Jiamu Tribe's Elderly Care Short on Rice and Basic Cookware, Volunteers Struggle On for Nearly Five Months

Report of May 7, 2013:

Daxiong from the tribe called to say that the tribe had gradually received about thirty thousand yuan in donations, and the money had come into the community development association's public account. This sum should be enough to buy the equipment, and the white rice has already been purchased. For the tribe's difficulties at this stage, this money is already sufficient. We are very grateful to everyone. If there is need in the future, we will ask for your help again. We hope everyone will direct their strength to other groups that need help.

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Daxiong is the chairman of the youth association of the Jiamu tribe of the Rukai people. Because of the typhoon disaster, nearly half the residents of Jiamu tribe in Wutai Township have moved to live in the Changzhi Baihe Permanent Housing. But in the permanent housing, the young and able-bodied are out working during the day, leaving only the elderly and children behind. So the tribe set up daytime elder care, using blood pressure checks and a once-a-week communal meal to let the elders keep each other company and have someone looking out for them.

At first we thought this activity was limited to the elders of Jiamu tribe. When we asked Daxiong roughly how many people there were, this is what he told me: "It is like this. The Jiamu elder activity is often loved by everyone, so the elders of Guchuan, Dewen and Dalai have also become regular elders who come to the classes, and at present it is still heading in this direction, so... it should be more than half of the park."

But because the subsidy plan applied for this year had still not been approved, from January until now volunteers have been finding ways to pool money to buy the ingredients and equipment for lunch. But after moving down to the flatlands, making daily living expenses balance is really not easy, and that night we received a plea for help from the tribe's young people.

There are about 30-40 elders, and what they mainly lack is white rice, as well as fast stoves and a simple cooking counter. The tribe also knows it cannot rely on help for everything, so apart from white rice, the vegetable ingredients are all supplied by crops the elders grow together in the spiritual field. It is just that white rice and a simple stove really are a considerable expense. Is there anyone willing to help?

Below is the message sent by Daxiong:

Please help. There is one thing that is really embarrassing to bring up. Recently the community elder activity plan has not yet received assistance. From January until now, the tribe's volunteers not only have to set aside a day to accompany the community elders, but also have to pool money to buy the lunch to be cooked and the equipment needed for the activity. But I know that most of the volunteers also live under tight circumstances, so I cannot bear to see them like this, and so I want to ask everyone for a favor. We need your assistance.

Friends willing to help, please contact: Ke Xinxiong 0928-183-665

Or you can also contact: Morakot reporter Liu Weiting 0963-217-072