Page 7 - 37-Fall 2013

CEO’S NOTE

Building Hope for Haiti’s Future

fter a major earthquake struck Haiti in encountered quite a few care recipients unable
January 2010, large groups of Tzu Chi even to write their own names. We knew that for
Avolunteers rushed to the country one the next generation to have a chance to prosper,
after another. Throughout the first few months education was the top priority.
of immediate relief, there were always volunteers
We already knew that the St. Anne schools
down in Haiti doing whatever we could to help
offered top-quality education. Many graduates
the people recover.
of Christ the King Secretarial School, for
As outsiders, we often relied on churches to example, go on to work for the United Nations,
connect us with local communities, so we found InterAction, and other respected international
ourselves frequently collaborating with Catholic organizations. A visit to their temporary school
priests. Dharma Master Cheng Yen noticed this in May 2010 also left a deep impression. Even
in our daily video conferences; since she has had in the far-from-ideal conditions of temporary
a special affinity with Catholic nuns since even classrooms, we saw spaces that were clean and
before she founded Tzu Chi, she encouraged us organized, students who were well-behaved and
to also find nuns in need of our assistance. hard-working. It was clear that the Sisters of St.
Anne were not only educating but training these
We searched and searched, with little success
children for life.
at first. But when we were introduced to the
Sisters of St. Anne, I was immediately impressed. We knew then, as we know now, that Tzu Chi
The nuns were small in stature, but great in had made a wise decision in choosing to work
spirit. Whenever someone mentioned education, together with the Sisters of St. Anne to rebuild
I could see their eyes just light up. It was clear Collège Marie-Anne and Christ the King. The
that education was their calling, but they had school buildings are an investment in Haiti’s
met a major setback—all three of their schools future; they will be used to provide children
in Port-au-Prince had been destroyed by the with knowledge, wisdom, and morals, and will
earthquake. support the Sisters’ educational mission in even
more impoverished areas of Haiti.
Even before we met the Sisters of St. Anne,
we were already looking for opportunities to help As we reach this important milestone of the
rebuild Haiti. Tzu Chi has carried out numerous schools’ reopening, I would like to thank all of the
construction projects around the world—schools, volunteers who have participated in immediate,
homes, even villages—but Haiti, with its murky mid-term, and long-term relief projects in Haiti.
land ownership issues, was proving a special It is only through everyone’s hard work and
challenge. That the Sisters of St. Anne had clear dedication that these three schools have been
ownership of their schools’ land removed this reborn, and I deeply believe that these buildings,
major obstacle, but it was just one of the many built to the highest safety standards, will continue
reasons we decided to work together. to stand strong for many years to come as they
help spur a revival of education and inspire a cycle
Foremost was Haiti’s dire need of quality
of goodness that will reverberate throughout the
education, which Dharma Master Cheng Yen country.
Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation has always regarded as the foundation of hope. Han Huang
In the course of our relief distributions, we
909.447.7799 | www.us.tzuchi.org