| Past TIMA Projects |
| Summary of Recent Tzu-Chi International Relief Activities |
| DATE | LOCATION | PROJECT | PARTICIPANTS | SERVICE POPULATION | DESCRIPTION |
| July 23-25 1998 | General Santos City, Philippines | Health Fair | Health professional---50 Philippines volunteers---19 Taiwan volunteers---10 Total:------79 |
Native islanders | Total number of patients: 5795 Services included general medicine, pediatrics, dentistry, surgery, and ophthalmology. 178 minor surgeries, 178 major surgeries 565 eye surgeries |
| July 23-25 1998 | General Santos City, Philippines | Disaster Relief(drought) | Philippines volunteers---28 Taiwan volunteers---10 Total:------38 |
Native islanders | Distributed 1820 50kg rice packages to 3640
local residents. Donated additional 300 rice packages for local businessmen's upcoming charity event. |
| July 25-26 1998 | Malaysia | Health Fair & Relief Supply Distribution | Malaysian volunteers---84 Members--- 97 Youth Corp.---13 Physicians---21 Nurses---15 Taiwan volunteers---4 Total------234 |
Native islanders (17 villages) |
Two site inspections and 8 planning meetings
beforehand. Number of patients totaled 2020, doubling the organizers expectation Moore than 300 tooth extractions. 1900 relief supply included necessities, clothes, cookies and stationery. 20 staff members went to remote mountain villages Officials of local department of social welfare visited the site and expressed gratitude. |
| July 26 1998 | Alhambra USA | Health Fair | Free Clinic Volunteers: Family practice---4 Gynecology--- 2 Podiatry---1 ENT---1 Oncolog---1 Oriental Medicine---1 Nurses---8 Administration---35 Total------ 53 |
Local residents | Over 200 patients in five hours Theme: Cancer prevention and early detection The fourth annual cancer health fair Added breast self-exam and hospice classes. 30 women received Mammogram Received coverage in community newspapers. |
| July 29-AUgust 22 1998 | Aipate, Papua New Guinea | Disaster relief (Tsunami) (over 2000 deaths: 500 people missing) | Tzu-Chi members from Taiwan, Australia, and the USA | Victims (the injured and homeless) | Tzu-Chi Australia donated a portable x-ray
machine. Tzu-Chi Foundation donated $150,000 US dollars toward rehabilitation fund. Hawaii Free Clinic kept close contact with local hospital to provide medical care as needed. Tzu-Chi Australia will follow up on the victims' conditions. |
| August 1998 | Senegal | Medication Supply | Supply only. The country is declared as high-risk contagious area |
Refugees | In the name of Tzu-Chi Foundation. Tzu-Chi USA purchased necessary medicine worth US $18,500. 52 different kinds of medicine were provided |
| August 8 1998 | San Bernardino County. California United States |
Health Fair | Physicians---14 Oriental Doc---6 Dentists0---12 Nurses---12 Pharmacists---4 Social workers---3 Adm. Staff---58 Commissioners & Member, Youth corp.---102 Total:-------211 |
Local residents without access to medical care | Total number of patients: 836 Patients included Hispanics, Caucasians, Asians, African Americans, and other ethnicities. Assisted three cancer patients Through early detection and referral. Prescribed 65 pairs of glasses to correct vision problems. Dental services: 60 cleanings, 36 extractions, 74 fillings, and 118 x-ray films. 5 HIV tests Collaboration of the free clinic staff and USA headquarters staff. |
| August18-20 1998 | Peru | Disaster Relief (floods due to El Nino)and Health Fair | US Texas---8 Chicago branch---2 LA Free Clinic---3 Argentina branch---3 Taiwan headquarter---11 Total:-------27 |
Flood victims | Tzu-Chi USA Purchased necessary medicine and
supply in the name of Tzu-Chi Foundation. Supply included 2000 custom-made first aid kits Some relief items were purchased locally to help create job opportunities in Peru. Plans to construct 100 brick houses. Held health fairs for flood victims Tzu-Chi USA outlined a 3 year follow-up rehabilitation plan |
| August 30 1998 | St. Paul, Brazil | Health Fair | Taiwan Volunteers---8 Brazil volunteers---10 Health professionals---10 Total:-------28 |
Local residents without access to adequate medical care | Tzu-Chi Brazil medical Team conducts regular
community health fairs. Their work is widely recognized by local government, schools and
communities. Brazil office hopes to invite more doctors to join its medical mission and eventually to establish a free clinic. Total number of patients: 942 Distributed relief items such as food and clothes. Children also received toys donated by buisnesses. |
| August 2 1998 | Johnnesburg, South Africa (Spring Kwath-ema, about 80 miles east of Johnnesburg) | Winter Relief | About 40 staff members including Tzu-Chi Johnnesburg members and African volunteers | Residents in Black getto | Crowded and dirty community without water and
electricity supply 1000 families received food and clothes for the winter. Residents shouted "Viva Tzu-Chi! Viva Taiwan" upon receipt of the relief goods. |
| August 3 1998 | Penang, Malaysia | Dialysis Center Anniversary | Tzu-Chi Malaysia and Tzu-Chi Singapore | Patients with kidney failure | 12 patients received free dialysis services; 60
patients received financial assistance. The center expects to expand its dialysis system from 7 machines to 12 in the future. Treatment sessions will be increased to twice a day with capacity to serve 48 patients. The center also plans to organize a patient support group. |
| August 8 - 9 1998 | Samoa | Health Fair | About 15physicians and volunteers from Tzu-Chi Hawaii | Local residents without adequate medical care | The tropical Island of Samoa is located south
of Hawaii, about five hours by plane. Population totals 60,000, with only one small hospital. Tzu-Chi medical team treated over 700 patients in two days (pediatrics, internal medicine, gynecology, and dermatology) |
| August 12 1998 | Hochiminh City, Vietnam | Relief supply distribution | Tzu-Chi Vietnam | Fire victims | Distributed relief items prepared overnight:
including rice, clothes and emergency funds. Found a blind elder in need of long term care by Tzu-Chi. Will follow up on the victim's condition. |
| August 23 1998 | Indonesia | Relief supply distribution & Health Fair | 50 Tzu-Chi Indonesia members | Island residents | Distributed 300 packages of daily supplies such
as rice, oil, sugar and milk. The boat owner who provided transportation to the island only charged Tzu-Chi members minimal fees after learning about the relief work. 279 people were treated at health fair. |
| August 25 1998 | Jordan | Relief supply distribution | Tzu-Chi Jordan volunteers | Students of an elementary school in Irbid located in northern Jordan | Distributed backpacks and stationery. Visited four poor families. |
| August 29 1998 | Jordan | Relief supply distribution | Tzu-Chi Jordan volunteers | Palestinian refugee camp | Distributed rice and cooking oil to 206
families. Participated in the charity auction of the Encephalitis Society every Tuesday. |
| Sept. 4 1998 | Japan | Site evaluation | Taiwan representative, Japan commissioners, volunteers and youth corp. members | Flood victims | Storms brought the biggest flood in thirty
years, resulting in deaths, injuries and property damage. Because the local government provided immediate aid to the victims, outside assistance is not needed at this time. |
| Sept. 10 1998 | Del Rio, Texas USA | Relief supply distribution | Tzu-Chi Texas branch Red Cross, and Salvation Army | Flood victims | Distributed 5-day supply of food and necessities to 200 families. |
| Nov. 12 1998 | Johnnesburgh, South Africa (Soshaguave) | Relief supply distribution | Tzu-Chi South Africa and African volunteers | Residents living by local garbage heaps | 567 families received daily supply including
sugar, beans, corn and clothes. Two trucks were needed to load all the supply |
| Sept. 12-20 1998 | Papua New Guinea | Third relief supply distribution | Taiwan volunteers---5 Australia Volunteers---11 Total :------16 |
Tsunami victims | Assisted in rehabilitation after disaster. Distributed 1990 sets of tools for housing construction. Completed relief work within two days using all available transportation vehicles. |
| Sept.22 1998 | Lesotho | Relief supply distribution | Tzu-Chi Lesotho and Tzu-Chi South Africa | Riot victims | Emergency purchase of food and supply for riot
victims. Distributed emergency funds to 45 stores severely damaged in the riot. Many Tzu-Chi members in Lesotho joined the relief work despite their personal losses in the riot. |