Shining World Caring Award Recipients: Kind-Hearted Efforts Creating Loving Havens for Wombats, Part 2 of 2

Today we will learn about another great woman, who dedicates her life to these cute marsupial friends. Yolandi Vermaak used to volunteer at Sleepy Burrows Wombat Sanctuary at New South Wales, Australia, where she was part of a good team working with the sanctuary’s founder Donna Stepan, a Shining World Caring Award Recipient who we met earlier during the show. However, wanting to do more, Yolandi founded Wombat Rescue in 2018 and began to drive to habitat areas searching for injured and orphaned wombats to rescue them. She also started a campaign of eradicating mange, a life-threatening infection for wombats. Her heart’s passion of rescuing and protecting the beloved marsupial has turned into her life’s mission ever since. Wombat Rescue started an extensive mange eradication program in late 2018. It adopted a new regime of intensive treatment by installing the medicine device “burrow-flap” at entrances of the burrows. Wombat Rescue also worked hard to enter into dialogue with the legislator and to spread the word into communities.

For such a noble life keeping service, our Beneficent Supreme Master Ching Hai "thankfully present Wombat Rescue the Shining World Caring Award plus US$15,000 financial gift." "Dear Yolandi. It is with great admiration and gratitude that we present to Wombat Rescue the Shining World Caring Award for your loving dedication and tireless efforts to care for these iconic marsupials. The award is presented in recognition of your caring spirit driving vast distances between dusk and dawn to save and rehabilitate distressed wombats until they can be released back into the wild. Your unconditional love heralds a new era of empathy making our world a kinder home for all. For your selfless commitment and courage, for your positive never give up attitude, and for your benevolence and warm-hearted concern, with high esteem we salute the great compassionate deeds of Wombat Rescue and its saintly founder Yolandi Vermaark. May Heaven forever smile on you and all involved. With great honour, love and blessings. In God’s grace. Supreme Master Ching Hai"