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On December 29th, 2003,
the first team of 11 doctors, nurses and volunteers
arrived in Baravat, Iran to distribute 100 first aid
kits, 1,200 daily necessities packs, 12,000 blankets,
300 sleeping bags and 500 boxes of vegetarian canned
food and other emergency supplies donated by the Hashemite
Jordan Charity Organization (HAJCO).
On January 21st, 2004, the eve of Chinese New Year,
a second team of Tzu Chi volunteers departed for Iran
to begin planning the construction of an emergency medical
center, temporary housing and 150 temporary classrooms.
Construction was estimated to start within two months.
On February 14th, 2004, Tzu Chi shipped 2,500 tons
of rice in 125 cargo containers to Iran. Volunteers
from Taiwan, Malaysia, Jordan, Turkey, the Philippines,
Indonesia and Iran distributed approximately 115 tons
of rice on March 11th and March 13th, ahead of Noruz,
the Persian New Year, to over 1450 households. The entire
shipment of 2,500 tons should support these survivors
for three months. The Tzu Chi relief team thanks the
national, provincial, and local government officials
of Bam and Baravat, and the Iranian Red Crescent Society
for their help in making the rice distribution operation
a success.
Volunteers distributed over
115 tons of rice in two days.
In addition, the Tzu Chi medical team continually provided
free mobile clinical services at a woman’s college
in the city of Bam and a primary school in Baravat.
It also made "house calls" when needed.
Tzu Chi carries out all humanitarian relief operations
on the basis of five core principles: timeliness, directness,
practicality, priority, and respect. Tzu Chi volunteers
always deliver practical aid to those most in need,
promptly, personally and in a respectful manner. Wherever
the disaster may be, Tzu Chi volunteers organize relief
missions with their personal funds to help the victims
irrespective of nationality, language, race or religion.
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