![Refugee students from the Harmony Alternative Learning Centre marked the opening of the celebration with a sign language rendition and a Raya song, showcasing their talents and spreading the festive spirit. [Photo by Ong Siew Geok]](/images/Articles/CS/2023/KL20230430_wxy01_094.jpg "Refugee students from the Harmony Alternative Learning Centre marked the opening of the celebration with a sign language rendition and a Raya song, showcasing their talents and spreading the festive spirit. [Photo by Ong Siew Geok]")
Eid al-Fitr is an important festival for the Muslims, signifying the end of the fasting month of Ramadhan. Tzu Chi KL & Selangor held its inaugural Eid al-Fitr distribution event at KL Tzu-Chi Jing Si Hall to celebrate this joyous occasion with the Muslim care recipients.
It was a sunny morning. With festive songs playing in the background, Tzu Chi Commissioners dressed in cheongsam stood in two rows near the entrance to the Jing Si Hall foyer, welcoming the care recipients with warm smiles and applause.
On April 30, 2023, Tzu Chi KL & Selangor held an Eid al-Fitr distribution event for Muslim care recipients at the KL Tzu-Chi Jing Si Hall. It was the first time such an event took place, and the volunteers put in sincere efforts to create a warm and unique celebration for the 25 families (totalling 99 people) in attendance.
Under the guidance of volunteers, the care recipients first took a family portrait at the photo booth. The backdrop featured a traditional Malay stilt house, adorned with decorative ketupat (rice dumpling) lightings, bamboo lamps, lemang (rice in bamboo tubes), and other festive decorations.
A joyful Saipol shared his excitement, “Our family has no budget for a family portrait. This is our very first one!”
◎ Turning receivers into givers
The Eid al-Fitr celebration ceremony kicked off with a captivating performance by a group of refugee students from the Tzu-Chi Harmony Alternative Learning Centre. They presented to the audience a sign language rendition of the song “Hear My Thanks” and a spirited performance of the Eid al-Fitr song “Bersyukur Seadanya”. As the students sang and danced on stage, the audience clapped their hands, creating a joyous atmosphere.
Juliza, a single mother from Sabah, raises her four children on her own. However, as her youngest son suffers from congenital hydrocephalus and requires her constant care, she is unable to leave the house for work. She shared, “Tzu Chi has helped us a lot, especially in terms of the children’s education. During the pandemic, they not only sent us two mobile phones equipped with data to enable the kids to continue their studies online, but they also enrolled the kids in the ‘i∙didik’ (online tuition) programme, which has helped them make good progress. I feel really lucky. Thank you, Tzu Chi volunteers and teachers. You are great…”
Ismail, whose wife was unwell, attended the event alone. He waved his bamboo bank on stage, sharing his thoughts of saving small money to do great things. “My wife and I came to know Tzu Chi when our lives were at the most challenging. With the volunteers’ care and company, we realised that we should not only think about our own sufferings, because there are many more who are in worse situations and need our help.”
Ismail, who walked heavily on crutches, is a survivor of colorectal cancer. After watching scenes of various sufferings in the footage, he expressed his gratitude to have overcome the illness in his octogenarian years, with support and guidance from the volunteers. He shared, “Volunteers not only assisted us with accessing social resources and arranging a wheelchair, but they also provided motivation. I personally experienced it – Tzu Chi reaches out to people regardless of colour and religion.”
As the ceremony came to an end, the refugee students once again took to the stage, and together with a group of Tzu Chi Collegiate Youth (Tzu Ching) members surrounding the audience, they performed a sign language rendition of the Malay version of the song “One Family”. Their synchronised movements and the touching song captivated the audience, and many joined in the performance.
◎ Learning about recycling and vegetarianism
Following that, the care recipients were divided into two groups – one to watch a skit on vegetarianism, another to have a hands-on experience in classifying recyclables. The light-hearted and lively skit performed by the Tzu Ching members, highlighting the importance of consuming more fruits and vegetables, was amusing and entertaining.
No festive celebration is complete without a delicious meal. Volunteers thoughtfully prepared a variety of Halal traditional Malay vegetarian dishes, including nasi tomato, tempeh rendang, vegetarian lontong, roti jala, pastries and others. Everyone enjoyed the meal.
After the meal, the care recipients made their way to the preloved corner to pick their choice of clothes and dolls. The children’s faces lit up with joy as they received Bobo balloons featuring different cartoon characters. The care recipients left Jing Si Hall happily with an Eid al-Fitr gift bag loaded with Jing-Si products and their newly captured family portrait.
◎ Paying kindness forward
Romelah bt Ismail brought her granddaughter to the Jing Si Hall for the first time. After the demise of her second daughter and son-in-law, she was left to care for her three school-going grandchildren. That, coupled with her own health issues and the responsibility of looking after her disabled daughter, put her in a slump.
She said tearfully, “I am deeply grateful to Tzu Chi for reaching out when I was in trouble. More than the financial assistance, it was their spiritual support and encouragement that truly gave me a renewed sense of life!"
Encouraged by the volunteers, she donates to the bamboo bank daily. “Although life is difficult, these small contributions gradually accumulate. I am glad that I can engage in acts of kindness without having to wait until I am rich.” Romelah looks forward to her recovery and join the Tzu Chi family.
Ahmad Padal bin Salima, a kidney dialysis patient, and his wife, Juma Ati, both from Indonesia, have three children. They sought assistance from Tzu Chi in 2021 as they could not afford the cost of dialysis.
Juma, who works as a cleaner, takes the initiative to collect recyclables from her work sites and sell them for extra income. Inspired by Tzu Chi’s global charitable efforts, she also began collecting recyclables at home and sending them to Tzu Chi recycling point every month. She expressed, “I want to do my part to protect the Earth and help those in need.”
When she received the newly taken family portrait, Juma smiled and admired the photo in her hands, saying, "Beautiful!" She could not stop smiling to be presented with an Eid al-Fitr gift bag from the volunteers. "Tzu Chi has not only prepared a lineup of programmes for us today, but you have also presented us with so many things! I am very happy and extremely grateful!"
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Living in this multicultural country with diverse religious faiths, it is a beautiful sight to witness people sharing the joy of festivities harmoniously. It is hoped that the thoughtfully arranged event will leave wonderful memories in the hearts of the care recipients.
