Bending down with respect, volunteers gently placed relief funds and a letter of support into the hands of the elderly. Hoa Doan Thi (段氏華), a 100-year-old grandmother, held onto a volunteer’s hands tightly, reluctant to let go. Living only with her grandson who has a mental illness, tears welled up in her eyes as she received this unexpected care from afar.
Reaching the most vulnerable
In late May 2026, 71 Tzu Chi volunteers from seven provinces and cities across North and South Vietnam gathered in Dak Lak Province for six days of care and relief distribution. Recognizing the physical challenges faced by many, volunteers ventured into remote villages a day before the main distribution. They visited the elderly and vulnerable families door-to-door, bringing assistance directly into their homes.
Grandmother Hoa resides in Tuy An Bac Commune. She relies entirely on her niece, who lives next door, for daily care. During their visit, volunteers learned that the elderly woman had been suffering greatly from the sweltering heat. In response, they requested her family use a portion of the funds to purchase a standing fan, hoping to make her daily life a little more comfortable.
Assessing the damage
The necessity for this large-scale outreach stemmed from a disaster that struck half a year prior. On November 6, 2025, Typhoon Kalmaegi made landfall in Vietnam, bringing destructive winds, torrential rains, and massive waves that battered the central and highland regions. Dak Lak Province faced some of the most severe damage, with widespread destruction to homes, agricultural lands, and livestock facilities. The local economy was crippled, and countless families struggled to maintain their livelihoods.
In December, volunteers trekked deep into the impacted zones to evaluate the damage. They discovered that floodwaters in some areas had reached depths of one to three meters, with the hardest-hit locations submerged under more than five meters of water. Following months of careful planning and verifying recipient lists, relief operations were tailored based on family size to best support the survivors during their long road to recovery.
Delivering hope
From May 28 to 31, 2026, ten large-scale distributions were organized across Tuy An Dong Commune, Dong Xuan Commune, Tuy An Bac Commune, and Tuy Hoa Ward. Over the course of five days, these distributions and home visits successfully reached 3,696 affected households.
For many volunteers traveling from North Vietnam, arriving at the distribution sites required enduring train journeys lasting more than twenty hours. Their dedication ensured that practical aid reached those in need, offering the survivors the reassurance that they have not been forgotten as they rebuild their lives.
Written by Yu-Zhen Pan (潘俞臻)
