ENVELOPING THE WORLD WITH GREAT LOVE

In Ethiopia, the oldest independent nation in Africa, secessionist movements and consecutive years of drought allowed hunger and disease to rule the land.

The highlands of Menz and Gishe Awraja, three hundred kilometers north of the national capital, Addis Ababa, had long been a battleground due to their strategic significance. The ravages of war had completely destroyed the health system in the area, leaving the sick with no one to turn to, save perhaps a witch doctor.

In January 1993, Tzu Chi joined hands with Medecins du Monde to implement a three-year plan to rebuild the medical network in the Menz and Gishe Awraja highland areas in North Shoa Province. The plan included building two medical centers and fourteen health clinics to provide medical services for the 347,000 people living in the area.

In the belief of "locals serving locals," Tzu Chi provided on-the-job training for three hundred local medical personnel. At the same time, fifteen water tanks were built at ten villages and health clinics to protect clean water sources. Water pipes were then laid to bring the water to the villages, where villagers simply used water taps at supply stations to receive clean water. The villagers were finally spared from having to walk long distances to get ground water that was contaminated and increased the risk of contracting diseases. The plan workers also promoted preventative medicine, surveyed local sanitary and health conditions, and monitored the nutritional and health conditions of the children.

From the beginning, the reconstruction plan placed great emphasis on local communication and involvement. Local health officials and residents were asked to participate in the drafting and execution of the plan. Only when the residents regarded the plan as a joint effort with the community could they develop a sense of identity with it. At the same time, local involvement helped the community to develop the ability to maintain and operate the plan on their own.

The three-year plan achieved results that won the recognition of the Ethiopian government, and it also became the model for reconstruction projects in other parts of the country. Furthermore, in an internal evaluation made by MDM, the project was ranked as the most successful of the long-term development projects they were implementing around the world.

In October 1998, Tzu Chi again worked with MDM to implement a two-year plan to rebuild a hospital in Debre Birhan, the capital of the North Shoa region. The hospital, built by the invading Italian army fifty-seven years ago, was the sole source of medical care for a population of almost two million. The plan included building operating rooms, delivery rooms, a blood storage room and lavatories, renovating ward buildings, building an operation station for the x-ray machine, and providing on-the-job training for medical personnel. The rebuilt hospital is scheduled to be inaugurated in June 2000.

Reflecting on its long-term cooperation with Tzu Chi, Philippe Leveque, deputy executive director of MDM, said, "Although we come from different countries and speak different languages, we are working together in the hope of saving one more life in Africa."

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