The world of Tzu Chi March 2020(Vol.120)

2020 • 03 32 M ention Sierra Leone and most people think of Blood Diamond . The famous movie, released in 2006, was set during the Sierra Leone Civil War. Its title refers to the diamonds mined during the war and sold to fund the armed conflict. The brutal civil war in Sierra Leone lasted over a decade, from 1991 to 2002, and left tens of thousands dead and millions displaced. Even though 17 years have passed since the end of the war, vestiges of the war are still visible today in the villages and on the streets. The country has been more recently known for the Ebola epidemic that devastated parts of West Africa from 2014 to 2016. Nearly 4,000 people died and more than 14,000 were infected in Sierra Leone by the time it was declared Ebola- free in March 2016. The epidemic destroyed families, crushed the nation’s weak healthcare system and devastated an already poor economy. Tzu Chi started providing long-term aid to people in Sierra Leone in March 2015, in cooperation with Caritas Freetown, the Healey International Relief Foundation and the Lanyi Foundation. Through these partnerships, Tzu Chi has been able to help survivors of the Ebola epidemic, orphans struggling with hunger, the war-wounded and amputees, health facilities that lack basic supplies and other underserved people and organizations. Tzu Chi’s work has changed lives for the better in the country. Tzu Chi’s three partners in Sierra Leone have worked in the nation for a long time. They are like Tzu Chi’s hands and eyes there. It was through them that the foundation learnt about the severe floods that hit Freetown, the capital of Sierra Leone, inAugust 2019. Torrential rains there led to flash floods, submerging houses and forcing people out of their homes. The situation was especially dire for those who lived near the sea or in low-lying regions. They were badly in need of help after having sustained serious losses from the floods. As soon as they learnt of the plight of the flood victims, the Tzu Chi headquarters in Hualien, Taiwan, immediately set out to organize aid for them. Rice provided by Taiwan’s Council of Agriculture, multigrain powder, blankets made from recycled PET bottles and second- hand clothes collected from across Taiwan were prepared for shipping and distribution. Then, a Tzu Chi delegation consisting of 22 members from the United States, Taiwan, Malaysia and South Africa flew to Sierra Leone in mid- November to personally deliver into the hands of the needy the much-needed aid supplies. In addition to flood victims, Tzu Chi’s aid also reached Ebola survivors, orphanages, schools and other institutions. A total of 10,644 people benefitted from 18 distributions over nine days. Such an intense distribution schedulewas difficult to pull off, but the mission was successful thanks to Tzu Chi’s partners in Sierra Leone. The first distribution The first distribution was held in Culvert, a district in Cline Town, Freetown. It had been devastated by the floods. The event was delayed due to several factors, including the limited preparation time, the late arrival of the relief items due to traffic congestion and the difficulty of confirming household information. The long wait made some people in the crowd restless. The high temperatures, reaching 31°C, made the wait even more of an ordeal. Everyone was sweating, their clothes soaked in perspiration. Dr. Zheng Shun-xian, an infectious disease specialist from Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital, eastern Taiwan, helped people lobal Presence