Buddhist Compassion Relief Tzu Chi Foundation

On January 11, volunteers distributed school supplies to 152 students from 19 schools in Palencia, near Guatemala City. The supplies included notebooks, pencils, rulers, erasers, stickers, scissors, schoolbags, and uniforms. Twenty students who did well in school also received a scholarship of 100 quetzales (US$12) each.

At the donation ceremony, representatives from the government, parents, students, and teachers went on stage one by one to express their gratitude to Tzu Chi. The mayor’s wife thanked the volunteers for their continuous help to residents of Palencia over the last five years, and she especially asked the volunteers to convey her infinite appreciation to Master Cheng Yen, the founder of Tzu Chi.

A couple showed up with four of their ten children. The husband was a farm laborer, and the family was not well off. They thanked the volunteers for the beautiful school supplies given to their 13-year-old daughter Gladys and 10-year-old son Omar. Joy was written all over their faces.

It was the first time eight-year-old Lejina had received school supplies and a scholarship from Tzu Chi. Her brother, ten-year-old Hugo, had received a scholarship last year, and this year, because of his good grades, he won another scholarship. Their mother was very grateful to Tzu Chi volunteers for giving her children such substantive encouragement and support.

Source: Tzu Chi Quarterly Spring 2009