Buddhist Compassion Relief Tzu Chi Foundation

In San José Pinula, Guatemala, Tzu Chi has distributed stationery to schoolchildren for 11 years. This year, to encourage students, it awarded a scholarship of GTQ 100 (US$12.77) to those with an average grade of over 90 in the school year.

Encouragement

The mayor of San José Pinula, Miguel Angel Solares, has worked with Tzu Chi in order to help his community for 11 years since he took office. He has continued to organize distribution of materials and free clinics, as well as the distribution of stationery for schoolchildren at the beginning of each year.

About one hundred schoolchildren received the scholarship; they waved their envelopes happily. The scholarship was sponsored by a kind-hearted man, to encourage the students to work hard to learn. Mayor Miguel Angel Solares said: "Many Tzu Chi volunteers came today to commend the schoolchildren with an average score of 90 or above. Congratulations to them."

Timely Good Deeds

With the start of school just around the corner, Tzu Chi's distribution of stationery for the children has reduced the financial burden of many parents. They want to make good use of this extra reward.

A parent said: "I will use the scholarship to buy a schoolbag."

In the activity centre of City Hall, staff also took the opportunity to distribute brand new stationery to nearly 500 schoolchildren. Volunteers raised funds on the site, and many parents and children responded by throwing coins because they were already familiar with the spirit of the Tzu Chi coin bank.

Timely good deeds are the most beautiful and, through them, the power of goodness grows. Join Tzu Chi and let us make our world a better place.

Article by documentary volunteer Wu Ci-tian reports from Guatemala