20131210慈悲科技具大用Making Use of Technology to Help Those in Need
This water purification system can process five tons of water per day. If each person needs ten liters a day, we can provide water for 500 people a day. We have a hot water dispenser and a water purification system. So, we can cook instant rice and noodles for people very quickly. Two weeks ago, we have shipped three sets of water purification systems to the Philippines.
With so many suffering people in the world, how are we to help them in their time of need? For example, in some flood-stricken areas, there is water everywhere, but people have no clean water to drink because the water is contaminated. That’s why we’ve been working hard to develop a water purification system that can purify dirty water for people to drink.
For years, we’ve been working with Taiwan’s. Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) to develop such a system. And, for many times, I’d asked them to modify this and that at the last minute. Apart from the water purification system, we also use hot water dispenser. In 2011, Thailand was inundated for months due to severe flooding.
At the time, due to the lack of clean drinking water, Tzu Chi volunteers in Malaysia had to ship bottled water to Thailand. Leaning of that, I was very anxious to know if the water purification system we’d been developing for such a long time could be put into use.
In short, Tzu Chi volunteers in southern Taiwan made boats, and our volunteers in northern Taiwan worked with the ITRI to develop the water purification system. With one boat carrying a water purification system and the other carrying a hot water dispenser, we can purify dirty water before using it to prepare instant rice for people.
When I was in Taipei two years ago, I also ate the instant rice our volunteers cooked with the water processed by the purification system. It is truly a very successful invention. This time, the system has also been sent to the Philippines.
The water tastes great. It’s very good and tasty, so I drank half a bottle in one go.
The turbidity level is only 0.3 NTU. In Taiwan, water with a turbidity level under 2 NTU is safe to drink.
I’m very grateful to the ITRI, our Tzu Chi volunteers, etc. for working tirelessly to develop and improve the water purification system. For our international relief effort, they’ve been developing many other devices that can better help people in their daily living once disasters strike. This is what they’ve dedicated themselves to doing.
There are also our temporary shelters. In the aftermath of disasters; we worry about survivors who don’t have a place to live. In situations where land is not available, we cannot build permanent housing for them. So, for those who lose their houses, we provide them with temporary shelters, which are stronger than tents and can last at least five years.
Of course, we have kept making improvements on existing models to make them safer, and easier to assemble. Over the years, our volunteer, Mr. Zhang, has been very patient in designing better models and the latest model is the one we’ve shipped to the Philippines this time. When the temporary shelters were set up to be used as classrooms, the teachers and students were all very happy.
This hand represents Tacloban, and this represents Tzu Chi.
The children are very lucky I’m very grateful to be here to help them. It’s my first time here I really feel a lot for them.
We also saw another school, the Sacred Heart College of Tacloban. The school’s directress originally asked for two temporary classrooms. But when she saw that other schools also need them, she said: We asked for two, but we can use other rooms in the school and give the other one to another school .
Out of gratitude and love, she had arranged other rooms in her school for the students to use so they can give one temporary classroom to another school. Seeing this, I’m truly touched.
We’ve shipped 80 temporary shelters there, but it’s still not enough. Originally, these shelters were meant for Zamboanga, but we’ve moved some of them to Tzcloban, etc. first. Now, Tzu Chi volunteers in Taiwan are preparing to send more.
Apart from temporary shelters, we also shared our instant rice with many people this time. When the locals received the instant rice, some of them took it home to share with their families. Many said they like the instant rice a lot. See, these supplies are shat people cannot do without in their daily living.
So, wherever there are disasters, we need to provide whatever timely aid people need. That’s why we need to make preparations ahead. Over the past few days, we’ve been planning the upcoming aid distribution in the Philippines. We have to accommodate the locals’ needs and make sure that the distribution can be conducted safely and what we give out to people can really help to rebuild their lives. So, we must survey and evaluate the local conditions and modify our plan accordingly every day.
I’m very grateful to our volunteers in Taiwan and the Philippines as well as many typhoon survivors who have been inspired to give of themselves. This is how one seed can give rise to innumerable seeds. When we inspire gratitude in people, they’ll give of themselves with love.
This is how we can guide people to return to their pure, true nature of goodness. See how the locals have been filled with hope again. To repay, the locals brought plastic bottles to us. Some also put coins into our coin banks because they’ve realized that the donations Tzu Chi receives do not come easily and the supplies we give them are made possible by the love of Tzu Chi volunteers worldwide.
So, they are very grateful. This is the power of love. Apart from giving them material supplies, we’ve also brought them an abundance of spiritual wealth.
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