Seeing hope for the village

Bodhi Evergreen Village (菩提長青村) in Puli Township, Nantou County is a post-disaster placement center that was set up following the 921 Earthquake. The village mayor, Chen Fang-zi (陳芳姿) said that originally the center was supposed to be for short-term placements; however, he quickly realized that many of the elderly folk actually had nowhere to go. In order to ensure the elderly people feel safe at the center, Bodhi Evergreen Village has never asked for lodging fees.

Another rather unique fact about the center is that all of the residents are elderly, mutually providing companionship and care for each other. One resident said that although the 921 earthquake brought great sorrow, it also brought a new lease of life for many people. As a way of giving the elderly residents a goal in life, the village strongly encourages all residents to grow vegetables.

Currently, in a bid to reduce community expenditure, the industrious village mayor Chen Fang-zi and staff members at Bodhi Evergreen Village are encouraging residents to work towards being financially independent; this will hopefully reduce community spending and cover medical expenses. To this end, the community has not only established an organic vegetable garden with all kinds of seasonal vegetables but it has also begun promoting ‘gratitude’ coffee and freshly squeezed organic tomato juice, providing self service meals, and even set up a stall at the local night market in Caotun (草屯). In all of these activities, association members have supported the elderly residents with serving coffee, squeezing tomato juice, clearing away dishes and greeting customers as they arrive from the nearby village.

Seeing hope for the village
URL:https://www.peopo.org/news/220963

(以下是中文對照)
看見希望村

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南投埔里「菩提長青村」是九二一地震後，專門安置災後老人的組合屋，村長陳芳姿表示，本來只是想做短期安置，可是一做下去卻發現，有部分老人根本沒有地方回去，為了讓老人家住得安心，長青村從開始到現在，都不跟老人家收費，為了讓老人家生活有目標，長青村鼓勵他們種花草蔬菜，最重要的是這個地方住的都是老人，大家有伴生活上都會互相照應。老人家說，九二一雖然曾經造成遺憾，卻也為他們帶來新的人生。目前長青村老人社區，在村長陳芳姿及全體工作人員的努力經營下，為節省村內開 銷並鼓勵老人自力自足，致力募集與開源照護老人經費，開闢有機菜園種植各項季節蔬菜，推出感思咖啡及現榨有機蕃茄汁、庭園自助式感恩餐、草屯夜市擺攤義 賣，由協會的工作人員協助，長者幫忙端咖啡、蕃茄汁、收杯子並親自招呼前來村內的來賓。