Pakistan
Severe flooding caused by Pakistan’s particularly strong monsoon season, which began in late June, claimed over a thousand lives. Some areas still had not recovered as of November. Following its 2022 relief efforts, Tzu Chi partnered again with local organizations to provide aid, helping 7,500 households, totaling 52,500 people.
In this latest effort, Tzu Chi procured 6,000 relief packages, which were distributed by November 29 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa through the We Care Foundation and the Al-Madinah Islamic Research Center. Another 1,500 food and daily necessities packages were purchased by the Shirkat Gah Women’s Resource Centre and distributed in Punjab by December 16.
Sri Lanka
Tropical Cyclone Ditwah struck Sri Lanka in late November, damaging over 100,000 homes and affecting 1.7 million people. Tzu Chi provided 1,800 meals in Hambantota and helped vulnerable households in Colombo with cleanup efforts. In Homagama Division, Colombo, Tzu Chi distributed a one-and-a-half-month supply of food and daily necessities to 1,438 households. Additional distributions are planned, with over 20,000 people expected to benefit.
Taiwan
In November, a Tzu Chi University team distinguished itself at the 77th iENA inventors’ fair in Nuremberg, Germany, competing against more than 540 entries from around the world. The team earned two gold medals, one silver, and a special award. Their winning innovations included the Portable Power-Free Backwash Water Purifier and two medical tools: the Smart Restraint Device and the Multi-Point Medical Tubing Fixation and Adjustment Device.
Vietnam
Typhoons Bualoi and Matmo struck Vietnam between late September and early October. After coordinating with local authorities, Tzu Chi volunteers surveyed affected areas. On October 19, they distributed a thousand bags of rice and a thousand bottles of cooking oil to households in Thái Nguyên Province.
Continuing their relief efforts, Tzu Chi Vietnam provided a thousand scholarships across five schools in Nghệ An Province from November 7 to 9, along with additional school supplies for some students. Twenty families in the province also received assistance for housing reconstruction, with 70 million Vietnamese dong (US$2,660) provided per household.
Nepal
In October 2024, Tzu Chi and Nepal’s Forward Foundation began constructing a hundred housing units for impoverished families in Sunsari District, Koshi Province. Funded by Tzu Chi and built by the Forward Foundation, the project also provided training for local villagers in construction techniques. The homes used traditional building methods, featuring woven bamboo structures, which were then coated with concrete. Each unit includes two bedrooms, a living room, a small courtyard, and an outdoor toilet, with 40.5 square meters (435 sq ft) of indoor space. The completed homes were inaugurated a year later, on November 25, with each household receiving rice, cooking oil, and a certificate of ownership.
The Philippines
From November 28 to 29, Tzu Chi Philippines conducted 14 relief distributions for survivors of Typhoon Kalmaegi, which struck the country’s central region on November 4. Supplies were provided for 6,562 households in Mandaue, Talisay, Compostela, Consolacion, Liloan, and Danao—all on the island of Cebu. Each household received daily necessities and 25 kilograms (55 pounds) of rice. Among the recipients, a thousand families whose homes had been completely destroyed received cash aid. Free medical services were also provided, benefiting 300 people.
Türkiye
Tzu Chi Türkiye conducted 19 winter distributions at El Menahil International School from November 7 to 10. The events provided financial support to Syrian families and low-income Turkish households, while also raising funds to aid people in Gaza.
Eswatini
On October 25, Tzu Chi held a free clinic in Lobamba, offering services such as diabetes and breast cancer screenings, Pap smears, and HIV testing. The event also provided physical therapy, nutritional assessments, medical consultations, and medications. Services were provided for more than 650 patients, including 120 children.
Dominican Republic
Hurricane Melissa hit the Caribbean in late October. In Las Colinas, Baní, southern Dominican Republic, heavy rain and upstream land development sent mud into 215 homes, damaging furniture and appliances. Tzu Chi volunteers from Santo Domingo arrived on October 30 to assess the damage and compile recipient lists. Shopping vouchers were distributed to 214 households on November 23.
Brazil
A powerful tornado struck Rio Bonito do Iguaçu in Paraná in early November, partially or completely destroying about 90 percent of homes. Tzu Chi volunteers from neighboring Paraguay, working with the Brazilian fire department, provided six tons of supplies to assist 400 families.
