Ching Wi Yap

Singapore

Ching Wi Yap

Singapore

Ching Wi Yap experienced gender discrimination as a child. This influenced her decision to become a social worker and volunteer in the feminist organization, AWARE. While she studied for her Master's degree in Social Policy at the London School of Economics, Ching Wi saw the limits of social work and social policy in reducing sentient beings' suffering. Then upon comprehending the teaching of Master Yinshun that even if a country is well ruled, it will become chaotic as conditions change (国家治还乱，器界成复毁... 究竟归依处，三宝最吉祥), she realized that the Bodhisattva path is her true life-goal.

Ching Wi started learning Dharma seriously and found affinity with the Amitabha Pure Land practice. In 2002, she founded the Youth Ministry to train Buddhist youth leaders at Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery. She also trained leaders from the Buddhist societies of tertiary institutions and other Buddhist youth groups. With this strong sense of community, many youths became spiritual friends "kalyana mittas" and are now work together leading Buddhist organizations. In 2006, Ching Wi mentored Buddhist youth leaders to promote compassion with a nation-wide Vesak event under the auspices of the Singaporean Buddhist Federation; thus, she partnered with Singapore's largest grassroots organization. Singaporeans from all faiths folded more than 2 million paper lotuses for national and world peace. Everyone was folding paper lotuses in neighborhood shops, places of worship, schools, hospitals and even at the prison!

With a group of professionals, Ching Wi continued to address the gap in the Buddhist community by founding the Buddhist Youth Network in 2010. From 2016 the Buddhist Youth Network collaborated with fellow Buddhist organizations to inaugurate the annual Singaporean Buddhist Youth Day, a day for youth to serve society and practice the Dharma together. It became a platform for youth to develop their talents and leadership abilities. As they were concerned with social issues, Ching Wi mentored them to organize Chinese New Year celebrations for vulnerable migrant domestic workers and organized talks to understand the LGBTQIA+ community. Ching Wi also had the opportunity to train youth leaders around the world at International Buddhist Youth Exchanges.

During the covid pandemic, Ching Wi was tasked to form a team of social workers to serve elderly Buddhist monastics. Aranya Sangha Dana Fellowship was established in 2020 and now serves more than 80 Buddhist monastics who mostly live in the community. As Aranya's social worker, Ching Wi now looks after elderly Bhikkunis with regular visits to hospitals and their viharas.

In her 30-year career, Ching Wi has always focused on empowering women. Her heart sank when her own mother felt that bringing up three daughters was just her duty rather than an achievement. To honor her mother's legacy, she founded the Life Story Workshop in 2017 for the older generation to write and celebrate their lives. More than 150 elderly, mostly women, have now written their own life story books. Since it is so important to support the elderly with the Dharma at their last stage of life, Venerable Bhikkuni Fa Xun and Ching Wi launched a Buddhist version in 2023, Dharma Joy in the Golden Years.

Ching Wi is deeply humbled to receive this award and she dedicates it to the Triple Gem, her parents, her family, her teachers, kalyana mittas and all sentient beings. May all be free from suffering and have favorable conditions to attain liberation. Amituofo.