Tzu Chi volunteers clean, transform home of 71-year-old senior living alone

SINT MAARTEN (COLE BAY) - Tzu Chi volunteers joined forces to provide a full home clean-up and basic living support for a 71-year-old senior living alone in Cole Bay. The effort was initiated after a single mother of four, facing her own challenges, reached out to Tzu Chi to help someone in need. Her actions, volunteers say, reflect the teaching of Tzu Chi Founder Master Cheng Yen that “Giving is not the privilege of the wealthy, but the privilege of a sincere heart.” An initial visit in late December 2025 revealed the senior’s apartment in extremely poor and unsanitary conditions. The mattress was infested with bugs, there was no clean area, and the home lacked food and drinking water.  The senior faces high blood pressure, diabetes, chronic back pain, and knee problems, which affect her mobility. Family support is minimal, with only an 84-year-old sister and an absent son. Following the assessment, the senior was approved to receive monthly food assistance from Tzu Chi. On Ja