Since the quakestruck Haiti on January 12 , Tzu Chi has already sent in 6 relief teams fromthe US, Canada, Dominican Republic and Argentina into Haiti to work side byside with our local volunteers. We will continue to send in teams of relief workersinto Haiti on a regular basis. Each team consists of experienced Tzu Chi reliefworkers, doctors and other medical personnel from Tzu Chi International MedicalAssociation (TIMA). Our relief team members are all volunteers who taketime off work and pay for their own trip to go to Haiti to help. 

Tzu Chi relief team in Haiti isassessing long-term reconstruction plans for the quake survivors. As part ofits mid-term relief effort, Tzu Chi has signed an MOA with the City of Tabarreto build public restrooms in order to improve the sanitary conditions in thearea. Tzu Chi is distributing tarps and eco-friendly blankets to over 5,000households this week to help prepare for the upcoming raining season. 5,000tents will arrive in Haiti to be distributed to the survivors.

Tzu Chi continues its immediate relief operation in Haiti, focusing on thefollowing areas: relief goods distribution, medical and emotional care(including home visits), and relief work program (food for work program). USmilitary soldiers and UN peacekeepers who helped to provide security protectionat Tzu Chi's distribution sites also joined Tzu Chi volunteers to distributegoods to the survivors with both of their hands, a bow and a smile.On February22^nd, 24^th and 26^th, Tzu Chi conductedmajor material distributions to 14,785 people at Croix-des Mission church. FromFebruary 2^nd to 26^th, Tzu Chi’s Relief Work forFood Program benefited 281 participants in the areas of “Impact For GodChurch”, “Paroisse Crox de Mission” and “San Alejendra Church”.  

As of February26, Tzu Chi has provided medical services, such as general medicine, orientalmedicine, dental services and chiroprac tic care, to approximately 5,550patients. Tzu Chi’s volunteer doctors discovered that most patientssuffer from skin conditions (due to poor water sanitation), respiratoryconditions, communicable diseases, dehydration and malnutrition.