Buddhist Charity Brings Dental Care to Desert Communities

Tzu Chi Foundation Organizes Free Dental Clinic in Abasiya

JORDAN: The Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation, a Taiwan-based global charity, recently conducted a free dental clinic in the remote desert region of Abasiya, Jordan. The outreach, which took place in late June, aimed to provide much-needed dental care to impoverished Bedouin communities living in tent settlements.

Long-standing Commitment to the Region

Tzu Chi has been supporting the Abasiya tent settlement since 2002, offering regular aid distributions and educational support. Chiou-hwa Chen, chief executive of Tzu Chi Jordan, highlighted the organization’s ongoing commitment:

“We are grateful to Master Cheng Yen for creating the Tzu Chi world, allowing dental teams to serve in the Abasiya tent area for over 22 years, easing dental suffering.”

Logistical Challenges and Dedicated Volunteers

Due to the remote location, the medical team and volunteers embarked on their journey a day early, spending a night in the Wadi Rum desert. Some volunteers transporting dental equipment had to leave Amman as early as 3:30 a.m. to ensure all necessary supplies reached the clinic site.

Dr. Amjad Othman, chair of the Jordan Dental Association, participated in the mission along with his two children, who served as dental assistants. He emphasized the area’s pressing needs:

“Today, we’re in a very impoverished area far from Amman, where medical care is usually insufficient. We’re here with Tzu Chi to serve them.”

Comprehensive Care and Follow-up Support

The clinic provided a range of dental services, including removable dentures for residents without teeth. Dr. Amjad stressed the importance of regular outreach:

“This area requires at least two dental outreaches every year because the demand is simply overwhelming!”

Tzu Chi also offers transportation and medical expenses for patients requiring follow-up treatment in Amman, ensuring continuity of care.

Broader Humanitarian Efforts in Jordan

The dental outreach is part of Tzu Chi’s larger humanitarian efforts in Jordan, which have been ongoing for over 25 years. The foundation provides support to both local communities and the country’s significant refugee population, estimated at around three million people.

About the Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation

Founded in Taiwan in 1966 by Buddhist nun Master Cheng Yen, the Tzu Chi Foundation is a UN-accredited NGO with a global presence. The organization focuses on putting “compassion into action” through humanitarian aid, medical care, education, and environmental sustainability initiatives.

Master Cheng Yen’s philosophy emphasizes that true compassion extends beyond sympathy, requiring concrete action to alleviate suffering. This principle continues to guide Tzu Chi’s work in Jordan and around the world.