Page 31 - Tzu Chi Q&A_First Edition

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How many donating members does Tzu Chi have? What is the story behind Tzu Chi’s coin banks?

As of 2016, the number of Tzu Chi’s donating When Tzu Chi was first founded and had scarce re-
members had accumulated to over 10 million across sources, Master Cheng Yen asked the 30 housewives
the world. who followed her to each save 50 NT cents (approx-
imately 1 US cent) from their grocery money in a
bamboo coin bank every day, and then they pooled
their savings together to help those in need.

As the word spread, more and more people were in-
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spired to take up the
What is the significance of the Tzu Chi logo? practice of saving 50
NT cents a day, and Tzu
The Tzu Chi logo is a lotus flower in full bloom with Chi was able to help
a ship at the heart of the flower. The flower rep- more people in need.
resents enlightenment, and the ship signifies ferry-
ing living beings across the sea of suffering to the Up to this date, saving a
shore of peace and safety. little every day in a coin
bank is still being prac-
ticed by Tzu Chi mem-
bers and many people
around the world.

As Master Cheng Yen
often says, everyone, School children in Singapore drop
money into large bamboo coin
rich or poor, can give banks to help the needy. (Liu Su-fang)
what they can to help others. It’s not the amount
of donation that counts, but the heart to give. By

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