In the wake of Storm Boris, which has caused widespread flooding across parts of Europe, the Taiwan-headquartered global charity and humanitarian organization Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation shared an announcement about its recent program to deliver humanitarian relief to families in Poland.
Storm Boris, a deep low-pressure front over central and eastern Europe, brought extreme weather conditions including record rainfall to several European nations from 14–21 September. The floods, which began in Austria and Czechia, before spreading to Poland, Romania, and Slovakia, and then extended into Germany, Hungary, and northern Italy, had resulted in at least 26 fatalities, as of 20 September, with tens of thousands of families relocated.
In Poland, “the city of Nysa was particularly hard-hit, forcing 44,000 people to evacuate. In the small town of Lewin Brzeski, 90 per cent of the area was submerged, and the extent of the damage prompted the government to declare a state of emergency,” Tzu Chi explained. (Tzu Chi Foundation)
Tzu Chi mobilized its volunteers on 17 September, who traveled to the hardest-hit town of Klodzko, home to around 26,000 people, where an estimated 80 per cent of homes were destroyed, and the village of Oldrzychowice Klodzkie. In both regions many roads had been rendered impassable and bridges had collapsed.
“Tzu Chi volunteers in Poland delivered eco-friendly blankets, emergency supplies, and shopping cards to flood-ravaged regions, bringing hope and relief to affected families amidst severe devastation caused by Storm Boris,” Tzu Chi said in a recent announcement. (Tzu Chi Foundation)
“Most of their homes were either severely damaged or completely washed away,” Tzu Chi onsite volunteer Lukas related. “Many have no place to live. We brought eco-friendly blankets, water, and cleaning supplies. We are also coordinating with the local government to determine how else we can assist.” (Tzu Chi Foundation)
Tzu Chi volunteers went door to door visiting affected families until well into the night on 17 September to distribute blankets, cash cards worth about US$157 each, cleaning supplies, and other essential goods.
One resident, Elira, was quoted by Tzu Chi as saying that the floodwaters had exceeded two meters, inundating her home: “I was standing here, and the water was up to 1.6 meters. It was almost as tall as me. The water came so fast—I couldn’t believe it. My refrigerator fell over, and all my furniture has been damaged. There’s nothing left.” (Tzu Chi Foundation)
“As recovery efforts continue, the Polish government has allocated . . . almost US$386 million from EU funds to repair damaged infrastructure and support residents in rebuilding their homes. An additional . . . almost US$900 million will be allocated for long-term flood prevention measures,” Tzu Chi remarked. “But amid this recovery, it’s the compassion and solidarity of volunteers that remind everyone of the strength of human connection in times of crisis.” (Tzu Chi Foundation)
The Buddhist Compassion Relief Tzu Chi Foundation, Republic of China, more widely known as the Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation, was founded in Taiwan in 1966 by the Buddhist nun and Dharma teacher Master Cheng Yen. With a focus on “putting compassion into action,” the Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation is a UN-accredited NGO with some 10 million supporters and 432 offices worldwide across 51 countries, undertaking regular activities in the fields of humanitarian aid, medical care, education, and environmental sustainability.
As a global icon of socially engaged Buddhism, Master Cheng Yen has expressed a deeply held belief that all people are capable of manifesting the same great compassion as the Buddha. She has noted that true compassion is not simply feeling sympathy for the suffering of others, but is found in reaching out to relieve suffering with concrete action.
Master Cheng Yen is popularly known in Taiwan as one of the “Four Heavenly Kings” of Buddhism, the others being: Master Sheng Yen, founder of Dharma Drum Mountain; Master Hsing Yun, founder of Fo Guang Shan; and Master Wei Chueh, founder of Chung Tai Shan. These four global Buddhist orders, correspondingly known as the “Four Great Mountains,” have grown to become among the most influential Chinese Buddhist organizations in the world.
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Tzu Chi Foundation
Tzu Chi USA
Delivering Vital Assistance to Flood-Ravaged Regions in Poland (Tzu Chi Foundation)
EU chief announces $11 bn for nations hit by ‘heartbreaking’ floods (France 24)
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