Volunteers for the Tzu Chi medical team, part of the Taiwan-headquartered global charity and humanitarian organization Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation, recently conducted their first-ever two-day gynecological free clinic at the Tzu Chi Free Clinic Center in Lumbini, Nepal, aiming to offer compassionate medical treatment for local women.
The free clinic is part of a Tzu Chi project dubbed “Giving Back to the Buddha’s Homeland,” in which volunteers take active steps to bring compassion and humanitarian relief to vulnerable communities in Nepal, where the historical Buddha is believed to have been born, and India, where he attained liberation and shared the path to awakening.
“In a deeply conservative and economically challenged society, many women silently endure health issues due to stigma and limited access to female doctors,” Tzu Chi explained in a recent report. “This initiative aimed to provide much-needed care and encourage women to prioritize their well-being.” (Tzu Chi Foundation)
The pioneering free clinic in Lumbini, conducted from 12–13 December 2024, saw nearly 250 women receive essential healthcare, in the process helping to foster community support and compassion.
Women began assembling to attend the clinic from 8 a.m., waiting patiently in the chill morning air for Tzu Chi volunteers from Singapore, Malaysia, and Nepal to coordinate patient registration, triage assessments, and examinations. Volunteers also provided refreshments to ensure that the women, many of whom had traveled long distances to attend the clinic, felt cared for and comfortable.
One patient, 23-year-old Bina Kumari Harijan, expressed relief at finally being able to discuss her abdominal pain with a female doctor.
Meanwhile, 90-year-old Jhinka Pal, who had walked for more than an hour with her neighbors from Luxmipur Village, received treatment for joint pain. She expressed gratitude with folded hands for the kindness she received from the medical team and other volunteers.
Over the course of the two-day free clinic, some 250 women received medical consultations, with 200 prescribed medication and five referred for further treatment. Nine women received ultrasound scans to diagnose underlying health conditions.
“The first gynecological free clinic in Lumbini was more than just a medical mission—it was a step toward breaking barriers in women’s healthcare. Through collaboration, compassion, and community support, the initiative provided a safe space for women to seek the care they needed,” Tzu Chi noted. “With plans for future clinics, Tzu Chi and its medical partners remain committed to ensuring that women in Nepal receive the healthcare they deserve.” (Tzu Chi Foundation)
The Buddhist Compassion Relief Tzu Chi Foundation, Republic of China, more widely known as the Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation, was founded in Taiwan in 1966 by the Buddhist nun and Dharma teacher Master Cheng Yen. With a focus on “putting compassion into action,” the Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation is a UN-accredited NGO with some 10 million supporters and 432 offices worldwide across 51 countries, undertaking regular activities in the fields of humanitarian aid, medical care, education, and environmental sustainability.
As a global icon of socially engaged Buddhism, Master Cheng Yen has expressed a deeply held belief that all people are capable of manifesting the same great compassion as the Buddha. She has noted that true compassion is not simply feeling sympathy for the suffering of others, but is found in reaching out to relieve suffering with concrete action.
Master Cheng Yen is popularly known in Taiwan as one of the “Four Heavenly Kings” of Buddhism, the others being: Master Sheng Yen, founder of Dharma Drum Mountain; Master Hsing Yun, founder of Fo Guang Shan; and Master Wei Chueh, founder of Chung Tai Shan. These four global Buddhist orders, correspondingly known as the “Four Great Mountains,” have grown to become among the most influential Chinese Buddhist organizations in the world.
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Tzu Chi Foundation
Tzu Chi USA
Safeguarding Life: Tzu Chi’s First Gynecological Free Clinic in Lumbini (Tzu Chi Foundation)
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Respected Tzu Chi is a very good and kind hearted person. He opened free Clinic in Lumbini; Where Buddha took Birth.
While I went for to look/ see the Buddha’s birth place, one think very hurted in my mind is that, where enshrined the Buddha statue it seemed to very opposite according to the Dhamma rules. Sorry, I didn’t know how to explain……. All ours Buddhist fellowship must be taught regarding that dishonour . Though it is enshrined safely but something is intolerable their.