wfn.org | TCN: New off-road motorcycles help Chiayi Christian Hospital visit typhoon victims

["Taiwan Church News" <enews@pctpress.org>]

>      Taiwan Church News

>3003 Edition

>September 14-20, 2009

New off-road motorcycles help Chiayi Christian Hospital visit  typhoon victims

>Reported by Chen Yi-hsuan

>Written by Lydia Ma

Before Typhoon Morakot devastated Southern Taiwan, Chiayi  Christian

Hospital’s Home Care Center used to serve over 60 seniors and  disabled

people who lived alone. After the typhoon hit, about half of these  people still live

>at home in the mountains.

To ensure their safety and distribute meals and daily necessities  to these people,

as well as to help them rebuild their homes damaged by the  typhoon, the center

decided to buy off-road motorcycles as soon as possible. Staff  members hope

that new off-road motorcycles will help home care staff working in  the mountains

to deliver aid and much-needed companionship more easily because  they must

often make their way through broken roads and piles of mud after  the typhoon.

The Home Care Center’s current motorcycle was bought in 2004  and has

already accumulated over 60,000 km in mileage. Since most roads  damaged by

the typhoon have yet to be repaired, the center’s old  motorcycle was unable to

cross many parts of Chiayi. With the addition of new off-road  motorcycles, the

center hopes that its staff can deliver aid more efficiently and  encourage seniors

>stranded in flood zones.

According to one Home Care Center supervisor, hundreds of  employees

cooperated with social workers and other volunteers to deliver aid  to seniors and

people with disabilities in the aftermath of the typhoon. They  also helped some

victims relocate to safer areas. Reconstruction efforts have now  entered the

second phase and agencies have applied for financial aid to help  over 35

families rebuild houses damaged by the typhoon. The center hopes  to shift its

focus back to home care and delivering meals soon.

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