Returning to the Buddha’s homeland

Tzu Chi Teachers Association’s teachers visited a private school in Lumbini to share a few interesting teaching methods such as singing, dancing and games. This is the first sharing experience from the teachers of Tzu Chi Teachers Association with local teachers to improve the quality of education in Lumbini.

14 students from the Department of Travel & Tourism Management (Bachelor in Travel & Tourism Management, BTTM) and the Department of Rural Development (BARD) of Lumbini Buddhist University came to the Tzu Chi Club, signed a contract and received Tzu Chi’s Scholarships. As such Tzu Chi will accompany them on their path to further their studies, and they will be able to work in Tzu Chi after their graduation. Guaranteeing their current education and future employment, in hopes of the completion of their studies, and utilize their knowledge to bring changes to their hometown.

The Tzu Chi Community Care Centre opened on June 18, and Tzu Chi Volunteers start distributing supplies here for the first time. Through census, Tzu Chi volunteers recorded the Ward 11 route map of Lumbini and identified a total of 38 impoverished households, and provided them with supplies. In the future, Tzu Chi volunteers will use this census data to organize plans to help villagers, improving their living conditions and make their lives better and better.

Lumbini’s lack of education resources, outdated infrastructure, and high dropout rate are many difficulties that deeply worry overseas Tzu Chi Volunteers. The arrival of Tzu Chi Teachers Association volunteers is like a ray of hope that illuminates the darkness, bringing encouragement and strength to the local educators. They actively organized teacher training programs, fun campuses activities, principal’s conference, etc. Laying a solid foundation for improving the quality of education and improving school operation conditions.

尼泊爾慈青舉辦淨街活動，大家夥兒在街道上拾垃圾，也帶動當地居民一起加入，凝聚大家的力量，讓環境保持清潔，大家也能保持健康。

Nepalese Tzu Chi Volunteer Santosh Kumar, donated the downstairs space of his home to Tzu Chi to be converted into a community care center. The volunteers divided the area into three spaces, which includes a Buddhist hall, a multi-purpose room and a sewing class. In hopes of this community care center can help the villagers residing there to improve their standards of living and deliver more loving energy to the community.

Nepal, the Buddha's birthplace, has a long history of Buddhist civilisation. However, due to the small number of local Buddhist followers, the faith has declined somewhat. On 14 May, 2023, Tzu Chi held its first large-scale Buddha Bathing Ceremony and Foot Bathing in Lumbini, and Bodhi Television, Nepal's only Buddhist TV station, broadcasted the event globally. The event was solemn and successful, and it inspired Bodhi Television's Chairman, Sanjeeb, to appreciate true Buddhist teachings. It also established a basis for cooperation between Bodhi Television and the Tzu Chi Foundation. Through the positive influence of the media, it is hoped that the compassionate wisdom of Buddhism will be shared from Lumbini to the world.

誠心祈願 意涵善法界 將自己一分溫暖的愛， 不辭勞苦、不畏繁重、不計艱辛， 一心要溫暖苦難人的身心， 這分關懷天下的開闊愛心， 就是佛陀正法的教育。