To express loving-care of Taiwanese people from all walks of life to the affected people in earthquake-stricken area in Myanmar, the disaster investigation team of the Dharma Drum Mountain (DDM) Social Welfare and Charity Foundation (here referred to as “the Foundation”) led by Ven. Chang Xing (常惺法師), Secretary General of the Foundation, arrived in Yangon at noon on April 3rd, 2025. Accompanied by Wang Ming-siang (王明祥), the representative of Taiwanese business people in Myanmar, the investigation team first visited Chou Chung-hsing (周中興), Representative of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Myanmar, to send regards from the DDM Sangha and Ven. Guo Huei (果暉法師), the DDM Abbot President, to the people in Myanmar. The investigation team exchanged information on the disaster relief with the Representative Chou and later went to check the emergency supplies that had been purchased locally for the earthquake zone, which were sent to Mandalay, the hardest hit city in Myanmar, on the next day.
Representative Chou explained to Ven. Chang Xing and the members of the investigation team that the devastation in Mandalay is severe and the situation there is quite chaotic. He suggested that it should be safer for DDM to take Buddhist monasteries and temples as a central base for distributing the supplies in quake-affected areas. He also mentioned that Mandalay Kongjiao School is the biggest Chinese-language school in Myanmar. Currently, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Myanmar mainly provides assistance to quake-affected the teachers and students of the school. In addition, the Taiwanese Overseas Community Affairs Council will assist in the reconstruction of their campus in the future.
After knowing the general situation of the disaster area, Ven. Chang Xing and the representatives of full-time staff member and volunteer including Woody Wang (王軍智) and Wu Shen (吳慎) went to check the pre-purchased necessities such as instant noodles, biscuits, bread, drinking water, salt, milk powder, toilet paper, and menstrual health products. It is hoped that the resources can be swiftly and effectively delivered to those affected in the disaster area.
With increased power outages in the disaster areas, Ven. Chang Xing claims that, in addition to the first round distribution of daily necessities, DDM has been purchasing basic necessities that are urgently needed in the earthquake zone, such as flashlights. The supplies are expected to arrive in the affected area by the Water Festival—the New Year in Myanmar—so that the local populations can resume their daily lives.
Original Chinese text and photos/ Dharma Drum Mountain Social Welfare and Charity Foundation
Translation / Li Siang-ling
Editing / Keith Brown, YKL
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