Stories

August 2001: Yao Shu-tu (left) hands over the ownership
and key to a new resident

Spearheading Tzu Chi's housing construction projects in El Salvador has been Taiwanese businessman, Yao Shu-tu. Yao lives in Texas and had an import-export business in Central America. After the earthquake, he went with Tzu Chi members to the disaster areas and helped distribute relief goods and organize free clinics. In order to accept the responsibility of coordinating the construction of Tzu Chi houses, Yao had to put aside his own business for the time being. He estimates that he has already made about 20 trips between El Salvador and Texas and expects that the remaining construction will require another 30 trips.

At the end of June 2001, Yao went back to Taiwan to be certified by Master Cheng Yen as a Tzu Chi commissioner, and the Master gave him the Buddhist name, "Chi Yi" (Each Tzu Chi commissioner is given a Buddhist name; "Chi" means 'relief' and "Yi" means "diligence."). This meant that Yao had to always be diligent.