Members belonging to (Tainan City) Anding District Office’s Anding Charity Organization are highly capable renovators known for having compassionate hearts. On February 17, they went to repair the Zhangs’ roof, which had been leaky for years. The team took the roof’s poor drainage system into consideration, because it was the primary cause of the house’s roof leaks. Mr. Wu, a galvanized iron construction specialist and a volunteer for this project, served as the leader of this renovation effort. His rain canopy design will keep rain out so that the Zhang family will no longer have to worry about the leaking roof conundrum that has afflicted them for years. Furthermore, they also won’t need to be bothered with the inconvenience of laying waterproof plastic tarps across the house’s furniture and other objects, as the house has been returned to being a functional living space.
Concerning the charity group’s funding for this project, Tainan City Government’s Bureau of Social Affairs was notified, and the bureau was able to allocate some money from the Subsidy Program for Improving the Facilities of Elderly Low-Income Households and Lower Middle-Income Households. This money ended up going towards renovation costs. Mr. Wu went to the site personally and used his galvanized iron expertise to evaluate possible options, and then he discussed feasible solutions with the owner. Both parties felt that adding a rain canopy design would prevent rain from directly hitting the roof, which often causes water to leak into the home’s interior. Furthermore, this method would also keep costs as low as possible. In the end, the team was able to complete their mission without any hitches.
The Zhang family qualifies as a low-income household, so it receives a living subsidy, but this amount barely covers their living expenses. As a result, the family never had any extra money to repair their home. Recently, a private charity had helped patch up the roof’s leaky areas, but, despite these improvements, the house still suffered from a dilemma where a new problem would pop up as soon as one section was fixed. As for the house’s interior, the roof leaks forced the family to cover all the furniture and other objects with a layer of plastic tarps. As a result, the house was unable to provide even the most basic aspects of a suitable living space. After carrying out an on-site inspection of the house, Anding District Office contacted the city’s Bureau of Social Affairs to apply for funding. The district office then sent charity members to renovate the house so that this project’s family could enjoy a home that meets basic living needs.
Expressing what makes Anding Charity Organization so special, District Chief Liu Shih-Hsiung said the group is able to avoid bureaucratic red tape that bogs down application processes for receiving support from government entities. Furthermore, the volunteers use their expertise to give advice during group discussion, and this helps them focus on each case’s particular needs so that they can carry out construction techniques that best remedy the problem. Because of the qualities mentioned above, they’re able to quickly plan and then solve each house’s issue, which typically has been a burden for years.
Once the Bureau of Social Affairs gave their approval that this case qualified for a government subsidy, the crew began renovation work in accordance with suggestions given during the house’s inspection. The volunteers’ professional construction skills enabled the charity organization to finish the project in just one day, proving that the group’s efficiency has improved over time. We all hope that Anding Charity Organization’s benevolent renovation efforts will be able to ensure that all Anding District residents have homes that are functional living spaces.
Contact: Anding District Office, Social Affairs Section, Li Jia-lun
Phone: 5921116 Ext. 128