![A clean-up effort was underway when Tzu Chi volunteers arrived at Chung Hua Sibuti to assess the situation and offer care. Their helping hands sparked a ripple of kindness. [Photo by Jong Siew Kee]](/images/Articles/CS/2025/MR20250223_013.jpg "A clean-up effort was underway when Tzu Chi volunteers arrived at Chung Hua Sibuti to assess the situation and offer care. Their helping hands sparked a ripple of kindness. [Photo by Jong Siew Kee]")
In late January 2025, floods swept across many parts of Sarawak, but in the heart of disaster, the strength of community shone through.
The sudden flood disrupted countless lives, and for vulnerable families, the burden of recovery was especially heavy. Many children lost their uniforms and school supplies, while damaged facilities left schools struggling to reopen. Thankfully, help arrived in time to ensure a smooth return to school just two weeks later.
For Delpi, a single mother in Bintulu, the flood not only wrecked her home but also deepened her financial struggles. With three children about to start school, yet their uniforms and school supplies lay ruined, she felt helpless. Upon learning of her predicament, Tzu Chi volunteers swiftly purchased the essentials and delivered them to her.
Seeing her children receive brand-new uniforms, backpacks, and stationery, Delpi was overwhelmed with gratitude. “I never expected this,” she said. “Now my children can go to school with peace of mind, and I feel relieved.”
Like a guiding light in the storm, this timely assistance restored hope for Delpi and her children. Deeply moved, she expressed her wish to one day join the volunteers in giving back whenever she has a Sunday off.
◎ Help arrived in time
The flood also severely impacted SJK(C) Chung Hua Sibuti and its kindergarten in Miri, leaving classrooms, the library, and other ground-floor facilities in ruins. On February 4, as teachers, students and parents gathered to clean the school, more than 20 Tzu Chi volunteers who had come for an assessment joined in the effort.
When they learned that the school urgently needed desks, chairs, and cabinets to resume classes by February 17, the volunteers acted swiftly, ensuring the necessary support was in place before the scheduled reopening day. In appreciation, the school offered its hall as one of the venues for Tzu Chi’s relief fund distribution.
Principal Tiong Yieug Nee expressed gratitude to Tzu Chi and all kind-hearted individuals for the outpouring of support, which enabled the school to recover so quickly. She hopes more people will embrace charity and spread love in society.
The school’s Board Chairman, Sim Soon Nian, shared similar sentiments. Although he had heard of Tzu Chi before, he had never participated in its activities. Witnessing the volunteers’ meticulous organisation during the distribution ceremony left him both surprised and moved. Inspired by the spirit of the Bamboo Bank Era, he now hopes to introduce it to the school, nurturing a culture of kindness among students.
◎ Planting seeds of gratitude
“Thank you for helping us during and after the flood, providing essential supplies, food, and even cleaning up.
“Thank you Tzu Chi for your assistance and support during the flood. Your kindness means so much to us, and we cherish it. May you be blessed for your generosity.”
More than half of the students at Chung Hua Sibuti came from flood-affected families and received relief funds from Tzu Chi. Under their teachers’ guidance, the students hand-crafted thank-you cards.
Beyond expressing thanks, the teachers saw this as a meaningful lesson in life – one that teaches children to be grateful, cherish what they have, and help others in need. As the students watched volunteers give selflessly, they began to understand that love is not just something to receive but also something to pass on.
Some children drew bright suns and flowers to symbolise warmth and hope, while others wrote heartfelt messages of thanks. Some even illustrated people helping one another, a testament to the strength of unity in the aftermath of disaster. These cards were more than just expressions of gratitude – they were seeds of kindness, quietly taking root in young hearts.
While lives are gradually returning to normalcy, the love and compassion that emerged in the wake of the floods continue to ripple outward. In the face of hardship, kindness becomes the bridge that connects lives, bringing warmth, hope, and the promise of a brighter tomorrow.
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The cash aid carried heartfelt blessings, helping beneficiaries regain hope for the future. This act of kindness will ripple out from each recipient’s heart, reaching far beyond the hall.
