying skills and learning from more enthusiasts. The next year, I joined the Taichung City Fire Department’s aerial imagery unit to contribute to disaster relief efforts. This involved surveying the origins of fires, assisting on-site commanders in making accurate decisions for firefighting, participating in search and rescue missions for missing mountain climbers, and deploying lifebuoys for drowning victims. The aerial imagery team I established also collaborates with the Coast Guard Administration to fly over the sea and document the ecology of white dolphins.

Driven by a passion for aerial imagery, Chen Rong-feng organized a Tzu Chi drone team to enhance the perspective of documentary photography and filming.

Courtesy of Chen Rong-feng

In 2020, the Taiwanese government began regulating drones. To help fellow Tzu Chi volunteers pass licensing exams, I began designing mock test questions and organizing flying technique practice sessions in open areas. Everyone endured the scorching sun without shade during the practice sessions, so I offered cool refreshments and snacks for relief. We mutually encouraged and learned from each other. A total of 68 volunteers have successfully obtained certifications.

Organizing a flying practice session, whether for exam purposes or not, entails careful planning. It includes finding an appropriate outdoor space, providing diverse flight training, and prioritizing safety. Once an outdoor space is chosen, I conduct repeated site inspections. In addition to training in mountain and sea flying techniques, I incorporate rescue scenarios. As an example, I strategically place five mannequins in grassy areas or along riverbanks, turning the exercise into a friendly competition to see who can locate the most mannequins in the shortest time.

I’ve been with Tzu Chi for over 15 years. The number of volunteers participating in our photography classes or learning sessions has grown from dozens to over 200. The aerial imagery team has also welcomed many new members, with participants now spread across Taiwan. Our numbers are steadily increasing. While one person may move swiftly, a group can go much farther. Preserving Tzu Chi’s history is not a task achievable by one person alone; it requires the collective effort of many. That’s why we must encourage participation and new blood in our documenting work.

I’ve seen a constant evolution in photography and video equipment during my time with Tzu Chi. My viewfinder has expanded from ground-level to aerial perspectives. I enjoy learning and growing along my life’s journey. I’m not one with grand plans. My goal for life is simple—to use my skills and abilities for the common good. As I share on my Facebook page: “My love for photography dates back to my youth. Images and visuals drive me forward. From photography and videography to editing and aerial imagery, I’m on a continuous learning journey. I am genuinely passionate about my work. I’m Chen Rong-feng [陳榮豐].”

Chen Rong-feng used a drone to aid in aerial reconnaissance and investigate the point of ignition at a fire scene in Taichung, central Taiwan.

In 2021, Chen Rong-feng captured aerial footage of the Tzu Chi Dongda Campus in central Taiwan after the main construction was completed and landscaping was beginning.

Narrated by Chen Rong-feng
Interviewed and written by Lin Mei-hong
Abridged and translated by Wu Hsiao-ting
Photos by Chen Rong-feng

—Chen Rong-feng

Photo by Lin Mei-hong

Innovative solutions

Chen Rong-feng developed a passion for photography during high school and often went outdoors for photoshoots.

Courtesy of Chen Rong-feng

Tzu Chi volunteers went to Luodian, Guizhou, China, in 2010 to distribute aid to the needy. Here is a touching moment captured by Chen Rong-feng.

Aerial imagery

Driven by a passion for aerial imagery, Chen Rong-feng organized a Tzu Chi drone team to enhance the perspective of documentary photography and filming.

Courtesy of Chen Rong-feng

Chen Rong-feng used a drone to aid in aerial reconnaissance and investigate the point of ignition at a fire scene in Taichung, central Taiwan.

In 2021, Chen Rong-feng captured aerial footage of the Tzu Chi Dongda Campus in central Taiwan after the main construction was completed and landscaping was beginning.

Words From Dharma Master Cheng Yen—Create Blessings, Mitigate Disasters

Translated by Teresa Chang

“The world is impermanent and the land is fragile.” The truth of this statement by the Buddha was borne out on the morning of April 3, when Taiwan was jolted by a sudden tremor—a massive earthquake measuring 7.2 in magnitude—leaving everyone deeply unsettled. As the tectonic plates shifted, the ground surged, mountains split, and rocks cascaded down. Nature demonstrated its formidable might, rendering the earth as fragile as tofu. In this world, no place is truly secure. Compared to the power of nature, humans are truly insignificant. Instead of thinking, “I’m strong and tough. I’m not afraid,” let us hold nature in reverence, stay vigilant, and pray devoutly for a safer world.

According to news reports, furniture in many homes was displaced or fell over as a result of the tremor. Tzu Chi volunteers likely experienced the same impacts as others in their own homes, but they put the welfare of others before themselves, swiftly mobilizing to provide relief and organize distributions. I’ve always been deeply grateful to this group of real-life bodhisattvas. I cherish and hold them in high regard. I hope everyone in Tzu Chi does the same, valuing and supporting one another, particularly as some Tzu Chi volunteers are older and might be living alone or have only their elderly spouses to depend on. Those living nearby should visit their homes to assess post-earthquake conditions and offer assistance if needed. At the same time, don’t forget the disadvantaged families in your community. Visit them more frequently in the aftermath of the quake to provide support and help ensure their peace of mind.

This earthquake is a lesson from heaven and earth, educating us about suffering, emptiness, and impermanence. If we came through it safely, we should feel grateful—not just for our own safety, but also for the opportunity to continue making a difference in the world. At the same time, take to heart the reality of life’s impermanence. Birth, aging, illness, and death are all inevitable parts of life. No matter how close we are to our family or friends, the time will come when we have to part ways. So, let’s cherish every moment we have together and every instance of feeling loved and cared for. Let’s allow gratitude to fill our hearts.

Continuous aftershocks have been felt since the strong earthquake struck. Experts attribute this to the ongoing adjustment of the earth, indicating instability. While we keep a close watch on these aftershocks, it’s crucial to maintain inner calm. Now that this major event has occurred, the priority is to solicit aid and inspire love to help those impacted. It’s not merely about raising funds; it’s about seizing the opportunity to cultivate and ignite compassion. When we all come together in love, we can provide timely assistance to those in need during times of suffering.

We all live together in this world, our thoughts and actions accumulating to shape our collective karma. When negative deeds or thoughts outweigh the positive, goodness weakens. The opposite is also true. Through increased engagement in benevolent acts, the power of goodness will strengthen, creating harmony in the world. Fostering kindness and actively contributing to the world’s well-being is essential. By sowing blessings in this way, we can help turn misfortune around and ensure that peace prevails at all times.

I’ve often talked lately about “learning” and “awakening” (to life’s truths). I encourage everyone to cultivate a heart of purity and learn through the act of giving, thereby deepening their understanding of life’s true principles as taught by the Buddha and helping themselves grow. Have faith in the Buddha’s teachings. The Enlightened One taught us to never do evil and to always do good. When you practice virtue and give with sincerity, you’ll have the power to inspire and change lives.

Tzu Chi will soon enter its sixth decade. From the early days of 30 housewives each saving 50 NT cents (about 1 U.S. cent) daily to help those in need to the present, every step of our journey has been solid and unwavering. This has brought me immense comfort. When I look at the world map, I see Tzu Chi volunteers spread across various countries, always ready to lend a helping hand where it’s needed. Working alongside so many real-life bodhisattvas in serving the needy is the most precious aspect of my life. Natural disasters, conflicts, poverty, and illness—there are countless souls suffering worldwide in need of assistance. One person alone cannot alleviate all suffering, and a few individuals lack the strength. It requires everyone coming together and joining forces. Let’s endeavor to give our best.

Impermanence is a fundamental truth of our world. Master Cheng Yen teaches us to hold this truth in our hearts, cherish those around us, and commit to doing good, offering a pathway to transcend life’s uncertainties.

Huang Xiao-zhe

Translated by Teresa Chang

Huang Xiao-zhe

The Illustrated Jing Si Aphorisms

The Buddha says:

My fellow monks!
Do not accept my teachings just because you respect me.
You should be like fire which tries pure gold.
You must personally test and prove the Dharma I teach.
Recognize the Dharma from the fruit it produces.

Buddhist disciples should not worship the Buddha as a god. We should think of the Buddha as a saint—a great educator who exceeds earthly intelligence and reveals true wisdom. He serves as a role model for us to follow.

This approach establishes a solid foundation for life and encompasses the rich educational essence of Buddhism.

Master Cheng Yen, people always want to get, but you teach people to give. Doesn’t this go against human nature?

Is it possible to always take without ever giving? It’s like always wanting to withdraw money from a bank account without ever making any deposits. It’s impossible.

Translated by E. E. Ho and W. L. Rathje; drawings by Tsai Chih-chung; coloring by May E. Gu

The Buddha says:

Buddhist disciples should not worship the Buddha as a god. We should think of the Buddha as a saint—a great educator who exceeds earthly intelligence and reveals true wisdom. He serves as a role model for us to follow.

This approach establishes a solid foundation for life and encompasses the rich educational essence of Buddhism.

Master Cheng Yen, people always want to get, but you teach people to give. Doesn’t this go against human nature?

Is it possible to always take without ever giving? It’s like always wanting to withdraw money from a bank account without ever making any deposits. It’s impossible.

Translated by E. E. Ho and W. L. Rathje; drawings by Tsai Chih-chung; coloring by May E. Gu

Innovative Solutions to Real-World Challenges

By Yeh Tzu-hao
Translated by Wu Hsiao-ting

One team invented earthquake-resistant furniture, while another created a solar-powered drying system to extend the shelf life of agricultural products. They both identified unsolved problems and devised innovative solutions in their work.

Earthquakes are common in our hometown of Yuli, so we designed this product to increase the chances of rescue,” explained Ye Zhen, an 11th-grader at Yuli High School in Hualien, eastern Taiwan.

Ye Zhen and her fellow schoolmates, 12th-grader Zhang Zhi-yan and 11th-grader Wu Bo-yi, along with their mentor Xu Qi-rong, formed a team to devise an earthquake-resistant modular furniture set. Their furniture is engineered to withstand the impact of falling objects and building collapse during tremors. The desk and wheeled drawer unit in the set are sturdy, providing space for survival when other indoor furniture would fail. They are also equipped with a built-in LED light, buzzer, and rechargeable battery, which would facilitate rescue operations. Furthermore, the desk and two accompanying chairs offer extra storage space for essential survival supplies.

The team won first place for their design in the high school category at the seventh annual Compassionate Technology Innovation Competition in 2023. One year earlier, the People’s Choice Award went to a solar-powered automatic drying system designed to preserve agricultural products in Indonesia. The Best Application Award that year was won by a team from Keelung Commercial and Industrial Vocational High School in rainy Keelung for their shoe drying machine. These products were created to meet local needs, concretely demonstrating empathy.

Thinking ahead to save lives

Seismic activity is common in Taiwan’s eastern Hualien and Taitung areas, so residents there are familiar with earthquakes. However, many locals, including the Yuli High School team that invented the earthquake-resistant furniture, still harbor lingering fears from the tremor on Sunday, September 18, 2022. When Ye Zhen returned to her school dormitory after the quake, she found herself and her roommates among the victims, with furniture fallen and items scattered everywhere. Zhang Zhi-yan, who was on the second floor of her home during the tremor, quickly rushed downstairs to check on her grandfather’s safety.

The earthquake left such a profound impact that it motivated Ye, Zhang, and their schoolmate Wu Bo-yi to start a project focusing on earthquake response, aimed particularly at aiding the elderly and those with limited mobility. They undertook the project as part of a school course on innovation in practice. Xu Qi-rong, who works in the computer design department of an international corporation in Taipei, became their mentor for the project. The team decided to center their project around earthquake-resistant furniture. They discussed ideas through videoconferences and attended a relevant workshop at the Tzu Chi University of Science and Technology in Hualien on Saturdays and Sundays. Under Xu Qi-rong’s guidance, the three high school students began by sketching and creating paper models, gradually refining their concept step by step. Eventually, they had a professional model maker create a detailed and realistic display model.

Their modular furniture set includes a desk, two chairs, and a wheeled drawer unit. “Our desktop is crafted from an aluminum honeycomb panel made of recycled aluminum, with a weight-bearing capacity four to six times that of a regular desktop,” explained Ye Zhen. Aluminum honeycomb panels are known for their strength and lightness, commonly used in aircraft construction. Ye highlighted other design features of their furniture set: the desktop is not only lightweight and robust but also includes a handle and an LED light on the side facing the floor. One can use the handle for stability when taking shelter under the desk and the LED light automatically illuminates during an earthquake. In ordinary times, the light can serve as a night light.

To bolster resistance, the team used two oval cabinets to support the desk instead of regular desk legs. A built-in electronic timer, set to emit alerts every three or six months, reminds users to check and update the disaster relief supplies stored within the furniture set.

The wheeled drawer unit consists of three tiers. The top two tiers are designed for storing food, medicine, and other emergency supplies. There are small doors on the sides, allowing access to items when necessary without the need to pull out the drawers. The bottom tier is equipped with a buzzer and charging device. In the event of being trapped during a quake, the buzzer provides an alternative to shouting or knocking, helping to conserve energy.

Xu Qi-rong said that they had planned for the worst-case scenario during their design process. In the case of a collapsing roof, their furniture set had to have a certain degree of rigidity to resist being crushed easily and be able to provide a survival space. “Our drawer unit was not originally designed to bear weight,” he explained, “but we deliberately designed it to be close in height to the desktop and capable of bearing weight. If the desktop is deformed under pressure, the drawer unit can be used as support.” The mentor also asserted, “And with supplies around you, the chances of survival will be higher.”

Chen Yan-xing (陳彥杏), Yuli High School’s director of academic affairs, said, “The Tzu Chi University of Science and Technology was wonderful. They provided our students with transportation expenses and equipment to help with their project.” He added that due to their school workload, the three students could often only work on the project during weekends. “Still, they overcame whatever difficulties they encountered and achieved what they set out to do. Both their mentor and I are very impressed!” Chen was happier than the students themselves to see them win first place and two special awards at the Compassionate Technology Innovation Competition.

Xu Qi-rong expressed his pride for the students. He noted that the resources available to them, living in a rural area, were not as abundant as those for students living in cities, and yet the three managed to achieve their “mission impossible” through their own passion for meaningful innovation and their teachers’ enthusiasm for education.

Photos by Liu Wei-xing

Earthquake-Resistant Modular Furniture Set

● Invention Team
Students from Yuli High School

● Design
The desk and drawer unit in the set are sturdy, capable of providing a survival space during a strong earthquake. They are also outfitted with an LED light, buzzer, and rechargeable battery to increase the chances of rescue in the event of building collapse. The set also includes two chairs with extra storage space for essential survival supplies.

Addressing the issue of surplus produce

While the earthquake-resistant furniture was designed by Taiwanese students, another award-winning invention—the solar-powered automatic drying system—was the brainchild of a group of Indonesian students. These students were from a special class at the Tzu Chi University of Science and Technology. They received scholarships from Indonesia’s Sinar Mas Group to study agricultural production and marketing in Taiwan, aiming to find innovative solutions to challenges facing Indonesia’s agriculture sector.

Bagas Pramana Putra Fadhila, a graduate from this special class, is fluent in Chinese. He explained the reason behind their invention with the help of images on his cell phone. He said that while the quality of the dragon fruit harvested in Indonesia is good, the excessive yield saturates the market, leading to the disposal of the surplus as waste. Chili peppers, essential in Indonesian cuisine, face a similar issue. Bagas hails from the ancient city of Yogyakarta, where his parents run a grocery store. He is most keenly aware of the fluctuating prices of chili peppers in his hometown. “Yogyakarta has many chili pepper farmers,” he said. “Usually, a kilogram of this produce sells for 100,000 rupiah [US$6.37], but during low price periods, it’s only one-tenth of that price.”

Why haven’t Indonesian farmers learned from Taiwan’s farmers’ associations and set up drying centers to address the surplus production issue? It seems simple, but the situation in Indonesia makes such a solution more challenging.

Although Indonesia’s electricity prices are 40 percent less than those in Taiwan, and diesel prices are just half, the income of an average citizen in Indonesia is less than one-sixth that in Taiwan. From this perspective, energy costs in Indonesia are relatively high, making it unviable to dry surplus produce. This explains why, despite being a major chili pepper producer, Indonesia must import large quantities of dried chili peppers from China.

The Indonesian students came up with the idea of using free solar energy to dry excess vegetables and fruits in Indonesia. They created the Solar Thermal Energy Automatic Drying System as their graduation project before returning to their home country for their senior year internship. Student Zhang Mei-hua (張美花) noted: “Using solar thermal energy to dry agricultural products can help farmers increase their income.”

The students sought advice from solar energy expert Dr. Zhang Wen-qu (張文曲) for their project. They first designed a patented solar energy collector using vacuum tubes compatible with solar water heaters. A solar power generator and a recycled dishwasher completed the main structure of the dryer. (The dishwasher served as a drying box.)

The operational principle of this system is simple. A blower propels cold air from the outside into the vacuum tubes, where it absorbs thermal energy from the sun and warms. The resulting hot air rises naturally into the collection tank above before flowing into the drying box through a pipe to dry the vegetables and fruits. The blower and control system are powered entirely by solar energy.

Compared with sun-drying for long-term preservation, drying in sealed equipment ensures better hygiene and is more efficient. The students carefully moved all the components of their system to the top floor of a school building, assembled them there, and then conducted experiments in the drying box with sliced pineapples, bananas, apples, and other fruit.

“The control system was not optimal at first,” said Bagas, “and sometimes the temperature would be too high or too low. But it was a good learning process for us.” He was responsible for writing the drying system’s AIoT, the remote control program combining artificial intelligence (AI) with the Internet of Things (IoT). He found that when the hot air temperature was too high, the sliced vegetables and fruits would dehydrate quickly and become too hard; if the temperature was too low, they would not dry sufficiently and easily become moldy. Gathering solar energy data presented its own set of challenges: “We recorded every hour of the day, but when it suddenly rained, the data could not be used.”

The team disposed of unsuccessfully-dried vegetables and fruits in the kitchen waste recycling bin. Then they used fresh produce to try again, making necessary corrections and adjustments. After numerous rounds of this process, they finally succeeded. Zhang Mei-hua happily shared, “I recently made dried dragon fruit with our invention. I think it’s quite delicious. What’s best, the nutrition is still there!”

Photos by Cai Yuan-yuan

Solar Thermal Energy Automatic Drying System

● Invention Team
Indonesian students from the Department of Business Management at the Tzu Chi University of Science and Technology

● Design
The system consists of three main components: a solar power generator, vacuum tubes, and a drying box. It uses solar thermal energy to heat the air for drying, addressing challenges of produce perishability, limited storage space, and high transportation costs faced by farmers. The dryer’s data is linked to a mobile app for real-time monitoring. This system enhances the value of agricultural products.

Capturing attention

The solar thermal drying system was officially unveiled before summer vacation in 2022, sparking great excitement within the team. The students were based in Hualien when they developed the system, an area with relatively weak sunlight compared to other areas in Taiwan. If the dryer could be effective in Hualien, it would perform even better in Indonesia, with its lower latitudes and stronger sunlight.

According to the data collected by the team, up to 1.9 million tons of chili peppers are discarded annually in Indonesia due to overproduction, which is equivalent to half of its annual production. Processing even one-tenth of the discarded chili peppers into dried peppers could generate a value of 99 million U.S. dollars, comparable to the annual income of 23,000 Indonesian households. Compared to conventional drying processes, this system could save 99 million kilowatt-hours of electricity consumption and reduce carbon emissions by 59,000 tons.

The student team’s innovative creation secured a national patent in Taiwan and won the gold medal in the college green energy innovation category at the 2022 Taiwan Sustainable Energy Creative Implementation Competition. It also garnered the People’s Choice Award and the Special Enterprise Award at the sixth annual Compassionate Technology Innovation Competition held the same year. In October 2023, it won the Silver Award in the Invention Competition at the Taiwan Innotech Expo. The dryer attracted considerable attention from industry professionals during the four-day exposition at the Taipei World Trade Center.

Professor Su Mei-hui (蘇美惠), from the Department of Business Management at the Tzu Chi University of Science and Technology, supervised the drying system project. She said that they had run simulations and found that if they were to dry one ton of produce at a time with their system, they would need to expand it to the size of a shipping container with the vacuum tubes placed on top. Preliminary estimates put the cost of equipment at such a scale at about 750,000 Taiwanese dollars (US$23,600). “According to calculations based on Indonesia’s sunlight conditions, excluding the rainy season, it would take only about 1.7 years to recover the cost,” remarked the professor. She mentioned that during the Taiwan Innotech Expo, a ranch owner from China’s Gansu Province who raised horses suggested that if their equipment could be scaled up to dry a large amount of grass at once, it would more efficiently help people like him store the hay needed for their horses to survive the winter.

Dr. Zhang Wen-qu, the solar energy expert, said that he had learned from people in the petrochemical industry that the toxic sludge produced during oil production is typically dried using electric heating. If solar thermal energy could be used for drying instead, it could save hundreds of millions of dollars in energy costs. “There are many industrial processes that require heat energy. The students’ design could be adapted for more applications by manufacturers,” Zhang said optimistically.

Professor Su further analyzed: “In the past, manufacturers used the most easily accessible and low-cost fuel, coal. However, there is now pressure to reduce carbon emissions, and carbon will be priced in the future. Therefore, they must find clean energy sources to replace it.” In this context, the Solar Thermal Energy Automatic Drying System has a promising future.

The research and development process of the drying system was a valuable experience for the student team. Bagas, for example, demonstrated his strength by designing the AIoT remote control program for the system, which played a significant role in his admission to the prestigious Tsing Hua University in Taiwan for graduate school.

Having gone through the arduous journey of research and development, the young students featured in this article have not only increased their aptitude for problem-solving but also demonstrated creativity in protecting the Earth and practicing environmental sustainability.

By Yeh Tzu-hao
Translated by Wu Hsiao-ting

Earthquakes are common in our hometown of Yuli, so we designed this product to increase the chances of rescue,” explained Ye Zhen, an 11th-grader at Yuli High School in Hualien, eastern Taiwan.

Thinking ahead to save lives

Photos by Liu Wei-xing

Earthquake-Resistant Modular Furniture Set

● Invention Team
Students from Yuli High School

Addressing the issue of surplus produce

Photos by Cai Yuan-yuan

Solar Thermal Energy Automatic Drying System

● Invention Team
Indonesian students from the Department of Business Management at the Tzu Chi University of Science and Technology

Capturing attention

Loving Stores—Gathering Places for Goodness

By Yeh Tzu-hao
Translated by Wu Hsiao-ting
Graphic by Xu Shu-zhen
Photos by Hsiao Yiu-hwa

It could be a grocery store, clothing shop, pharmacy, or even a hospital, but they all have one thing in common—they’ve joined the ranks of Loving Stores, in which Tzu Chi coin banks encourage kindness and donations of small change to help the needy.

In Taiwan, a rich array of physical stores and stalls lining the streets contributes to the convenience of people’s lives. Shop owners and their staff, often working long hours, constitute one of the most industrious groups on the island. While busy making a living, over 20,000 vendors and shop proprietors across Taiwan have joined Tzu Chi’s Loving Store campaign. They’ve agreed to place a coin bank on their counters, providing customers with an opportunity to donate their spare change for charitable purposes.

For this campaign, volunteers visit business establishments to enlist participants and return to collect donations. On this day, a small group of volunteers arrived at one of the participating businesses, a restaurant in Luzhou, New Taipei City, northern Taiwan. The manager, Ms. Jiang, welcomed the familiar faces and engaged in friendly conversation with them. The topic soon turned to the difficult times during the COVID-19 pandemic. “Large banquets were prohibited during the pandemic,” Jiang said. “Only five or six people were allowed at each big table, and even then we needed partitions. We truly experienced three tough years.” The manager had seen many larger businesses close due to the pandemic, but fortunately, her restaurant persevered until the situation improved and customers returned. But now they faced another challenge: maintaining service quality amidst labor shortages. Running a restaurant is surely no easy task.

“It was really something to survive those three years,” remarked volunteer Su Min-hui (蘇敏惠). “Your restaurant became one of the oldest in Luzhou after sailing through the pandemic’s challenges.” Su thanked Ms. Jiang for her commitment to social good by participating in the Loving Store campaign, despite the difficulties faced in operating a restaurant. She also recommended the restaurant’s delicious vegetarian meals to her fellow volunteers.

Moving on, the group made its way to a maternal and child clinic. They arrived to find the waiting area buzzing with mothers and babies, and the director, medical staff, and administrative personnel busily attending to their duties. Ms. Zheng, a nurse representing the clinic, joined the Tzu Chi volunteers to count the donations from the coin bank placed in the clinic.

“This coin bank was made from recycled plastic bottles,” volunteer Su said. Nurse Zheng expressed surprise as she learned that the latest version of the Tzu Chi coin bank, semi-transparent and green, was made from 12 PET bottles. Working together, they tallied the amount accumulated in the coin bank over the month, totaling more than 800 New Taiwan dollars (US$25). In a heartwarming gesture, the nurse contributed a 1,000 NT dollar bill from her own pocket, boosting the total amount to a four-digit figure, pleasantly surprising everyone around. The total donated amount was then recorded, and both parties signed off as witnesses.

Next, the volunteers visited an animal hospital. Dr. Yang, who oversees the hospital, warmly greeted the visitors. After the donations from the coin bank hosted by the hospital were tallied, volunteer Huang Fang-ling (黃芳菱) took out a copy of Tzu Chi Monthly, sharing updates on Tzu Chi with the veterinarian. When she reached the page with Tzu Chi’s global contact directory, she said to Dr. Yang, “If you ever require assistance abroad, you can find help here, provided there are Tzu Chi volunteers in that region.”

Dr. Yang is from Kinmen, one of Taiwan’s outlying islands, where his grandmother also takes part in Tzu Chi activities. He readily agreed to join the Loving Store campaign when invited due in part to this connection. Not only did he agree, but he also promptly donated thousands of NT dollars, kick-starting his establishment’s contributions to the campaign.

A food stall at a night market in Hualien, eastern Taiwan, hosts a Tzu Chi coin bank on its counter, encouraging people to donate for philanthropic purposes.

The Tzu Chi Loving Store Campaign

The campaign was launched in 2019 in Hualien, eastern Taiwan. Businesses participate by placing a Tzu Chi coin bank in their store to collect donations. When it’s time to be emptied, volunteers and store representatives open it together. They count and record the amount collected, then sign off as witnesses. Volunteers next mark the date on a new seal tag and reseal the bank. Thus begins the next round of fundraising. Donations collected are placed into a designated collection bag and returned to the local Tzu Chi office. The financial team deposits them into a specified account and issues receipts. Volunteers deliver these receipts to the participating businesses on their next visit. As of March 13, 2024, 20,020 businesses had joined the campaign.

The shops that have joined the ranks of Tzu Chi Loving Stores come in all varieties. Despite the diversity, what matters most is a compassionate heart to participate. Since the campaign was launched five years ago, the donation collection coin bank has undergone several improvements. The latest version, made from 12 recycled PET bottles and featuring a translucent jade green hue, is gradually replacing the earlier metal version (see photo 1).

Expansion

The Loving Store campaign, once started, soon expanded to various towns and villages in Hualien, with approximately 600 businesses joining within a year. However, progress slowed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It wasn’t until mid-2022, when conditions improved, that the initiative started to reach other areas in Taiwan, such as Taipei, Taoyuan, Hsinchu, Changhua, and Kaohsiung, where local Tzu Chi volunteers joined efforts to promote it.

Lin Shu-zhen (林淑真), residing in Shilin, Taipei City, recalled her first attempt, in July 2022, to garner support for the campaign. Initially intending to visit a shop belonging to a Tzu Chi donating member (people who contribute monthly donations to the foundation), she inadvertently veered onto a different path after leaving home. She found herself standing in front of a vegetarian restaurant when she finally realized her mistake. Embracing the serendipitous moment, she entered and explained the purpose of her visit to the owner. The owner resonated with the campaign and allowed her to place a coin bank in the restaurant. It wasn’t until later that Lin met with the original shop owner she had intended to visit and discovered that she was actually out of town that day.

“I believe there were bodhisattvas guiding me that day, don’t you think?” said Lin. “Despite taking the wrong path, I successfully enlisted my first store.” This fortuitous encounter led that popular vegetarian restaurant to become the first Loving Store in the greater Taipei area.

It was easier to enlist business owners who were already Tzu Chi donating members or supported Tzu Chi’s causes, but volunteers sometimes encountered those who were less familiar with the foundation. When that happened, they had to put in extra effort to explain and convince them to join. There were also testing situations.

Volunteer Gao Xiu-min (高秀敏) once entered a shoe store to invite them to join, only to receive a cold response from the owner: “You can place a coin bank here, but it is none of my concern if no one donates.” Gao noticed other organizations’ collection boxes already on a desk. They were covered in dust, with hardly any coins collected.

In response, Gao explained to the store owner that the purpose of a Tzu Chi coin bank was not just to solicit concrete donations but also to inspire kindness. “You can start every workday with a kind thought and deposit it in the coin bank—it’s like wishing yourself the best,” she said with a smile.

When Gao visited the store again on her return journey, the owner cheerfully greeted her, saying, “Sister, we got our very first donation!” It turned out a customer had negotiated the price, and the owner suggested: “My prices are fair. How about this? How about you perform a good deed by putting the money I didn’t earn into that coin bank for charitable purposes?” The customer agreed, much to his delight.

While a monetary donation is cause for celebration for volunteers involved in the campaign, inspiring kind thoughts in both shop owners and customers is even more important.

At a maternity and child clinic in Luzhou, New Taipei City, northern Taiwan, a nurse and volunteers counted the money taken from a coin bank before both parties signed to confirm the total amount collected (photo 1); volunteers also gave a receipt for last month’s donations (photo 2).

A caring community network

Store or stall owners face numerous challenges in managing their businesses, including attracting and retaining customers, maintaining competitive pricing, adapting to market trends, and finding reliable staff. Additionally, they may find themselves tethered to their establishments without much freedom. Volunteer Su Min-hui, who once managed a stall, understands the hard work involved. When she was younger, she and her husband rented a stall in a mall near Taipei Station selling toys. They worked long hours, from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day. “Store owners are often tied up with their work,” she noted. “Having a coin bank in their stores allows them to contribute to charitable causes and sow blessings without needing to leave their premises.”

Ouyang Gui-ying (歐陽貴英), who serves as the liaison for the Loving Store endeavor in Luzhou, expressed gratitude to participating store owners: “They provide space for our coin banks without us having to pay rent, creating opportunities for everyone to do good. Where else can you find such a wonderful thing? We must embrace these opportunities to do good together.”

There is a great variety of businesses that have joined and volunteers have encountered shop owners from all kinds of backgrounds in promoting the campaign. In the process, they have found a common desire among people to do good.

For instance, Mr. Zou, who operates an eyeglasses store, informed volunteer Su Min-hui of their trade union’s plan to donate reading glasses to needy individuals and asked if Tzu Chi could assist. “Yes, certainly,” Su responded.

More than 20,000 stores, stalls, and other businesses have joined the campaign since its inception, reflecting the kindness of the Taiwanese people. The primary focus of this campaign isn’t about the amount of money raised but about nurturing goodwill and connecting stores into a caring community network. Tzu Chi welcomes all store owners to join and participate in this meaningful endeavor, through which every contribution, no matter how small, plays a role in fostering a culture of kindness and generosity.

By Yeh Tzu-hao
Translated by Wu Hsiao-ting
Graphic by Xu Shu-zhen
Photos by Hsiao Yiu-hwa

A food stall at a night market in Hualien, eastern Taiwan, hosts a Tzu Chi coin bank on its counter, encouraging people to donate for philanthropic purposes.

The Tzu Chi Loving Store Campaign

Expansion

While a monetary donation is cause for celebration for volunteers involved in the campaign, inspiring kind thoughts in both shop owners and customers is even more important.

A caring community network

A Second Life for Hospital Beds

By Zhang Ju-fen
Translated by Wu Hsiao-ting
Photos by Li Ya-ping

The Tzu Chi assistive device team in Chiayi, southern Taiwan, repairs and refurbishes retired beds from Dalin Tzu Chi Hospital, transforming some into fully operational beds.

Volunteers from the Chiayi assistive device team visit Dalin Tzu Chi Hospital to collect retired hospital beds for repair and reuse.

Dalin Tzu Chi Hospital in Chiayi, southern Taiwan, opened its doors 23 years ago, thanks to generous donations from around the world. However, the high-quality hospital beds purchased at that time have started showing signs of wear and tear, including rust and malfunctions. While other medical institutions might swap out such beds without a second thought, at Tzu Chi, they’re repurposed, continuing the cycle of love.

In 2023, volunteer Yang Li-fen (楊麗芬) found a collection of hospital beds stored together in the hospital and inquired if they were going to be retired and replaced. Lin Wen-feng (林文峰), head of the Safekeeping Section of the General Affairs Department at the hospital, explained that these electric beds, imported from the United States and each costing over 50,000 New Taiwan dollars (approximately US$1,650), were experiencing issues after years of use, including with their lifting mechanisms. The Engineering Department at the hospital had evaluated the beds and concluded that they no longer met modern medical standards. The beds were slated to be replaced with newer models.

Shen Kun-fu (沈坤福), head of the Engineering Department’s Maintenance Section, clarified that some beds had defective circuit boards or motors. He also noted that the original manufacturers had stopped producing the parts. Some were showing rust stains, affecting their appearance, but refurbishing them would be nearly as expensive as purchasing new ones. He added that if these beds were handed over to a recycling company, they would likely be treated as scrap metal, a fate he couldn’t help but find regrettable.

Yang Li-fen proposed that the beds be given to the Tzu Chi assistive device team in Chiayi for repair and reuse. This proposal received strong support from the General Affairs Department. The large-scale recycling project with the team was initiated on June 7, 2023.

Each bed weighed 150 kilograms, and many of the volunteers involved in the project were getting on in years, but they worked tirelessly, bending down to tie ropes securely and carefully transporting each bed to their repair site. Over the eight months since the project started, volunteers have dismantled beds too far gone to be functional, transferred usable parts onto beds in better condition, and meticulously cleaned every part of each bed. They rewired broken circuits or switches and removed rust before repainting. Some volunteers even bought parts with their own money to repair some of the faulty beds.

As of February 2024, over 60 of the 122 repaired beds had already been distributed. Despite the challenging transportation process, volunteers have delivered beds to nursing centers in Penghu, an archipelago off the southwestern coast of Taiwan, as well as to various locations in Chiayi County and City, including the mountainous Alishan Township and the coastal Budai Township. The first bed arrived at Leye Village in Alishan Township on August 24, 2023. A 72-year-old woman there, receiving home care, couldn’t afford the tens of thousands of Taiwanese dollars for an electric medical bed. When the bed provided by Tzu Chi was delivered to her home, her daughter, the woman’s principal caregiver, was deeply grateful to Tzu Chi for alleviating pressure on her family.

Volunteers for the Tzu Chi Eco-Friendly Assistive Device Program in Taiwan clean, disinfect, and refurbish used assistive devices before sending them out to people needing such equipment. Anyone can apply for these devices, which are delivered to the applicant’s home. Dalin Tzu Chi Hospital still has nearly 400 beds waiting to be recycled, so volunteers will continue their efforts to give new life to the equipment.

Tzu Chi’s assistive device program collects used assistive devices across Taiwan, then repairs and refurbishes them before distributing them to applicants. Here are some wheelchairs collected by program volunteers in Chiayi.

By Zhang Ju-fen
Translated by Wu Hsiao-ting
Photos by Li Ya-ping

The Tzu Chi assistive device team in Chiayi, southern Taiwan, repairs and refurbishes retired beds from Dalin Tzu Chi Hospital, transforming some into fully operational beds.

Volunteers from the Chiayi assistive device team visit Dalin Tzu Chi Hospital to collect retired hospital beds for repair and reuse.

ZIMBABWE｜Clean Water Is Hard to Come By

By Wu Xiu-ling and Biggie Samson
Translated by Wu Hsiao-ting
Photos courtesy of Tino Chu

Children scooping water directly from mud puddles and ponds to drink is a common sight in Zimbabwe, a landlocked country in southern Africa. However, the practice poses health risks. For instance, contaminated drinking water has been identified as the primary route of transmission behind a cholera outbreak that began in the country last year and has resulted in tens of thousands of reported cases. “In cholera hotspots, posters reminding people to wash their hands are everywhere,” said Tino Chu (朱金財), head of Tzu Chi Zimbabwe. “But how can people in communities suffering from severe water shortages wash their hands?” His comment reflects frustration with this harsh reality.

To help contain the outbreak, local Tzu Chi volunteers have worked on two fronts: distributing water purification tablets and organizing three teams to repair wells in cholera hotspots. Expert volunteers extract metal pipes from wells to determine whether they are damaged, replace faulty parts, and add water purification agents to ensure water safety. Between the onset of the outbreak last year and the end of February this year, the teams repaired over 620 wells, each capable of serving approximately 600 households. Over the past decade, Tzu Chi has also drilled a total of 236 new wells in the country to provide water for local communities facing water scarcity.

By Wu Xiu-ling and Biggie Samson
Translated by Wu Hsiao-ting
Photos courtesy of Tino Chu

Incubating Young Inventors—The Compassionate Technology Innovation Competition

By Yeh Tzu-hao
Edited and translated by Wu Hsiao-ting

Photos by You Jun-hong and Liu Wei-xing

The Compassionate Technology Innovation Competition has been running for seven years. Forty-seven outstanding ideas have been recognized and awarded prizes, with some projects already in the commercialization stage. Fueled by creativity and visions that prioritize societal welfare, young inventors are breaking new ground and driving change in the world.

Xue Kai-jie (薛凱潔), a student from the National Taipei University of Education, stood before her creation, the Turtle Protection Cover, presenting her invention concept to the judges. She explained that global warming has raised sand temperatures on the beaches where sea turtles nest, and because the temperature of the sand determines the sex of the hatchlings, more female turtles are being born than male. This imbalance is so extreme that in some cases 90 percent of newborn turtles are female. “Without intervention, these creatures face the risk of extinction,” she said.

The Turtle Protection Cover, resembling an inverted wok, is made from sugarcane pulp combined with other natural materials, such as seaweed gel. It provides shade and ventilation, keeping the sand on the beach cooler. A signboard on top indicates the presence of turtle eggs underneath, while several openings at the bottom allow hatchling turtles to crawl towards the ocean.

A question and answer (Q&A) session followed Xue’s presentation. Dr. Chao You-chen (趙有誠), superintendent of Taipei Tzu Chi Hospital and one of the judges, was the first to ask a question. He said, “There are few talents like you in the world, but there are many people who care about sea turtles. My question is, how original is this project?” Following him, Mr. Cai Zhen-hui (蔡禎輝) from the Industrial Technology Research Institute and Mr. Wu Zhi-xiang (伍志翔) from the design industry also asked questions. They wanted to know about the carbon footprint of sugarcane pulp and whether using waste materials like this could increase carbon footprints elsewhere. They also asked if there were similar solutions addressing this issue and where Xue thought her creation excelled. The string of questions tested the contestant’s ability to respond spontaneously and her familiarity with relevant issues.

The next contestant was a team from the National Yunlin University of Science and Technology. Already standing ready off to one side, they presented their creation, a massage mattress for bedridden patients. They called it the Compassionate Mattress. Despite only having a conceptual model made of a human model, cardboard, and sheets on the display table, the judges took their design seriously and listened attentively.

“Some people enjoy staying in bed a little longer in the morning, but for others, being bedridden is not a choice,” explained team representative Zhang Ming-yuan (張銘元). “These patients may require specialized care and can develop pressure sores. We aim to alleviate their suffering.” He highlighted the differences between their pressure-relieving mattress and commercially available air mattresses. While the latter use parallel sections of air cushions that are alternately inflated and deflated to relieve pressure, their new version uses a motor-driven cam structure to move dozens of cylinders up and down. Their design not only avoids prolonged pressure points but also provides a massage effect.

“I would like the judges to experience how the massage feels firsthand,” Zhang said. Under his guidance, the three judges pressed their palms on the sheet covering the model, feeling the dynamic up-and-down motion. Judge Wu Zhi-xiang cautioned, “If the cylinders are too soft, the cam mechanism may not achieve the massage effect; if they are too hard, there may be discomfort.”

Another contestant, the “Water Providers” team from the Tzu Chi University of Science and Technology, spent a year and a half developing a non-electric water purification device. This device can provide clean water in areas with unreliable electricity. Team member Jiang Yi-hui (蔣怡慧), with a nursing background, explained that their motivation for the design came from media reports highlighting the lack of clean drinking water in underdeveloped regions like Africa. Although they experienced several failures during the development of their manually operated water purifier, they remained determined, considering their goal worthy of the effort.

The team used simple materials such as water pipes, plastic bottles, and old clothes to create a filter. The old clothes can be cleaned and reused after filtration, achieving a high level of recycling. The device is economical, lightweight, and environmentally friendly, with changeable and easily obtainable parts.

College students Xiao Cai-xuan (left) and Lai Ting-kai (right) collaborated to create a device capable of converting and storing energy. This device can quickly provide electricity during natural disasters or mountain accidents.

Yan Fu-jiang

The “Water Providers” team presents their invention in the final competition of the seventh annual Compassionate Technology Innovation Competition. The team developed a non-electric water purification device that can provide clean drinking water in emergencies.

Liu Wei-xing

Everyone is a winner

Over a hundred entries had competed for a chance to be selected for the finals of the seventh annual Compassionate Technology Innovation Competition. Sixteen works were selected from the college group and eight from the high school group. The three inventions featured above were among those selected for the final competition, which was held on November 18, 2023, at Taipei’s Plantārium.

After a series of intense presentations and Q&A sessions that day, the top three works from each group were announced, as well as the People’s Choice Award, the Special Enterprise Award, and other special category prizes. Xiao Cai-xuan (蕭采宣) and Lai Ting-kai (賴廷愷), currently studying at National Taiwan Ocean University and Fu Jen Catholic University respectively, won first place in the college group. They invented a device that can convert and store energy, ideal for quickly supplying power to mobile phones or wearable devices during natural disasters or mountain emergencies. A team from Yuli High School, consisting of students Ye Zhen (葉蓁), Wu Bo-yi (吳柏逸), and Zhang Zhi-yan (張芷妍) and their mentor Xu Qi-rong (徐啟榮), developed an earthquake-resistant modular furniture set in response to the high frequency of earthquakes in Taiwan. They garnered first prize in the high school group.

Some of the award-winning works were already physical products, while others were still in the conceptual stage but showed considerable potential for further development. Regardless of their final ranking, every participant who went through the challenging phase of intense mental effort and learned through practical experience was a winner from a learning and growth perspective.

Judges get hands-on experience with the massage mattress for bedridden patients invented by the team from the National Yunlin University of Science and Technology.

Liu Wei-xing

Inspiring creativity for positive change

The Compassionate Technology Innovation Competition, jointly organized by the Tzu Chi Foundation and the Tzu Chi University of Science and Technology, has been running since 2017. It aims to inspire students to use their creativity for positive change. Starting with just over 40 teams in the first year, the competition grew to over 120 teams by the seventh year in 2023. The growth shows that despite facing challenges in our ever-changing world, many young people are determined to pursue their dreams of making a difference.

Participants showcase their creativity in two main areas: charity and healthcare. Teams interested in charity focus on disaster prevention, preparedness, relief efforts, or projects that can improve the livelihoods of disadvantaged people or promote community and environmental sustainability. Those interested in healthcare work toward supporting the elderly and the weak, improving long-term care, or developing products that can enhance the safety and well-being of patients.

Entries must adhere to at least two of the 5 R’s of sustainability: refuse, reduce, reuse, repurpose, recycle. Lo Wen-jui (羅文瑞), president of the Tzu Chi University of Science and Technology, explained: “Many products consume a lot of resources and cause significant pollution during their development and mass production. That’s why we require that our contestants make environmental protection a key consideration in their creative inventions.”

Last year’s competition began with registration on May 1, 2023. It attracted over 120 teams, with 24 teams ultimately selected to enter the finals. Each finalist made thorough preparations to present their creation and answer the judges’ questions during the final competition on November 18, aiming to achieve a good ranking and win prize money.

Judges assess entries based on aspects such as practicality, ease of use, reasonable pricing, and market acceptance. They also provide feedback and advice to each team. Superintendent Chao You-chen of Taipei Tzu Chi Hospital emphasized during the final competition on November 18 that there will always be winners and losers in any competition. He said, “If we compete on who weighs the heaviest, I win, but if it’s about who is the youngest, you win. If the announced results differ from your expectations, keep in mind that your win or loss is just a matter of perspective. While some competitions focus on commercial value, we emphasize compassion and care for the disadvantaged or the Earth.” He affirmed that everyone’s creative ideas already had a good start. “Perhaps one of you here today will become another Bill Gates,” he added. “When that day comes and your pockets are full, remember that your initial intention was to help others.”

The Yuli High School team developed an earthquake-resistant modular furniture set in response to the high frequency of earthquakes in Taiwan. They clinched first place in the high school group. Deputy CEO Scott Liu (third from right) of the Tzu Chi charity mission posed with the team during the award ceremony.

Yan Fu-jiang

Compassion at the core

Professor Pan Zhi-long (潘志龍), who led the team from the National Yunlin University of Science and Technology, highlighted the current emphasis in education on bridging the gap between learning and practical application. He noted that recognition or awards in national or international contests like the Compassionate Technology Innovation Competition can significantly benefit students’ future academic and career paths.

President Lo Wen-jui added that when it comes to invention and product development, student teams cannot compete with well-funded companies in terms of financial resources, equipment, and technology. But though the ideas and prototypes the students present may be unpolished, he still encourages everyone to engage in innovative research and development. Scott Liu (劉效成), deputy CEO of the Tzu Chi charity mission, on the other hand, remarked that innovation does not necessarily mean inventing new things. “It can be about integrating existing technologies with compassionate thoughts and the needs of mankind, enabling the technologies to have a greater positive impact.”

Compassion is at the core of compassionate technology development as encouraged by the competition. Its focus is on whether technology can help people find relief from suffering and attain happiness while being friendly to all beings on the Earth and beneficial to the environment. Innovation and development driven by an altruistic heart have unlimited potential. Tzu Chi invites warm-hearted and creative young individuals to participate in this competition for kindness, contributing their love and wisdom to benefit the world.

By Yeh Tzu-hao
Edited and translated by Wu Hsiao-ting

Photos by You Jun-hong and Liu Wei-xing

Yan Fu-jiang

Liu Wei-xing

Everyone is a winner

Judges get hands-on experience with the massage mattress for bedridden patients invented by the team from the National Yunlin University of Science and Technology.

Liu Wei-xing

Inspiring creativity for positive change

Yan Fu-jiang

Compassion at the core

Conrado’s Colorful World Comes Alive—A Story From the Tzu Chi Eye Center, the Philippines

Text and photo by Jamaica Mae Digo

Conrado Peñamora found joy and purpose in painting, so when cataracts developed in both of his eyes, he became listless. The Tzu Chi Eye Center helped him undergo surgery, bringing colors back into his life.

With his cataracts successfully removed, Conrado Peñamora is now occupied with working on commissioned paintings.

On January 23, the Tzu Chi Eye Center in Manila, the Philippines, received an extraordinary gift from one of its patients: stunningly lifelike oil paintings of Dharma Master Cheng Yen, the founder of Tzu Chi, and volunteer surgeon Dr. Peter Lee (李悅民)!

The artist, Conrado Peñamora, 79, created the portraits shortly after undergoing successful surgeries at the Tzu Chi Eye Center in 2023. He finished the paintings, his first creations upon recovering his eyesight, in two months.

“I am grateful to everyone who helped me, but most importantly, to Tzu Chi. If not for their help, my eyesight would not have recovered its clarity,” Conrado said. “After the surgery, I received many requests to paint, but I insisted on working on Master Cheng Yen and Dr. Peter’s portraits first. I would say that these paintings are my masterpieces. They are the most beautiful works of art I have ever created!”

Tzu Chi volunteers were very moved by Conrado’s effort. “This is very unexpected,” volunteer Alfredo Li (李偉嵩) told Conrado, patting him on the back. “Master Cheng Yen said: ‘When we do something good, goodness will return to us unexpectedly.’ This is exactly what happened today.”

“This is a priceless gift,” Dr. Peter agreed. He added that he would display Conrado’s portrait of him in his clinic. “Thank you!” Dr. Peter told him.

Conrado had suffered for nearly three years from poor vision caused by cataracts. In his younger years, he worked as a graphic and layout artist for a printing company. However, when technology disrupted his livelihood, he got laid off. “Computers are now the ones doing most of the work,” he lamented. “It’s very discouraging.”

To keep himself busy, Conrado went back to doing his first love: drawing and painting. He was a Fine Arts undergraduate from the University of Santo Tomas, after all. However, this hobby became very challenging when his vision started to decline. “I had to strain my eyes and wear thick lenses to see my subject,” Conrado said.

Cataracts also made colors appear dull and faded, affecting the quality of his work. For example, he once painted a picture of one of his children’s family while struggling with the condition. It was only after he recovered his eyesight that he realized it had come out yellowish.

And it wasn’t just Conrado’s art that suffered because of his eye ailment—his family also noticed a difference in his behavior. “He became sullen,” described Jeffrey, Conrado’s son-in-law.

Conrado had known for years about the charitable work of Tzu Chi. He used to reside in Santa Mesa, Manila, a few blocks from the Tzu Chi mission complex in Bacood. After the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted his children’s business, Conrado’s family was compelled to move to more affordable rental housing in Dasmariñas, Cavite. Despite the distance from their new home to the Tzu Chi Eye Center, Conrado made the long journey to have his eyes checked.

In July 2023, Dr. Peter Lee performed cataract removal surgery on Conrado’s left eye. A month later, Conrado underwent another operation on the right eye. From a visual acuity of 20/200 in both eyes on his first checkup, Conrado’s vision improved to 20/20 on the right and 20/30 on the left. “I feel like a child again!” Conrado giggled.

Today, Conrado continues to paint and proudly declares that he had discarded the pair of eyeglasses he used to wear. “I have no use for them now,” he said, “because I can see so much better. The paintings I create now are even better than the ones I used to create.”

Occupied with requests piling up from clients for portraits, Conrado has never felt more alive. “Painting means a lot to me. It’s one of the things that keeps me strong and young. It also keeps the loneliness at bay because I am constantly busy,” he asserted.

The Tzu Chi Eye Center

Compiled and translated by Wu Hsiao-ting

The Tzu Chi Eye Center in Manila opened in 2016 and is staffed free of charge by medical professionals from the Tzu Chi International Medical Association (TIMA). The center serves an average of 700 patients per week, providing free exams and surgeries to prevent blindness, which can significantly impact families’ livelihoods. In 2023 alone, it handled over 20,000 outpatient visits, dispensed medication to 14,000 patients (each visit counted as an individual), and performed nearly 3,000 surgeries. TIMA doctors completed 1,023 shifts, while support volunteers contributed over 1,500 shifts.

This year, the center collaborated with the Ramon Magsaysay Awards Foundation’s Transformative Leadership Institute for a large-scale free clinic event. During the two-day event, held on February 20 and 21, 12 TIMA doctors and Dr. Tadashi Hattori, a Ramon Magsaysay Award recipient in 2022, performed cataract surgeries, restoring vision for over 200 disadvantaged patients.

Text and photo by Jamaica Mae Digo

With his cataracts successfully removed, Conrado Peñamora is now occupied with working on commissioned paintings.

“This is a priceless gift,” Dr. Peter agreed. He added that he would display Conrado’s portrait of him in his clinic. “Thank you!” Dr. Peter told him.

The Tzu Chi Eye Center

Compiled and translated by Wu Hsiao-ting