In cooperative effort to build hospital in Ethiopia, Tzu-Chi signs contract with French organization, Medecins Du Monde It was decided to go ahead and finance the first
phase of the Debre Birhan hospital project. On October 15, 1998, Jose, MDM president
Bernard Granjon, deputy executive director Philippe Leveque arrived from France. Braving a
typhoon, they went to Hualien to meet the Master and to sign the contract for the project.
We look forward to our next cooperative effort in aiding the people of Ethiopia.
Free Clinics in Mexico On October 17 and 18, of 1998 the Tzu Chi US Free
Clinic provided medical services in Calexico, near the US border, and in the nearby
village of Sanfernando Colonial. The services helped a total of 240 patients. Many doctors
and volunteers hoped that they could continue to offer free medical services in every poor
village in Mexico, so that every person suffering from illness could receive relief. Yellow Earth Relief Mission to PERU On August 17, Tzu Chi started its first relief distribution program in South America. Led by Huang Szu-hsien, director of the Tzu Chi department of religious affairs and CEO of the Tzu Chi US branch, a team of nine people flew from Taiwan to Los Angeles, and about thirty hours later they finally reached Lima, the capital of Peru. Eighteen Tzu Chi members from the United States and Argentina had arrived two days earlier and were preparing relief goods with Red Cross volunteers. The four-day relief effort and free medical
services benefited 2,000 households, and more than 1,000 people received medical care. |