Dharma Drum Mountain Social Welfare and Charity Foundation to Donate US$150,000 for Venezuela Earthquake Relief

A powerful earthquake struck Venezuela in northern South America on June 24, causing significant casualties and widespread destruction. In the hardest-hit area of La Guaira, homes collapsed, leaving many residents displaced. The urgent need for post-disaster reconstruction and medical assistance prompted Dharma Drum Mountain Social Welfare and Charity Foundation to mobilize its disaster response assessment process on June 25. Following a comprehensive evaluation, the Foundation has decided to allocate US$150,000 in relief assistance for the earthquake-affected communities in Venezuela.

Through the Dharma Drum Mountain Buddhist Association (DDMBA) USA, the Foundation will donate US$100,000 to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) to support humanitarian relief efforts for children affected by the disaster. In addition, drawing on its previous experience collaborating with other organizations in international medical relief, the Foundation will donate NT$1.5 million (approximately US$50,000) to Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF, Doctors Without Borders) to support frontline emergency medical operations, providing urgently needed healthcare services and medical resources to disaster survivors.

Upon learning of the earthquake, the Foundation immediately contacted the DDMBA USA and Venerable Zhi Han (智瀚長老), Abbot of Tzong Kwan temple in Brazil, to better understand the rescue efforts in neighboring countries. After careful assessment, the Foundation determined that, given Venezuela's current political and economic instability, the absence of formal diplomatic relations between Taiwan and Venezuela, the geographical distance, and the lack of local partner organizations for direct collaboration, the most effective approach would be to follow its established model for international disaster relief by working with trusted international humanitarian organizations. This collaborative approach ensures that relief funds can be delivered swiftly and effectively to those most in need.

Dharma Drum Mountain Social Welfare and Charity Foundation has previously provided assistance for numerous international disasters, including the 2023 earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria, the Libya floods, the Morocco earthquake, the 2017 Mexico earthquake, and the India floods. In each case, the Foundation partnered with international charitable organizations, United Nations agencies, and professional medical institutions to extend the kindness and loving care of the people of Taiwan.

Through international cooperation and the integration of humanitarian resources, the Foundation hopes to accompany the people of Venezuela as they recover from this tragedy, rebuild their communities, and help bring greater stability and hope to the world.

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