Buddhist Compassion Relief Tzu Chi Foundation

Mid- and Long-Term Relief
On March 5, Tzu Chi relief team in Haiti met with the President of Haiti to discuss long-term reconstruction plans for the quake survivors. Tzu Chi will focus its long-term reconstruction work in the city of Leogane. For the initial phase, Tzu Chi will focus on assessing the reconstruction of hospitals and schools in Leogane. As part of its mid-term relief effort, Tzu Chi has signed an MOA (Memorandum of Agreement) with the City of Tabarre to build public toilets to improve the sanitary conditions in the area. Tzu Chi continues to distribute tents and tarps to the quake survivors to help them through the raining season.

Immediate Relief Operation
Tzu Chi’s current relief operation in Haiti continues to focus on the following areas: 1) Relief goods distribution; 2) Medical and emotional assistance (including home visits); 3) Relief work program (food for work program).

Tzu Chi’s current relief operation is primary focused in Tabarre, Delmar and Leogane; immediate relief operation will continue until early April. By early April, 29 cargo containers of relief goods from Tzu Chi’s offices in Asia and the Americas will have been distributed to the quake survivors. Along with the local Tzu Chi volunteers in Haiti, teams of Tzu Chi volunteers and medical personnel from the Americas arrive in Haiti on a weekly basis, providing continuous help in Haiti. Tzu Chi relief team provides medical care and goods directly to the hands of the survivors with respect, a bow and a smile. UN peacekeepers and military police have been helping to provide security protection during Tzu Chi’s distributions.

Tzu Chi provides the relief work program participants/survivors work opportunities and food for their family. Besides food and work opportunities, Tzu Chi brings the survivors hope, encouraging the survivors to stand on their own feet and in return, help others, thus creating a cycle of love. Tzu Chi also emphasizes on the spirit of Great Love and compassion. Tzu Chi volunteers bring this spirit to the survivors in Haiti and let them know that love has no border, we are one big family helping one another, regardless of our skin color, religion and nationality.

After the earthquake struck Haiti on January 12, 2010, Tzu Chi immediately established a Haiti relief coordination center at the Tzu Chi USA headquarters (San Dimas, CA), and subsequently, a relief coordination center in Tzu Chi’s Dominican Republic office as well as in Haiti. In addition, Tzu Chi initiated a global fundraising campaign, with 35 countries participating in the campaign. The first shipment of goods was immediately prepared by TIHAA (Tzu Chi International Humanitarian Aid Association). *Notes on special goods: Instant rice is ready to be served after 40-50 minutes in room temperature water or 20 minutes in hot water. Instant corn powder can be served after pouring in room temperature water. Each eco-friendly fleece blanket is made from 70 recycled PET bottles.
Below are summary statistics on Tzu Chi’s current relief operation in Haiti.

Relief Goods Distribution (as of March 5)

Date	Location	# of Households	Approx. # of People
1/24	Hospital Municipal Cabral (Dominican Republic)	N/A	33
1/29	Pernier orphanage	N/A	125
2/1	Institute for Human and Community Development	744	3,000
2/2	Family of God orphanage	N/A	52
2/10	St. Mary Church (Tabarre)	500	2,500
2/11	Impact for God Church (Tabarre)	1,700	7,000
2/17	San Alejendra Church	350	1,500
2/20	Fairway Apparral S.A	285	950
2/22,24,26	Paroisse Crox de Mission	4,550	14,785
2/25, 27	Jordanian peacekeeper area	723	2,380
2/27	A church in Delmar	150	480
2/27	Family of God orphanage	N/A	40
2/27	OECC(Overseas Engineering Construction Co.) employees	37	120
3/02	Sugarcane field in Leogane	386	1,250
3/02	Children of Simon's Help Center for Destitute Children	N/A	45
3/03	Institute for Human and Community Development	832	2,700
3/05	Leogane	2,000	7,500
TOTAL		12,250	44,460

Relief Work Program – Food for Work (as of March 5)

Launch Date	# of Participants	Location
2/8 (discontinued on 2/24)	180	Impact For God Church
2/15	65	Paroisse Crox de Mission
2/26	36	San Alejendra
TOTAL	281

Medical Services (as of March 5)
Tzu Chi International Medical Association (TIMA) continues to provide medical care to the quake survivors. As of March 5, Tzu Chi has provided medical services, such as general medicine, oriental medicine, dental services and chiropractic care, to approximately 7,810 patients. Tzu Chi’s volunteer doctors discovered that most patients suffer from skin conditions (due to poor water sanitation), respiratory conditions, communicable diseases, dehydration and malnutrition.