GREAT LOVE ACROSS THE TAIWAN STRAITS

#Distribution of food, clothing and comforters to flood victims in Xingyi, Pan and Danzhai counties.

#Construction of Wuwan Tzu Chi Primary School in Danzhai and distribution of scholarships.

#Construction of two Tzu Chi nursery centers, one in Guiyang and one in Zhenning.

Dense population, scarce land, undeveloped agricultural techniques and frequent natural disasters in Guizhou have made the province unfavorable for an agricultural economy. Local people describe their situation in a jingle: "A year of major calamity sees a major drop in production, a year of minor calamity sees a minor drop in production, a year of no calamity sees a miniature rise in production." The period from the summer of 1997 to the spring of 1998 was a year of major calamity for the people of Guizhou.

In January 1998, a Tzu Chi relief team distributed food, clothing and comforters in two famine-stricken counties of Guizhou-Xingyi and Pan counties. Approximately 61,000 peasants were aided.

In January 1999, the Tzu Chi relief team returned to Guizhou again, this time distributing scholarships to children of the Miao tribe (the indigenous people of Guizhou) in eight locations-Longquan town in Danzhai County, Xingren, Wuwan Primary School, Yangwu, Yahui, Paidiao, Changqing and Nangao. A total of 100 low-income households and 3,040 children, who had dropped out of school due to the tight financial situation, were helped.

The Tzu Chi relief team was also invited to the inauguration of Wuwan Tzu Chi Primary School in Danzhai. The school, located in a mountainous area populated by the Miaos, was a joint effort of Tzu Chi volunteers in Shanghai and Taiwanese businessmen in mainland China. It was also the second school fully funded by Tzu Chi after the first, Baizhu Tzu Chi Primary School, in Yichun City, Jiangxi. The schools are the fruits of compassionate love, and they have brought hope to children living in remote mountain areas of Guizhou.

"Through giving Great Love and having gratitude in our hearts, our lives will be fill with happiness," said one of the Shanghai Tzu Chi volunteers. This is indeed the aspiration of every Tzu Chi member!

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