July 8, 2025
Tzu Chi Palo Scholars’ eco-friendly fundraising campaign
By Dorothy Castro
In Palo, Leyte, 35 Tzu Chi scholars launched a fundraising campaign called “Project Lift.” Scholars pitched in to make and sell eco-friendly dishwashing liquid, and sold handmade upcycled bags created by Tzu Chi Palo Livelihood seamstresses. Started in June, the program runs till August.
More than a fundraising activity, this initiative empowers scholars to make an impact by supporting their co-scholars.
Rooted in Tzu Chi’s environmentally conscious actions, scholars used eco-enzyme as the main ingredient for the dishwashing liquid. This practice repurposes discarded fruit peels, which are fermented with water and brown sugar.
The enzymes from the fermentation speed up the cleaning process and leave an odorless surface. This eco-enzyme is especially helpful for removing grease and stains from dishes.
This upcycling project, successfully adopted by the Palo scholars, originally started in the Buddhist Tzu Chi Campus in Manila. One of its large-scale productions took place after the April 2024 Galaxy Watch Earth Day Run.
As for the bags, seamstresses used durable denim and other fabrics accented with hand-sewn cross stitch designs.
In the coming months, scholars aim to sell more Palo Livelihood products such as vegetarian snacks and fabric conditioners.
For Tzu Chi scholar Lorenda Dinalo, a fourth-year student from Eastern Visayas State University, this simple act is their way of passing on the kindness they received. “This is not a one-time event; we envision it as a sustainable way to raise awareness of Tzu Chi’s mission and to continue donating to the foundation,” she says.
These donations, in turn, help sustain Tzu Chi’s missions of charity, education, medicine, and humanistic culture. One of its key programs is the Educational Assistance Program (EAP), which supported Dinalo throughout her undergraduate studies.
Tzu Chi Philippines currently has 1,395 scholars in its Educational Assistance Program.
Tzu Chi Palo scholars made their own eco-enzyme dishwashing soap for “Project Lift,” a fundraising activity to help collect proceeds for their fellow scholars.
Using salt, thickener, and the eco-enzyme mix, scholars came up with batches of dishwashing liquid.
Made with love, these packs of dishwashing liquid were sold to neighboring communities near the Palo Great Love Village.
Scholars pose together for a photo as they start selling their eco-enzyme dishwashing soap.
Scholars press on to fulfill their goal: to help fellow scholars through this fundraising campaign.
Tzu Chi Palo scholars also sold upcycled bags from the Palo Great Love Village Livelihood project during their fundraising campaign.
Scholars press on to fulfill their goal: to help fellow scholars through this fundraising campaign.
Scholars are all smiles as they sell their dishwashing soap.
Scholars remain positive and joyful as they walk through the streets of Palo, Leyte, during their fundraising campaign.
“Through this project, we gain skills, knowledge, and purpose. More importantly, this is our small way of helping future aspiring Tzu Chi scholars,” says Lorenda Dinalo, a fourth-year Tzu Chi scholar.