Tainan City’s Anding District Office’s very own Anding Charity once again sent out a team that showed their compassion through their amazing renovation abilities. On July 6 at 9am, the team arrived at the Wang Family’s home, where team members patched up a roof that had been leaking for years. In addition to installing an aluminum door along with a screen door and solving the issue of the old house not having a certificate of ownership, team members also contacted Taiwan Water Corporation to apply for a new water meter to be installed. The team’s work restored the house so that it now satisfies basic safety requirements, can withstand strong winds and heavy rains, and is able to supply enough water to meet the family’s daily living needs. The Wangs now no longer have to worry about the house’s leaky roof, which has troubled the family for years, and, furthermore, family members won’t have to deal with the burden of getting water. As for the charity’s team members, they expressed that being part of this renovation effort was a very meaningful experience.
The charity’s budget for this renovation effort was allocated by the city government’s Bureau of Social Affairs, which took money out of funds from the Financial Help for Improving Residence Facilities of Low Income Households and Elderly Middle-Low Income and Low Income Households category. Overall, this money was able to cover all the renovation costs. Brother Liang Jin-zhu and Sister Wang Jin-zhu of the Tzu Chi Foundation once again led a volunteer team of men and women that contributed to this home renovation event by cleaning and organizing inside and outside the house. The district office also put substitute civilian servicemen to good use, as they joined the ranks of the cleaning team. Exemplifying the slogan of “young local men doing good deeds locally”, the young men efficiently and effectively completed their tasks.
The Wangs receive a living allowance from the government because they meet the requirements of being an elderly middle-low income or low-income household. They do have children, but none of them live nearby and they aren’t able to give their parents much when it comes to living expenses. As a result, the old couple lives off the meager income from subcontracting work the family does. The house’s damaged roof has been in disrepair for years upon years, and the roof leaks are a result of this. The wooden door originally on the house was essentially unusable, causing the family to worry if the elderly couple was even safe in their own house. After an inspection and appraisal were performed, the city government’s Bureau of Social Affairs was contacted in order to apply for funds and seek the assistance of the charity to carry out renovation work. Overall, because of this kind effort, the Wangs now enjoy a much more livable home.
District Chief Liu Shih-Hsiung explained the primary reason Anding Charity was formed. He stated that many of us know that when it comes to public or private organizations there are different types of criteria people must meet in order to be qualified for the various types of financial assistance available, and these requirements have certain limitations and restrictions as well. Furthermore, the amount of money awarded is often not enough to cover the entire renovation effort. And, even if there is enough money, disadvantaged people are typically unable to do the renovation work themselves. The charity is special in that it is a combined effort of public and private working together; the government serves as the leader and when it is unable to do something it will have the private side lend both physical resources and human resources so that all needs are met in the end.
The most important factor for why this renovation effort was successful is that the charity members were able to utilize their knowledge and skills pertaining plumbing and electricity. For example, they contacted the Taiwan Water Corporation to apply for a new water meter and helped ensure that the installation of the water meter was done correctly. The team members worked well with the district office’s General Affairs Section. This section of the district office helped by contacting the city’s Household Registration Office to confirm the household’s registration time and processing the house’s old proof of building title. Anding District Office and Anding Charity were a good duo that coordinated seamlessly, which is why this renovation task went so smoothly. Their work means the family’s former water issues are now a thing of the past, as home is now a renovated house that has everything a home should.
Contact: Li Jia-lun, Anding District Office, Social Affairs Section; Phone: 5921116 ext. 128