Everywhere in the world, we can observe and be touched by acts of kindness. People from all walks of life, faiths, and cultures extend themselves beyond the call of duty to help others unconditionally. Through their noble deeds, humanity as a whole is elevated.

To commend virtuous actions and encourage more people to be inspired by their examples, Supreme Master Ching Hai has lovingly created a series of awards, including the Shining World Leadership Award, Shining World Compassion Award, Shining World Hero and Heroine Awards, Shining World Honesty Award, Shining World Protection Award, Shining World Intelligence Award, and Shining World Inventor Award, to recognize some of the most exemplary, generous, caring, and courageous people who walk amongst us.

On May 2-3, 2008, Cyclone Nargis caused catastrophic destruction, with more than 138,000 fatalities in Myanmar and over a million people homeless. Ruined crops signaled the threat of mass hunger. The fishing industry was likewise devastated. In response to the urgent situation in the country, Save the Children delivered several tons of necessities, providing water supplies and bringing comfort and relief to those in need. As one of the few international non-governmental organizations in Myanmar, Save the Children quickly reacted to this crisis.

Save the Children had a presence in Myanmar before the the cyclone hit. We’ve been there about 13 years. (Wow!) And we had about 500 staff roughly at the time. So we were well positioned to be able to respond quickly. Within a day of the cyclone hitting, we were able to assemble staff and start procuring items on the local market, and delivering them to townships in Yangon. Since the cyclone hit, we’ve reached about roughly 480,000 people, with some form of assistance or other. We’re providing health work, we’re providing assistance with livelihoods, with shelter, with child protection and education.

Established in England, the United Kingdom in 1919 by Mrs. Eglantyne Jebb, Save the Children created a mission to bring about the well-being of children around the world. With 28 national members, the organization operates in more than 110 countries. After its immeditate response in Myanmar, Save the Children furthered their caring efforts for two additional years by implementing longterm recovery strategies.

We plan to stay in the 14 of those 15 most affected districts. We expect to be able to reach about 800,000 families during that two-year period. We have been able to raise, through kind donations of people all around the world, nearly US$25 million to do this. And so we have about 370 staff on the ground now. We expect to have about 800 to 900 staff in about 6 or 7 months’ time to be able to implement that work, which will be focusing on education, child protection, on livelihoods, and nutrition and health.

A year after the cyclone, Save the Children reported that it had assisted over 600,000 most affected people, including tens of thousands of children. More people were helped since that time in lasting practical ways. For instance, children were taught where to go in the event of another disaster , and materials were provided to rebuild a school that could also serve as a sturdy evacuation shelter.

In recognition of their humanitarian aid to people affected by Cyclone Nargis in Myanmar, Supreme Master Ching Hai honored Save the Children with the Shining World Compassion Award. The appreciation letter partially reads:

“…With your organization’s support, Myanmar will better provide for her citizens, returning hope and normality. Thank you Save the Children for benevolently assisting our less fortunate neighbors and hastening a return to better times. For devotedly rushing to the aid of those in danger, for caring for the welfare of the most vulnerable, for benevolence, good governance and wisdom, and for being a dedicated and noble role model, we hereby applaud and celebrate the great deeds of Save the Children. With Great Honor, Love and Blessings, Supreme Master Ching Hai”

Save the Children was also presented with a crystal plaque and an assortment of gifts, including Supreme Master Ching Hai's #1 international bestselling books, “The Birds in My Life” and “The Noble Wilds.”

Thank you very much.

Next, we travel to Chile to meet another loving organization, called A Roof for My Country, also known as “El Techo” (The Roof).

Headquartered in Chile, this organization builds housing for underprivileged individuals and families throughout Latin America.

Well, I thank you all for helping us, and what else can be said? Because now we will have a place to sleep,

And well, to all of you, thanks a million.

Since its establishment in 1997 by a group of Chilean university students, A Roof for My Country has expanded to 19 Latin American nations. With the support of more than 400,000 volunteers, this hardworking non-profit group has built 76,000 emergency housing units across the continent. El Techo’s social director Claudio Castro explained more on how the organization developed.

Our project is to always grow. The construction of the emergency houses allows us to connect strongly with the group of university youth – we are the ones who have had the most chances of success in our continent – with the families who live in extreme poverty. This connection comes about through the construction of an emergency house that aims to solve the immediate and concrete need, which is the living space. But at the same time, you can also see it as a first step to continue building and developing, expecting families to be the protagonists, so that they can make use of our opportunities and of their own organization, their own work.

In 2010, A Roof for My Country launched an emergency project to help providing basic housing for the Haitians after the catastrophic 7.0-magnitude earthquake in January claimed about 220,000 lives and left almost two million people homeless.

Haiti is the country that has been also affected by a terrible earthquake in the beginning of this year. We are working on a project trying to build thousands of emergency houses. We have a big construction of 1,000 emergency houses in one single construction project with youth from all Latin America, because we also want to say that the youth of Latin America hasn’t forgotten the country that has suffered the most, and we want to be building there in Haiti.

In recognition of their noble efforts in providing shelter to countless vulnerable people, Supreme Master Ching Hai honored A Roof for My Country with the Shining World Compassion Award. The appreciation letter concludes:

“Thank you El Techo, for your inspirational example of love in action. You have made an extraordinary difference to the betterment of so many lives. For selflessly providing for the needs of the less fortunate, for your wisdom, creativity and kind-hearted generosity, and for being a dedicated and noble role model, we hereby applaud and celebrate the compassionate deeds of “Un Techo para mi País,” all its staff and volunteers. With great honour, love and blessings, Supreme Master Ching Hai”

A Roof for My Country also received a crystal plaque and Supreme Master Ching Hai’s donation of US$50,000 to further its mission of providing housing for the less fortunate. Also presented were gifts, including Supreme Master Ching Hai’s #1 international bestselling book, “The Birds in My Life.”

Thanks also for this contribution. The US$50,000 means more than 35 emergency homes that we will build in the 19 countries in Latin America where we are working. As everyone who came here has expressed, I think that in the world, there are a lot of people working to generate deep transformation in society, and we, also, with our work, will humbly continue to contribute in this way. And we would also like to give you this architectural model, this house that we build in all of Latin America. We have made more than 75,000 houses like this and also as a sign and example of the work that young people are doing to end extreme poverty. Thank you.

Finally, Mr. Castro shared an inspiring message for all the youths around the world.

Particularly, I would like to highlight this message for college students: we are an elite, not only academically, but many times also economically, in our countries. The invitation is to be able to make use of what we have learned, all our opportunities, and put them at the disposition of the families who haven’t had them. To learn also from the families of the settlements, because many times we have arrived thinking that we bring solutions to the settlements, and then we realize that there is where we are learning what is maybe the most important lessons of our life. So please watch us, get involved, log onto our website, and support us also.

Our appreciation, A Roof for My Country and Save the Children, as well as all people involved, for your selfless dedication in caring for the less fortunate, from near and afar. May you be blessed in your continued service to God’s children.

For more details on Save the Children, please visit www.SaveTheChildren.org
For more details on A Roof for My Country, please visit www.UnTechoParaMiPais.org

Cherished viewers, thank you for your presence on today’s program. Please keep your dial tuned to Supreme Master Television for Words of Wisdom, up next after Noteworthy News. May kindness and neighborly support be ever present in our world.