SIBU, May 1: Love is the reason why a lecturer of a private college here, Eta Ting, volunteered herself in the distribution food aid to the needy during this movement control order (MCO) period.
Ting was among the many who dedicated their time and effort to assist the authority in distributing food aid to the needy.
“Love is the answer. The overall reason to volunteer was not made alone by myself, but with my sisters and brothers of various faith communities united in solidarity to create awareness of desiring to share our blessings given to us from our respective beliefs in doing good, like acts of service to those needy during this worldwide health crisis in Sibu,” she said.
Ting, 53, had used the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants (Atipsom), Sibu, where she is the vice-chairperson, as the platform to help the needy.
“When our interfaith group, involved in creating awareness of Atipsom two years ago, was asked to buy the essential food items starting March 28 this year, we did our part to seek a generous donation from our respective faith believers,” she said.
With the permit given, they managed to raise more than RM10,000, which were used to buy essential food items like rice, cooking oil, noodles, biscuits, salt, sugar, and flour.
The items were handed over to other food distributors like women from SIDS (Sarakup Indu Dayak Sarawak), who were assigned to do it.
Ting and her group had also helped SIDS to buy milk powder when requested.
When the state government allocated RM1mill food aid for five state constituencies here, she was quick to help Sibu Divisional Disaster Management Committee in the cause.
Each day she would go out in a car with another volunteer to send the items to the needy. So far she has covered more than 250 households and the number is growing.
“The work is tough but the level of satisfaction in volunteerism work far outweighs it.”
Her greatest challenge has been her request on behalf of their interfaith group comprising of Buddhists, Bahai’s, Christians, Hindus, Sikhs and Muslims in creating awareness to share abundant blessings with others especially the needy due to financial constraints or unable to work daily.
The Atipsom group is now appealing to the people to give a minimum of RM10 so that the labour of loving-kindness acts of charity could be instilled in the people to serve rather than to blame the government or shame others, she said. — DayakDaily
