Tzu Chi Singapore held an introductory course on conducting home visits to the needy for new volunteers, who also had the first-hand experience of visiting aid beneficiaries. (Photo by Lim Beng Chai)
“While visiting a needy household one day, an elderly man who suffered from dementia asked me the same question, ‘What do you do for work?’, several times every five minutes. I patiently replied him each time, as though I were answering his question for the first time,” said Tzu Chi’s home visit volunteer, Beh Keng Hua.
Beh was speaking at an introductory course on conducting home visits to aid and care recipients held by Tzu Chi Foundation (Singapore) on 31st March 2019. The class aimed to introduce the principles and guidelines of Tzu Chi’s charity home visits to new volunteers or interested participants. The attendees were also invited to join experienced Tzu Chi volunteers in visiting the homes of the Foundation’s beneficiaries on its monthly Charity Day event in April.
Previously, considering that many of its aid and care recipients are physically and/or mentally challenged, Tzu Chi only allowed trained volunteers to join its home visit programme. The volunteers must have a clear understanding of the role of a home visit volunteer, Tzu Chi’s aid programmes and the guidelines for writing home visit reports.
The introductory course on conducting home visits to the needy allowed 103 participants to learn about Tzu Chi’s charity home visit programme. (Photo by Goa Yee Boon)
Providing the needed support and assistance to the needy
Tzu Chi’s principles of relief work are: directness, priority, practicability, respect and gratitude, and timeliness. Apart from giving help and assistance to underprivileged households, it is also important for the volunteers to provide emotional support to the aid and care beneficiaries and to help them get back on their feet.
During the class, experienced home visit volunteer Na Pei Ai shared that as a non-governmental charitable organisation, Tzu Chi’s role is to step in to fill the gaps in government assistance. It mainly provides living allowances to needy households/individuals, or interim assistance while the latter are waiting for government assistance.
For every new potential beneficiary, volunteers will conduct the first home visit to assess their needs and living conditions. Take for example the case of an elderly person who requested for aid. The volunteers will first gain an understanding of his family situation and assess whether his family has the means to provide for him. If not, they will suggest to him to apply for assistance from the relevant authorities, and Tzu Chi will provide the needed aid while he is waiting for government assistance.
Tzu Chi’s charity funds come from public donations. Hence, its charitable assistance aims to function like a “crutch” rather than a “prosthesis”. A “crutch” only provides temporary support and assistance. When an aid recipient has the ability to support himself, the “crutch” will be given to another needy person to support and help the latter.
Volunteer leader Andrew Lim shared with the class the basic principles of Tzu Chi’s charity home visits and highlighted important points to take note of, including maintaining the confidentiality of Tzu Chi’s beneficiaries and the dos and don’ts. As the aid recipients are usually very trustful of the volunteers, they would often share details of the problems and difficulties they encounter in life with the latter.
Lim stressed that volunteers are not to openly discuss about the aid recipients’ issues in public areas so as to maintain the latter’s confidentiality. He also spoke of the safety and precautionary measures that volunteers should take while doing home visits. For example, they must cover up any open wounds they have so as to prevent infection. Volunteers are also not advised to give aid supplies or money to the aid recipients themselves. They must reevaluate the needs of an aid recipients and submit a report to Tzu Chi, which will then make adjustments to the assistance rendered if necessary.
Volunteer leader Andrew Lim explaining the guidelines and principles of Tzu Chi’s charity home visits to the attendees. (Photo by Goa Yee Boon)
During the Question-and-Answer session, someone asked, “If the aid recipient is sick, how can the home visit volunteers protect themselves?”
Lim explained that it depends on the disease the aid recipient is suffering from. If the recipient is a HIV patient, the virus will not be spread through talking, shaking hands or hugging as it is blood-borne. If the recipient suffers from tuberculosis, the volunteers need to open the door and windows to keep his home ventilated as the disease is air-borne, and they can also request the recipient to put on a face mask. If a volunteer is not feeling well, he should not join the home visit, to void transmitting the disease or virus to others.
A group of senior volunteers answering questions posed by the audience during the Question-and-Answer session. (Photo by Goa Yee Boon)
Class attendee Zhang Hui Yi, who has volunteered in another NGOs before, revealed that attending the introductory course on conducting charity home visits helped her to realise that it is indeed a blessing to be able to help those in need. She said that the joy she derived from helping others is priceless, and that this is an important goal in her life. She has also signed up to join the home visits on Tzu Chi’s Charity Day in April.
“Honestly speaking, I can’t wait to join the home visits (on Charity Day) next week,” said Zheng Yong Hui, who came to Tzu Chi for the first time. Her friend had introduced Tzu Chi to her and encouraged her to join the class. She was hopeful and eager to learn how to go about conducting charity home visits, and said that the class had helped broaden her knowledge on the subject. She hoped very much to join the good cause to repay society.
First-hand experience in home visiting
One week later, on 7th April 2019, Zheng Yong Hui joined experienced Tzu Chi home visit volunteers in the home visits. She quietly observed how the volunteers interacted with the aid recipients. After witnessing how the volunteers helped bathe an elderly man and cut his hair, she was deeply touched.
“I realise that charity work can be such a heart-warming affair. I’ve always thought that charity is about donating money or aid supplies to the underprivileged and needy. Now, I feel that what I have done in the past was only giving aid. It is only when we personally visit the aid recipients to give them aid and help bathe the elderly and cut their hair like what Tzu chi volunteers have done, that we are really truly doing charity work,” shared Zheng.
Zheng Yong Hui (second from the left) shared that she has gained a deeper understanding of and experience in charity work after having personally participated in Tzu Chi’s charity home visits. (Photo by Lim Beng Chai)
Chen Yi Qiang, who was also a first-time participant of Tzu Chi’s charity home visits, conversed with a Malay aid recipient in fluent Malay, and gained an understanding of the latter’s life and living situation. After visiting four beneficiary households, he reminded himself to be content with his lot and to have less complaints in life.
“Oftentimes, I felt really tired when I returned home from work. Through the home visits, I’ve discovered that there are people who live harder lives than me,” he said.
Although he had learned the basics of home visit a week ago, it was only after he had personally experienced it that he realised a lot of preparation work needed to be done beforehand. He commented that although an individual could also do charity work by himself, his strength is limited and he may not continue the work in the long term. He felt that an organisation, such as Tzu Chi would be able to do more to help more people in need.
Chen Yi Qiang (first from the right) chatting with a Malay aid recipient in fluent Malay. (Photo by Yaw Huey Xin)
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