June 30, 2026
Tzu Chi donates wheelchair to the family of caregiving alumna Venus Telecio
By Thania Florendo
There are moments when hard work finally begins to pay off, and dreams feel within reach.
When Venus Telecio completed the Tzu Chi Foundation’s caregiving scholarship program in 2023, she believed her family’s life was finally taking a turn for the better. After three months of training and daily travel from Malabon to the Buddhist Tzu Chi Campus in Sta. Mesa, Manila, she finished the program, completed her internship, and eventually secured work as a nursing aid.
“The caregiving course changed my life. It gave me a profession and allowed me to support my family during our most difficult time,” Venus said.
For a time, life for Venus became more hopeful. But like many families, the Telecios soon faced another challenge that tested the strength they had built together.
Even before Venus completed the caregiving scholarship program, her family was already facing a grave medical health issue. In 2022, her husband, Levy, was diagnosed with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD). His health gradually declined, and complications from diabetes further weakened his condition. Once a factory worker and an active husband and father, he slowly lost the ability to move and work as he once did.
By 2026, swelling and wounds on his feet had made walking increasingly difficult. Over time, he became dependent on assistance even for basic movements inside their home. Venus would help him get around by pushing him on a Monobloc chair fixed atop a makeshift wooden trolley so he could move from one part of their house to another.
Learning of the family's situation, the Tzu Chi Foundation once again extended its support. On June 5, 2026, Tzu Chi volunteers and staff visited the Telecio family in Panghulo, Malabon, bringing Levy a wheelchair to improve his mobility and ease his daily movements at home. After helping Venus start a career through its caregiving program, the foundation continues to support her and her family as they navigate life's challenges.
Venus admitted that her responsibilities grew heavier this time. She now wakes early each day and takes two jeepney rides to reach Malabon Hospital and Medical Center, where she works as a nursing aide. She often thinks back to when Levy was still healthy—when he used to drive her to work on their motorcycle.
Today, their roles have reversed. “I became the provider, and Levy stays at home to look after the children. Even with his CKD, dialysis three times a week at the National Kidney and Transplant Institute in Quezon City, and diabetes, he still tries his best to help,” Venus said.
The opportunity she received through Tzu Chi's caregiving scholarship made stable employment possible, enabling Venus to become the family's primary provider. Her salary now covers household expenses, Levy's medicines and dialysis treatments, and the education of their two children. She also sells products online during her free time.
While juggling work, caregiving, and raising two children has not been easy, Venus continues to meet each responsibility with determination. The compassion and resilience she cultivated through Tzu Chi's humanistic education are reflected in the way she cares for her family. Even after long hours at work, she cleans and dresses Levy's wounds using the caregiving skills she learned through Tzu Chi's scholarship program.
Upon the turnover of the wheelchair, Venus became emotional as the family received the support.
“Tzu Chi has never left us. Whenever we need help, they are there. Tzu Chi has been my constant support. They have been with us through everything,” she said.
For Levy, the assistance was very meaningful.
“This is a big help to us,” he shared. “Thank you to Tzu Chi. Because of your kindness, my wife was able to become a caregiver and support our family. And now, you’ve given me a wheelchair—you have helped us so much.”
Today, Venus continues to balance work, motherhood, and caregiving. The caregiving skills she gained through Tzu Chi not only sustain her job but also help her care for her husband at home. Despite the challenges they continue to face, she and Levy lean on each other for strength, holding on to their shared responsibility and hope for the future of their two sons.
Looking back, Venus encourages others to take advantage of the opportunities Tzu Chi offers. She hopes aspiring scholars will embrace the chance to learn and build a better future.
“Tzu Chi is always ready to support and take good care of you. All you have to do is focus on your studies because everything you need is already provided.”
For Venus, who once took a chance on becoming a Tzu Chi caregiving scholar, it gave her a job and a community that has stood beside her through every challenge, offering care, compassion, and support when her family needed it most.
Venus Telecio (right) now serves as a nursing aide at Malabon Hospital and Medical Center, turning the opportunity she received through Tzu Chi's caregiving scholarship into compassionate service for others
As Levy Telecio's condition makes walking increasingly difficult, his wife, Venus, assists him with a Monobloc chair fixed atop a makeshift wooden trolley. Holding on to his cane for balance, Levy carefully settles into the seat as his wife guides him along.
Given the rocky, uncemented path to the Telecios’ home, the makeshift trolley often gets stuck, making it harder to move from one place to another.
Levy Telecio shares that Tzu Chi has been a tremendous source of support for his family. “This is a huge help to us. Thank you, Tzu Chi. You have given us so much support during our difficult times. To my wife Venus, thank you for being our pillar of strength and for taking care of our children. Thank you for never giving up on us. I love you and our children very much.”
Tzu Chi volunteer Jocie Chua pushes Levy Telecio in a wheelchair provided by the foundation. The wheelchair allows him to move around more easily on his own, especially during times when he is left at home while his wife, Venus, is at work.
The training Venus Telecio received from Tzu Chi’s caregiving class now allows her to provide proper care for her husband.
Tzu Chi volunteer Jocie Chua expressed her hope for the best for caregiving alumna Venus Telecio and her family, while encouraging others to support those in need in building a better future.
(From left) Tzu Chi representatives Beth Auste and Jocie Chua join caregiving alumna Venus Telecio and her husband, Levy, in a group photo during another heartfelt care visit by the foundation.