About Tzu Chi Indonesia
The seeds of Tzu Chi’s Great Love from Taiwan were planted in Indonesia in 1993. Liang Cheung, a Taiwanese Tzu Chi volunteer, came to Indonesia to accompany her husband. She then got acquinted with some wives of Taiwanese businessmen. Later, Liang Cheung managed to encourage them to participate as Tzu Chi donators. Over time, after observing and realizing the hardships of many people around them, these housewives came across an idea "why don`t we do charity work here in Indonesia?".
In 1994, they visited Hualien, Taiwan to meet Master Cheng Yen. Using this opportunity, they sought for Master`s blessing to officially establish Tzu Chi in Indonesia. Responding to the request, Master Cheng Yen said, "Those who make a living in another country, must make good use of local potentials, and contribute to the local people." Since then, the wives of Taiwanese started to cultivate the field of Great Love in Indonesia. Until now, even though carrying the label as a Buddhist foundation, Tzu Chi comprises of donators and volunteers coming from various religions and backgrounds. It goes the same in running its activities, Tzu Chi always trancends beyond various boundaries: different ethnicity, religions, races, and classes.
After Tzu Chi missions had been carried out in Indonesia for more than three years, in September 28, 1997, Master Cheng Yen presented a statue of Buddha Avalokitesvara as a symbol of recognition of Tzu Chi in Indonesia. The date was later designated as Indonesian Tzu Chi Day.
Initiated from Jakarta, the seeds of Tzu Chi have continued to grow. Until today, Tzu Chi Indonesia has managed to expand its branch/liaison offices throughout 18 cities in Indonesia.
Compassion in Action
Since 1993, Tzu Chi volunteers have started to contribute to the communities around them. In April 1994, Tzu Chi Indonesia began to visit nursing homes regularly. In July 1994, Tzu Chi Indonesia delivered disaster relief aid to the southern part of East Java hit by tsunami. Petromax lamps were distributed to the survivors there. In December 1994, when Mount Merapi in Central Java erupted, Tzu Chi Indonesia distributed daily basic needs and built houses for the eruption victims.
As time goes by, the aids delivered have been more varied, ranging from scholarships to the students of SDN Jembatan Baru in North Jakarta, assistance to the first special treatment patient, medical care to Ferry suffering from rickets, to the TBC eradication program in Tangerang. Since 2000, the development of Tzu Chi Indonesia has become more concrete through the implementation of four main missions of Tzu Chi.
The Compassion Keeps Spreading
The great flood of Jakarta in early 2002, had served as the background for a series of large-scale long-term program. In March 2002, responding to the disastrous flood, Tzu Chi launhed the Jakarta Flood Relief program. One of the program was the cleaning of Angke river and Ciliwung river. Following the program, in July 2002, Tzu Chi started the construction of the Tzu Chi Great Love Village. The Great Love village was built to alleviate the suffering of the residents of Angke river bank who lived in a slum area dan had been severely affected by the flood.
The Great Love Village in Cengkareng, West Jakarta was then inaugurated by President Megawati Soekarno Putri in August 25, 2003. Completing the village, a polyclinic, school, community hall, prayer house, and recycling center were also built.
Throughout 2003, Tzu Chi Indonesia distributed 50,000 tons of rice to the needy ones in several cities and villages in Indonesia. Along with the rice distribution, Tzu Chi spread the value of universal love. Inspired by this program, more people in those areas decided to join as volunteers who later led the initiatives to establish Tzu Chi liaison office in their respective cities.
Today, there are 18 Tzu Chi Liaison/Representative Offices in Indonesia. We can find them in Tangerang, Bandung, Surabaya, Bali, Lampung, Palembang, Padang, Medan, Tebing Tinggi, Pekanbaru, Batam, Tanjung Balai Karimun, Tanjung Pinang, Makassar, Manado, Singkawang, and Biak.
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