Spreading Compassion Throughout the World

The largest non-governmental organization in the Chinese-speaking world, Tzu Chi Foundation is an international charity that was started in Hualien, Taiwan by Buddhist nun Dharma Master Cheng Yen.

In 1966, during a visit to a local clinic, the Dharma Master came across an indigenous woman who was having labor complications. Her family had carried her from their village eight hours away, but they had to leave upon arriving as they did not have the money to pay for treatment. The incident saddened Dharma Master Cheng Yen and left her thinking how she could help others when she was just a monastic herself.

Subsequently, the Dharma Master encountered three Catholic nuns who asked her why they haven't seen any Buddhists doing humanitarian aid work if the Buddha taught compassion for all living beings. The nuns' words resonated with Dharma Master Cheng Yen, and that meeting led her to establish Tzu Chi, which means “compassionate relief” in Chinese. From its humble beginnings of 30 members, the organization now has over 370 offices worldwide and countless volunteers in 47 countries.

Guided by the principle of helping the poor and educating the rich, Tzu Chi's work focuses on providing material assistance to the impoverished as well as inspiring loving kindness in everyone. Aside from its original mission of charity, Tzu Chi also carries out operations in the areas of medicine, culture, education, international relief, and environmental protection. In addition, the organization runs The Buddhist Tzu Chi Bone Marrow Stem Cell Centre.

Recently, Tzu Chi distributed supplies for renal failure patients in Thailand after local factories were forced to close due to destructive floods. The foundation has also begun rebuilding schools that were damaged by the earthquake in Haiti in 2010. Some of Tzu Chi's operations last year include providing assistance to earthquake and tsunami victims in Japan as well as delivering rice to more than 800 families in deluged areas in Cambodia.