On stage, Tzu Chi volunteers brought the story of the Bamboo Bank Era to life. In response, voices from the audience rose in unison: “I want to take part too! I want to take part too!” (Photo by Goa Yee Boon)
“Ding ding ding…” The sound of coins sliding into the bamboo bank filled the air, accompanied by applause and songs from volunteers lining both sides, making the PGP hall on Serangoon Road very lively.
On 17 and 18 January 2026, Tzu Chi Merit (Singapore) held the Year-End Blessing Ceremony 2025 at the PGP hall on Serangoon Road, holding six sessions across two days. The first thing visitors see upon entering the venue is the Bamboo Bank Era display, and many attendees brought their heavy bamboo banks with them to the event.
“Even fifty cents can save a life!” A bright, clear call rang out from the “marketplace,” as five children reenacted the story of the Bamboo Bank Era from sixty years ago, urging everyone to donate small change to do great deeds.
At the Year-End Blessing Ceremony, a thematic exhibition zone was set up to introduce the spirit and stories of Tzu Chi's humble beginnings. Five young children reenacted the story of how the "Bamboo Bank Era" spread from a marketplace sixty years ago, drawing the attention of the audience. (Photo by Chong Mong Zhuang)
Amid the lively atmosphere, senior volunteer Tan Chai and her husband, Pak Yoke Kuan, calmly poured the savings from twelve bamboo banks accumulated over the year into the donation pot. For over two decades, Tan Chai and Pak Yoke Kuan have quietly devoted themselves, collecting recyclables door-to-door in the early years and daily depositing spare change from selling probiotic drinks along the streets into their bamboo banks. Last year, eighty-year-old Pak Yoke Kuan faced health challenges, with frequent hospital visits preventing him from assisting monthly at Tzu Chi Teenagers’ Class. Yet their commitment to kindness never wavered, thanks to the bamboo bank.
During their sharing, the couple smiled gently as they mentioned that their son, Pak Wai Kien, has also joined Tzu Chi and now serves as a leader at Tzu Chi eco points, their words filled with heartfelt pride. To them, the greatest joy lies in doing good together as a family.
Tan Chai (right) and Pak Yoke Kuan (left) pouring coins from their small bamboo banks into a large Bamboo Bank. (Photo by Lai Tong Heng)
Lim Seng Wah, 76, once lived in Singapore for eight years to care for her grandchildren. She would make time to attend Tzu Chi’s large-scale events whenever possible. Now living in Johor Bahru, she still made the long journey alone to attend this Year-End Blessing Ceremony, taking a train, then transferring to a bus and MRT, undaunted by the distance.
"May we never forget the initial spirit of the Bamboo Bank. May we always remember our great vow to uphold the Tzu Chi path", serves as Master Cheng Yen’s gentle reminder to all Tzu Chi volunteers this year. The spirit of the Bamboo Bank Era was a key message of the Year End Blessing Ceremony. The venue featured thematic exhibitions, interactive games, bamboo bank painting, short skits, and more, all sharing the idea that “small sum of money can perform great kindness”. Lim Seng Wah admired the volunteers’ creativity in reminding attendees to reflect on their daily habits, learn to let go of unnecessary desires, and save money to deposit into bamboo banks.
Transforming Lives with the Bamboo Bank
The idea that “small amounts of money, once accumulated, can do great deeds” is to give everyone the chance to help others, emphasising that giving is not a privilege reserved for the wealthy.
Ng Ah Tua is one such example. Once a recipient of Tzu Chi’s aid, he now lives independently. Filled with gratitude, he thanks his wife and children for their constant encouragement and support, which helped him regain his strength in life.
“Tzu Chi has helped me so much in the past. Now I’ve returned as a volunteer, and I make sure to drop coins into the bamboo bank every day to help others in need.”
From recipient to helper, Ng Ah Tua has sincerely transitioned from “palms facing up” (receiving) to “palms facing down” (giving), repaying society with action and passing on kindness.
Another Tzu Chi care recipient, Cong Xiao Chen, came to Singapore for work and started a family here. In 2020, the sudden blow of the COVID-19 pandemic took her husband, leaving her alone to raise two young children. For a time, she was consumed by grief and cried every day.
It was only when Tzu Chi volunteers entered her life, providing financial support and accompanying her and her children that Cong Xiao Chen gradually began to heal. She shared that volunteers would visit them after work, often staying until after 9 p.m. before heading home.
Cong Xiao Chen (second from left) shares her story with the attendees at the Year-End Blessing Ceremony, expressing her gratitude for the support of the volunteers. (Photo by Lai Tong Heng)
“From my children, I learned that some young Tzu Ching volunteers would travel all the way from Tampines to Woodlands just to chat with them and teach them how to draw,” Cong Xiao Chen shared, moving many in the audience to tears. It was precisely this selfless dedication from the volunteers that inspired her children to hope they, too, could grow up to be someone like the volunteers one day.
As her children grew older, Cong Xiao Chen explained to them that Tzu Chi’s donations came from the collective love of many people, helping them understand the true value of helping others. This year, her Primary 6 child even took the initiative to save the money meant for after-school care in order to support those in need. These seemingly ordinary acts of kindness over the years have deeply warmed Cong Xiao Chen’s heart. Through this journey, Tzu Chi has offered her family more than just financial assistance; it has also helped them build stronger, more resilient hearts and souls.
At the craft area, attendees were seen attentively painting their own bamboo banks. They could take them home as a reminder to practice good deeds daily. (Photo by Yeo Chee Hwang)
Cong Xiao Chen’s sharing deeply moved attendee Wang Yu, who remarked that “the power of human kindness and love is truly immense; it can influence many people.” Although she and her husband, Ang Chek Chin, had attended the Year-End Blessing Ceremony many times before, they were still profoundly touched by the volunteers’ selfless dedication.
Ang Chek Chin believes that when everyone watches the Tzu Chi Year-in-Review documentary together, they can gather kind thoughts and spread love more widely. He hopes to devote more time to transforming this inspiration into concrete actions.
Entering Communities to Inspire Kindness
Bhante Pagngnarathana, a monk from Sri Lanka, came to Singapore for a one-month learning trip. After seeing the time and location of the Year-End Blessing Ceremony online, he invited Bhante Sugatha to join him.
Volunteer Chong Ah Yok shared about Tzu Chi’s charitable work in both Sri Lanka and Singapore to the Bhante. Chong Ah Yok also shared that on 17 January, Tzu Chi volunteers in Sri Lanka distributed flood relief supplies and school supplies to 1,250 households.
Bhante Pagngnarathana praised the volunteers for decorating the venue so beautifully. He also expressed his deep gratitude to Tzu Chi for its help to Sri Lanka.
Bhante Sugatha (first from left) and Bhante Pagngnarathana (first from right) seized this occasion to learn about Tzu Chi's extensive global charitable impact. (Photo by Lee Kwong Seng)
Bhante Sugatha was profoundly touched by Tzu Chi's global disaster relief efforts, as well as the spiritual support provided. He encouraged the volunteers to share basic Dharma terms with the public and invite monks to join them during charitable distributions, as these can help others witness the active engagement of Buddhist compassion in the world. He sincerely hoped for future collaboration with Tzu Chi to help those in need.
Delving Into the Sutra and Putting the Teachings Into Practice
Tzu Chi originated in Hualien, Taiwan, and has expanded globally over the past 60 years, spanning its charitable work across seven continents. Behind its compassionate mission worldwide lies the Bodhisattva spirit found in the Lotus Sutra, as taught by the Buddha.
This year’s Year-End Blessing Ceremony featured two volunteer sessions, with around 900 volunteers participating in the sutra adaptation and performing Buddhist chanting of the “Parable of the Phantom City” from the Seven Parables of the Lotus Sutra, and the Chapter on Virtue from the Sutra of Infinite Meanings. Through a series of stage plays, attendees were guided to reflect on Tzu Chi's 32-year legacy of charitable service in Singapore.
One sutra adaptation scene vividly depicted how Tzu Chi volunteers in Singapore delivered stability and hope through charitable projects during the COVID-19 pandemic period. (Photo by Lai Tong Heng)
After more than two months of rehearsals, Tzu Chi volunteers performed and made vows together on stage, creating a solemn atmosphere that captivated the entire audience. (Photo by Lai Tong Heng)
Managing Director of Tzu Chi Merit (Singapore), Low Swee Seh, shared that Tzu Chi has entered its 32nd year in Singapore, with nearly 300 staff and 1,000 volunteers working together to promote Tzu Chi's mission, harness collective goodwill, and purify hearts. He firmly believes that Jing Si disciples in Singapore will remain united and tireless in confronting challenges and overcoming obstacles.
Looking back at 2025, Tzu Chi achieved three ground-breaking "firsts": the inaugural SYNC. Festival, which focused on the "Seven Types of Rest" for youth wellbeing; the Tzu Chi TIYA Conference hosted in Singapore for the first time with participants from 14 countries; and the official opening of GLOW (Nanyang) as a holistic model for mind-body-spirit community care. These breakthroughs not only go beyond novel formats but also reflect Tzu Chi's unwavering commitment to reaching out to people and inspiring global compassion.
At the end of the Year-End Blessing Ceremony, the congregation held lotus lamps and sincerely prayed for a world free of disaster. (Photo by Lai Tong Heng)
Dr Sng Lin Hock, Chief of Silver Generation Office at the Agency for Integrated Care (AIC), has long been dedicated to serving the elderly and frequently visits long-term care facilities in Taiwan, making him familiar with Tzu Chi. Invited again to this year’s Tzu Chi Year-End Blessing Ceremony, he felt heartened and said, "2025 was a challenging year, yet I feel that Tzu Chi is doing more and more globally, for example in places like Africa and Spain, where volunteers serve with heart and love, which is truly moving!"
Dr Sng also commended local Tzu Chi volunteers for not only helping the poor, sick, and underprivileged families, but also caring for the needs of children, youth, and the elderly. He cited the example of the Active Ageing Centre launched by Tzu Chi, which has been promoted in recent years, noting how it motivates seniors to step out from their homes and participate in different activities for better physical and mental health. “Most importantly, it encourages them to become volunteers and help others, this is such a wonderful idea!"
As Tzu Chi marks its 60th anniversary, attendees offered sincere prayers for a peaceful 2026 while joyfully receiving Red Packets of Blessings and Wisdom by Master Cheng Yen. Tzu Chi hopes that more kind-hearted people will come together to pave the path for spreading love and deepening its roots in Singapore.
Low Swee Seh, Managing Director of Tzu Chi Merit (Singapore), extended his New Year's greetings to the attendees and handed out Red Packets of Blessings and Wisdom from Master Cheng Yen in Taiwan. (Photo by Khor Kim Seng)
Text by Ng Hock Soon, Yan Su Yuan, Tew Yu Rui, Yao Mee Chee, and Chen Hui Ling
Videos：
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Photo Gallery：
Year-End Blessing Ceremony (2025)
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