International Disaster Relief

Transcending political positions and racial boundaries and guided by the principle of "compassion without national boundaries and religion without politics," Master Cheng Yen has been directing Tzu Chi members all over the world to work on international disaster relief since 1991, offering badly needed material and spiritual help to unfortunate victims of disasters in many countries. Tzu Chi's first international relief effort was conducted by the US Tzu Chi Foundation for flood victims in Bangladesh; donations of more than US$157,000 were collected and transferred to the American Red Cross.

Master Cheng Yen's concept of international relief is that "from sincerity to Great Love and from Great Love to courage," Tzu Chi members should devote themselves to international relief with bravery and perseverance. This sincere and non-demanding spirit of Great Love is that of Tzu Chi's Path of the Bodhisattvas."

Tzu Chi's international relief efforts have gradually developed an emphasis on using local resources and volunteers. When we care for needy people without being constrained by religion, geography, race, skin color, warfare or alienation, we can "unite the world with Great Love."