Text and photo by Yo Choon Yen
Translated by Wu Hsiao-ting
The Malay saying, “Little by little, over time, a hill is formed,” captures the essence of the Loving Store campaign, showing how tiny acts of kindness can grow into something remarkable.
Vegetable vendor Lin Li Hui and a volunteer put up a “Love” sticker at her stall. Lin joined the Loving Store campaign in June when volunteers visited the market and invited vendors to participate. Tan Guat Kit
In the northwestern Johor districts of Muar, Tangkak, and Segamat, Malaysia, a simple sign of kindness has become familiar: a sticker displaying the Chinese character for “love,” accompanied by a nearby coin bank quietly collecting small acts of generosity. Such signs appear in shops, at bustling market stalls, and in food courts. Through the Loving Store campaign, these participating shops have become Tzu Chi’s partners in contributing to the common good.
Bakery owner Wu Xin Yu (伍信羽) immediately joined the campaign when Tzu Chi volunteers brought a coin bank and sticker to her shop. She was deeply moved, she said, by seeing the volunteers visit stores and invite them to participate. “This is something I can do,” she explained. “My bakery may be small, but it can be a hub of love; starting with me, love is passed forward.” She knows that one person taking action can inspire many others to do the same, and that even a small act, like putting money into the coin bank, helps those in need and brings blessings to the world. “Doing good,” she emphasized, “shouldn’t be a spur-of-the-moment act, but should come from a steady, heartfelt belief.”
Liu Rui Yu (劉瑞裕) shares this same outlook. He runs a wonton noodle stall. Every day before opening for business, he drops three or five ringgit into his coin bank. “It’s no big deal, honestly,” he said with a smile. “I just help where I can, and do what I’m able to do. Asking me to donate 500 or 1,000 all at once—I can’t manage that. But putting in a little bit every day? That I can do.” He also shares the idea with his customers, telling them, “This is an easy way to do good.”
Liu expressed his appreciation for the volunteers’ dedication in promoting the Loving Store campaign. “Seeing how hard you work makes us want to do our part too,” he said. “When everyone contributes a little, together it creates great strength.”
Building a community of blessings
The idea that small acts can lead to great good is not new here. As early as February 2016, when plans for the Tzu Chi Muar Jing Si Hall were underway, volunteers reached out to residents and business owners, inviting them to “adopt” coin banks and make small daily donations. Carrying forward that same spirit, volunteers officially launched the Loving Store campaign on May 16, 2023. Once again, they visited shops, this time delivering coin banks and the new “Love” stickers, encouraging customers to perform small acts of kindness by contributing their change.
Promoting the Loving Store campaign has required persistent effort. Over the past two years, volunteer Tan Su Lee (陳淑麗) and her fellow volunteers have walked countless streets and alleys in Muar. Progress was slow in the beginning. Many people were unfamiliar with the Loving Store concept, and the number of volunteers was limited. Nevertheless, they pressed on with determination, holding fast to Dharma Master Cheng Yen’s vision of serving and growing with the community.
With warmth and sincerity, volunteers continued their outreach one business at a time—from small corner shops and market stalls to chain stores and bank counters—inspiring more and more owners to join Tzu Chi in creating a better world. As of the end of June this year, over 1,200 stores across Muar, Segamat, and Tangkak had joined. Volunteers return three times a year to collect donations and share updates on Tzu Chi’s work.
“We hope to see Loving Stores on every street and in every alley,” Tan said, “helping kindness spread throughout the community and purify hearts while fostering harmony in society.” The volunteers aim to reach 1,500 participating stores by the end of this year. “A streetscape filled with Loving Stores—that’s the sight we truly want to see,” she emphasized.
A customer places a donation into a coin bank held out by Lin Li Hui.
Looking up and seeing love
“Even giving just a small bit of help is a joy!” said Yao Jun Kai (姚俊凱), a fruit shop owner on one of Muar’s busy streets, greeting the Tzu Chi volunteers visiting his store with his ever-present smile. With a hint of humor, he added, “It’s perfectly fine to place more coin banks here—anything that helps more people is great!” He continued, “You always come in a big group, and the atmosphere feels so lively and warm. Seeing how you give with such dedication is truly uplifting!”
Tea shop owner Li Shi Zhen (李仕珍) drops spare change into her bank each day, quietly wishing she could help more people. The “Love” sticker is displayed on both sides of her shop. “Every time I look up and see ‘Love,’ I’m reminded of Great Love [an unselfish love promoted by Tzu Chi]. It warms my heart,” she said.
Vegetable vendor Lin Li Hui (林麗慧) was busy weighing produce and giving change to a steady stream of customers when a group of volunteers stopped by. She greeted them with a bright smile and, when invited to join the Loving Store campaign, didn’t hesitate to take a coin bank, make her donation, and invite the first customer to contribute as well. “We need to lead by example,” she said. “When others see us give, they will follow.” Affixing the “Love” sticker to her stall, she added, “It’s like placing a little kindness in your heart. Helping others truly brings happiness!” Though she usually speaks little amid the market bustle, her actions leave footprints of goodwill.
“We aren’t wealthy people, and that’s precisely why we understand the importance of helping others,” said Mohd Fakrey Bin Mohamad Ezad, a Malay vendor. He placed a coin bank in his stall and affixed a “Love” sticker to it. “When people see the sticker and the bank, they’ll drop in a little change. If it can help anyone, that’s a good thing.” He firmly believes that love transcends ethnicity and that everyone can do good. “Chinese, Malay, Indian—it doesn’t matter who you are. When someone is in need, we should help,” he said.
He encouraged the volunteers to place coin banks in even more locations. “Accumulating the money little by little is also a form of Great Love,” he added. As the Malay proverb goes, “Sikit sikit, lama-lama jadi bukit”—little by little, over time, a hill is formed—a powerful reminder that small acts of kindness, repeated consistently, can grow into something extraordinary.
Not far away, the sound of sizzling noodles filled the air as vendor Chen Ming Cai (陳明才) called out warmly while working: “You’re helping others—we must support that! Loving Stores, keep it up!”
Doing good doesn’t require wealth, and giving isn’t measured by the amount. A single kind thought and a bit of genuine sincerity are enough to keep love spreading. Each Loving Store is a reflection of its owner’s goodwill. With invitations for kindness easily visible and “love” everywhere one looks, the streetscape gains a new sense of warmth and cheer.
