The Embassy of the Republic of China (Taiwan) in St. Vincent and the Grenadines in collaboration with the Tzu Chi Foundation providing two containers of relief supplies, aids the victims of Hurricane Beryl in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
Five volunteers of the “Taiwan Tzu Chi Foundation” St. Maarten Branch arrived in St. Vincent and the Grenadines on September 4, 2024. They were welcome at the Argyle International Airport by staff from the Embassy of the Republic of China (Taiwan).
On the next day, September 5, they, along with the Director Michelle Forbes and her team from National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO), Embassy staff, technical mission volunteers, and local Tzu Chi volunteers, went to Union Island to distribute 300 relief family packs, including Taiwanese rice, flour, noodles, beans, sugar, salt, drinking water, and laundry powder. It is to hope that the disaster victims could rebuild their homes soon and return to normal life as quickly as possible.
Prime Minister Hon. Ralph Gonsalves of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, during a visit to Union Island to inspect the post-Hurricane Beryl reconstruction, with Taiwan Ambassador Fiona Huei-Chun Fan, extended their gratitude to Tzu Chi members. Prime Minister Gonsalves appreciated the quick assistance provided by the Taiwanese government immediately after the passage of Beryl and expressed thanks to Tzu Chi for embodying the spirit of compassion and continuing to assist St. Vincent and the Grenadines in reconstruction period.
Ambassador Fiona arranged vegetarian meals for Tzu Chi members as a token of appreciation for their hard work and demonstration of solidarity between Taiwan and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. The St. Maarten Tzu Chi Foundation had collected and sent two 20-foot containers with a total of 1,000 family packs to be distributed among the severely affected areas of Union Island, Canouan, and Mayreau, as well as the mainland of St. Vincent.
The Tzu Chi Foundation was established by Master Cheng Yen in Hualien in 1966. In the 1970s and 80s, Tzu Chi expanded its charitable efforts from eastern Taiwan to the entire island, establishing a free clinic in Hualien and officially opening Tzu Chi Hospital. Since its first international disaster relief effort for the Bangladesh floods in 1991, Tzu Chi has assisted 136 countries and regions (as of March 2024). As the foundation envisions, “Like a seed that produces more seeds, compassionate actions inspire more love, leading to a more peaceful and harmonious society”, Taiwan will continuously express its love in international community, safeguarding the value of human rights.
