About ACC 關於ACC 阿彌陀佛關懷中心(香港)

About Amitofo Care Centre (ACC)

Introduction to ACC (Chinese)

 

Orginiation

 

ACC difference

 

ACC present and Future


General

The Amitofo Care centre (ACC) was founded and directed by Buddhist clergy from the East with an aspiration and mission to “directly rear and care” for orphans of Africa within the humanitarian and educational umbrella. The main principles of ACC are based on local African culture, Chinese culture and Buddhist philosophy which are given to the needed orphans.

After years of efforts, ACC’s caring program has been spread from Malawi to a number of other African countries; these centres in Mozambique, Swaziland, and Lesotho have adopted and reared a total number of around 4,000 orphans.

The current ACC is in association with two charity institutes namely; the Yuan Tong Culture and Care Association (R.O.C.) and the Amitofo Charity Association in South Africa that continuously organize and manage ACC operations along with financial support.

Venerable Hui Li, born in Taiwan and tagged as the ‘African monk’, founded ACC specifically for African orphans in the early 90's and is still the residing chairperson. With his enthusiasm and big heart to bring love and care to the orphans.

Ven. Hui Li was awarded the “Loving of Life” medal by the Chou Ta-Kuan Foundation of Taiwan. He has also been referred to as the Buddhist Albert Sweitzer in praise of his significance and contributions by the First Ladies of certain African countries. He is widely recognized as an international charity and educational institute and sponsored by numberous people in Asia.

 


Orginiation

Ven. Hui Li stepped footin Africa in 1992 and witnessed the grief of AIDS on the helpless orphans left behind from its wake and the constant threat of disease and poverty on the majority of people.

Stricken by the experience he vowed to give this life and after for a 300 years, 5 reincarnated lives to heal and nurture the suffering in Africa using the Buddha Dharma.

The centre of African operations of ACC is currently run by its executive community in South Africa. ACC has built dormitories in Blantyre, Malawi and most of the infrastructure in Lilongwe, Malawi.

In Harare, Mozambique, ACC has established five orphan house.

 


The ACC difference

ACC’s approach of orphan adoption and care is perhaps different from other charity associations. While others may be sending their orphans to different established shelters or assisting them to find a sponsor, ACC adopts the principle of direct involvement in rear and care, providing services such as “Big Family” or “Children’s Village” idea to extend the warmth of family, teach the orphans martial arts to keep them strong and immune of diseases, teach them Chinese to facilitate their Buddhism practice, with the final view to ratify their social ethics with religious thoughs. In addition to the daily cost of raising a child, all donation money through Sponsorship will be used for construction of facilities such as expanding the quarters, increasing classrooms and improving education syllabuses in order to adopt more orphans in need.

Houses in its Phase I project; in Nhlangono, Swaziland and Mafeteng, Lesotho ACC has completed its Phase I and II projects in November 2010 and April 2011 respectively.

 


The ACC present and Future

The goal of ACC is to fuse Western and Eastern culture and to melt Buddhism disposition into mundane life; Using the successful working model and experience of Malawi, ACC hopes that it can replicate this model to the rest of the 54 African countries.

ACC aspires that every child under its teaching system will not only be able to inherit African culture, bu also be able to become a new African generation who will apply the Buddhism doctrine and practice in their lives with compassion, thankfulness, wisdom, and high morality, turning this piece of barren and rogue land of Africa gradually into an oasis.