Regretting the timidity that led to missing the Wenchuan earthquake relief
A pair of twin sisters from Hong Kong, Lam Ka-wai and Lam Ka-yan, both born in the 1980s, had always felt remorseful for missing the opportunity to participate in the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake relief work in Sichuan due to timidity. The disaster in Yushu Prefecture was severe. At the time, they were only 25 years old. A few days after the earthquake, they quit their jobs as clerks and hair salon workers without telling their families, dragging large bags of clothing and medicine to provide relief. To save money to help the victims, the two boarded a train heading west, becoming some of the first volunteers to arrive in the disaster area. Both victims and other volunteers said: "You are truly amazing and very resilient!"
Taking on a complementary liaison role
They did not shy away from the fact that there was no detailed relief plan at the time, and the two set a basic principle: "We must not become a burden to the relief efforts; if we cannot help, we must return to Hong Kong." After joining local volunteer groups, the sisters carried out their first 60-day continuous relief mission, responsible for volunteer teaching, victim liaison, and referral services. "Different volunteer groups have different targets and scopes of relief; we took on a complementary and liaison role."
The victims were stronger than the two had imagined; although they would cry, they knew they had to work hard to overcome this difficulty. Local Tibetan children took the initiative to act as interpreters, translating Mandarin into Tibetan to strengthen communication between victims and volunteers. Over the past 4 years, the two have been to Yushu at least 7 times, staying for 1 to 2 months each time. Their last trip to Yushu was at the end of last year, when they delivered winter clothing and cold-weather supplies to the locals.
The average altitude of Yushu Prefecture is over 4,200 meters, with an average temperature of only 0°C. Winter generally lasts from October to April of the following year, with temperatures dropping as low as -20°C. These are the most difficult days of the year for the victims, and they mainly assist with winter aid projects.
Customized plans in cooperation with Oxfam
They recalled that in the winter of 2010, they customized a winter relief plan and spontaneously raised 30,000 HKD through social networks in Hong Kong, cooperating with Oxfam for disaster relief. In addition to winter clothing and food, they believed that fuel was indispensable. "Burning yak dung for warmth in the house only requires wearing one layer of clothing. 20 bags of yak dung are enough for a household to get through the coldest times." Ka-yan admitted that the pressure of a self-initiated relief plan was immense: "Resources are limited, so the plan must be rigorous and used for those most in need. At the same time, the colder the weather, the more expensive the yak dung, and icy roads are not conducive to transportation, so we had to rush to deliver supplies to the victims before winter arrived."
8,000 bags of yak dung distributed to 400 households
The sisters arrived in Yushu as early as September, conducting random home visits at a ratio of at least 20% per community, recording victim data and living conditions, and taking photos for later screening of beneficiaries. They also went to several pastoral areas to purchase yak dung, with detailed plans for price comparison, transportation, and distribution methods, which took more than a month in total. In the end, the two, along with Oxfam, successfully distributed 8,000 bags of yak dung to 400 affected families before winter. "They smiled happily; some victims held our hands to thank us, and some even shed tears."
Realizing the fragility of life and that happiness is not a given
The Yushu relief experience made them realize the fragility of life and understand that happiness is not a given. "When you go home and lie in bed, you realize that the things you once thought were trivial are the most important, including the love of family and not having to fear natural or man-made disasters." They frankly stated that the relief work was not for personal satisfaction, but to fulfill their responsibility as "postmen." "Our mother and her friends work together to transport over 50 large bags of supplies to Shenzhen for delivery each time, and many friends donate supplies and funds. They take action; we have the responsibility to deliver the supplies to the victims."