One Thought, a Thousand Ripples — Celebrating Ten Years of the English Education Group

Every change begins with observation. Every transformation begins with one courageous step.

In 2013, volunteer Mah Lay Hwa, then the Community Leader of Central 4 (a Tzu Chi service zone in Subang Jaya and Putra Heights), observed a silent gap. Many Parent-Child Bonding Classes (PCBC) in Tzu Chi were conducted in Mandarin and were benefitting countless families. Parents became more understanding, children more mindful, and homes became more loving. The connection between heart and home was evident.

Yet, in USJ Subang Jaya, there existed a different group of families: English-speaking parents, mostly working professionals, who did not understand Mandarin well. At the same time, there was a growing number of English-speaking Tzu Chi volunteers in this community.

Lay Hwa felt conditions were ripe for an English PCBC – the doorway into Tzu Chi humanistic education should be opened for the non-Chinese speaking community too.

Hence, Lay Hwa held onto one sincere thought: “If there’s a need, we must respond.”

And so, she approached fellow volunteer Stephanie Chew, who had just been commissioned that year, to explore the possibility of starting an English PCBC. But there was no blueprint—none of the materials existed in English. Everything, from Jing Si Aphorisms lesson plans, AV materials, books, to training materials and more, had to be translated, adapted, and refined to suit the English-speaking volunteers and participants.

The task was overwhelming.

Stephanie recalled that moment vividly, “I was excited yet concerned about my ability.” As she expressed this to Lay Hwa, the senior commissioner placed her hand gently on hers and said, with calm certainty, “Don’t worry. I’ll hold your hand. And we’ll back you up.”

Sometimes, courage is not loud. Sometimes, it sounds like one person saying, “You’re not alone.” From then on, a few Chinese group senior volunteers who had walked this journey stepped forward to offer their support selflessly.

Thus, the seed of English Education Group (EG Edu) was planted—not in soil, but in hearts.

◎ 2015: The first blooms

In 2015, the first English PCBC class began – not just at Taipan, USJ, but also at the Tzu Chi Kelana Jaya Community Centre, where volunteer Matthew Lim led the class.

Parents came with curiosity. Volunteers came with willingness. Children came with innocence and open hearts. Week after week, lesson after lesson, the classroom became more than just a room. It became a sanctuary. A place where kindness was the language, and sincerity was the method.

Every Jing Si Aphorism was translated carefully. Every lesson plan was adapted patiently. Every parent was welcomed wholeheartedly.

Slowly, the seeds sprouted.

In 2016, under the guidance of Echo Chien, CEO of Tzu Chi KL & Selangor, both groups were merged and relocated to the KL Tzu-Chi Jing Si Hall, where the programme has remained rooted till today.

Growth continued in an organic, meaningful way:

• Children graduated from PCBC and matured into their teen years.
• In 2023, the Tzu Chi Teenager Class Junior (TCJ) was formed to guide the growing teenagers.
• In 2025, the Klang English Group started their own PCBC with the support of the KL & Selangor English Group.

A single thought of kindness has, with the continuous and collective kind actions of everyone, nurtured the initial seed into a small tree with healthy branches.

◎ The pandemic arrived, but love did not stop

In 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic swept across the globe, physical classes came to a halt. The world froze. Fear and uncertainty filled homes. Yet within EG Edu, something else ignited. Instead of waiting for “normal” to return, the team decided to grow through adversity.

Classes were moved online—boldly, experimentally, courageously.

At a time when many were still figuring out how to unmute their microphones, EG Edu volunteers were already conducting online parent-child bonding sessions, complete with breakout rooms, experiential activities, a vegetarian cooking challenge, a filial piety tea ceremony, service learning, and the whole works!

They did not do it because they knew how. They did it because the children mattered most.

When intention is pure, solutions appear. When hearts align, paths open.

By the time the world resumed physical gatherings, EG Edu did not just survive the pandemic—it evolved.

◎ A celebration of a decade

On November 9, 2025, 165 people filled Jing Si Hall—parents, children, teachers, volunteers, and supporters, comprising 59 children, 36 volunteer helpers, and countless hearts intertwined by affinity.

The celebration was not merely an anniversary; it was a testimony.

The event began with a powerful four-minute commemorative video, featuring a specially written song for the occasion and chronicling the group’s journey from 2015 to 2025. As the images flashed across the screen, many eyes shimmered with tears.

They were not tears of nostalgia. They were tears of joy and gratitude.

◎ When stories reveal the depth of the journey

What touched hearts the most that day were not the decorations, nor the performances, but the sharing—real voices, real lives, real transformation.

Parent Rachel shared that PCBC taught her that “gratitude steers attitude”. After the passing of her husband, she found comfort in the community and strength in the lessons. The programme had become a supportive embrace, a place where her heart could land safely.

Mother and daughter, Melissa and Chloe, shared via video recording across the miles, how friendships formed here became lasting and meaningful. The class was not just an activity—it was a space where hearts and minds grew.

TCJ student Adelle Seow spoke confidently about her personal growth—from a child in PCBC to a young adult in TCJ. She described PCBC and TCJ as a “safe space to be myself and learn how to be better”. Her journey was not only academic, but emotional and spiritual, to be an “upgraded version of me”.

Parent Ch’ng Kooi Tick and his son, Sean, showed the true meaning of perseverance. Due to full enrolment, they were initially unable to join the Mandarin PCBC classes in their residential area, Puchong. Yet year after year, they returned to participate in the English classes. From participant to active volunteer, Kooi Tick stayed on—extending his contribution to various acts of service. For their unbroken ten-year journey, both father and son received the Enduring Affinity Award.

When love anchors action, endurance becomes natural.

◎ Learning for the heart and mind

Dr. Khoo Boon Hock, a Consultant Paediatrician and TIMA member, reminded us that today’s world is shifting rapidly. Children growing up today need more than academic results. They need the core 4Cs: Communication, Collaboration, Critical thinking, and Creativity. And he added another 4Cs essential for inner stability: Self-Control, Self-Confidence, Curiosity, and Caring (for self and others).

He shared that true growth comes when the mind, heart, and actions align—not only what children know, but who they become. Finally, Dr. Khoo added Good Character as the final glue to bind it all together. A child needs to have moral knowing (using head), moral feeling (using heart) and moral action (using hands).

Dr. Khoo reminded parents that they should not be like a carpenter in parenting, but rather, they are gardeners of their children’s lives – to nourish and nurture, not to fix and create.

◎ Hands speak: The sign language performance

One of the most touching moments was the sign language performance of the song “Thank You”. Parents and children stood together, hands moving gracefully in unison, expressing gratitude for family, friends, and Mother Nature.

Joshua, one of the PCBC participants known for his energetic spirit, led the performance with poise and focus. Candy Chan, the emcee, was so touched by the loving bond between parents and children during the performance that she shed tears.

◎ A time capsule for the future

To mark the milestone, Sharmila Dewi, a parent with PCBC for the last two years, led the creation of a time capsule—filled with messages for future volunteers, hopes from parents, dreams from children, and aspirations for the next decade.

Sealed inside a thermos flask, it will sleep for ten years. When opened again, some of the children will be young adults. New volunteers will be leading. This moment will become a memory; and this memory will become a blessing.

◎ Volunteers – The gardeners of a Bodhi forest

At the close of the event, the Programme, Admin, and Duifu (Facilitator) teams, and all supporting volunteers stood together. Each one contributed in their own way: 
Some planned. Some taught. Some carried chairs. Some wiped tears.

Different hands. Same heart.

Truly, as Master Cheng Yen looks forward to a forest of Bodhi trees, every volunteer is a gardener of the spirit of Great Love, nurturing seeds of kindness in the children and parents, through their kind thoughts, speech, and actions.

With heartfelt messages from volunteer Chee Hui Yee, Leader of the Tzu Chi KL & Selangor Education Mission, and volunteer Robert Chong, Head of the Tzu Chi KL & Selangor English Group, the celebration concluded with a collective bow of gratitude.

◎ From one thought to infinite ripples

As the EG Edu family gathered for a final group photo, Stephanie reflected on the journey. A single thought from Lay Hwa had grown into a decade-long ripple, touching hundreds of lives.

This is not the story of a project. This is the story of affinity, perseverance, and transformation.

The English Group Education team stands today as proof that:

• When one person cares, change begins.
• When two people walk together, the load becomes lighter.
• When a community comes together, an entire forest grows.

From one seed… to one class… to one decade… to countless lives touched.

Although the celebration marked the milestone of ten years, in truth, the journey continues still — from one to infinity.