Missions
Our Missions
To help those in need with love and care: We’re all one family on this Earth. Tzu Chi is an international humanitarian aid organization whose mission is to relieve the suffering of those in need, and create a better world for all. In Chinese, “tzu” means compassion, and “chi” relief: With open hearts and helping hands, our volunteers are here to serve you.
Its “Four Great Missions” are Charity, Medical, Education, and Humanistic Culture. Moreover, Tzu Chi is also devoted to international disaster relief, bone marrow donation, environmental protection, and community volunteering. Together, these are called the “Eight Global Footprints.”
Charity - The Art of Respectful Giving
Tzu Chi rejects the traditional power dynamic between giver and receiver. Volunteers deliver aid hand-to-hand with a 90-degree bow and a sincere "thank you" — acknowledging the recipient as the one granting the opportunity to practise compassion. Relief goes directly to disaster zones or impoverished homes rather than being dropped off at warehouses. Long-term accompaniment means volunteers support assigned families for years, helping them gain independence rather than dependency.
Medicine - Healing the Person, Not Just the Illness
The medical mission was born from Master Cheng Yen's vow that no one should be denied care due to poverty. In 1986, the first Tzu Chi Hospital in Hualien boldly abolished the upfront patient deposit — the exact barrier that had caused the founding "pool of blood" incident — ultimately influencing Taiwan's Ministry of Health to eliminate the requirement nationwide. Tzu Chi hospitals deploy hundreds of volunteers in vests to emotionally support patients and families, and doctors regularly provide free clinics in remote villages on their days off.
Education - Knowledge with a Moral Compass
Tzu Chi's educational philosophy holds that teaching a child how to make a living is incomplete without teaching them how to be a good human being. Master Cheng Yen's Jing Si Aphorisms are woven directly into the curriculum. Students learn practical life skills, mindful eating, and respect for elders — including events where students formally wash their parents' feet as an expression of gratitude.
Humanistic Culture - Nourishing Society's Consciousness
Master Cheng Yen teaches that a polluted media environment harms the human mind the way polluted air harms the body. Da Ai (Great Love) TV broadcasts in dozens of countries under strict ethical guidelines: no sensationalism, no violence, no political partisanship, and no commercial interruptions. The network is famous for high-quality drama series based on the true stories of ordinary volunteers who overcame hardship to become better people. Remarkably, a large portion of Da Ai TV's funding comes from Tzu Chi's 100,000+ recycling volunteers, who sort trash, sell recyclable materials, and donate proceeds to the station — "turning garbage into gold, and gold into loving hearts."