(VOV News) On hearing that the people in central Vietnamese provinces had been badly hit by 3 successive storms in 2009, Thich Phat Dao, who presides over Dai Bi Tam pagoda in Jarnvagsgatan, Sweden asked for donations for the victims on his pagoda’s website.

He is of Vietnamese origin as his mother was born in Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh City) and his father was German.

On August 11 last year, he drove his car with some other monks to raise funds in 12 provinces in Sweden and then moved to the UK. During 2 days of charity work there he collected a total of £2,000.

His delegation then travelled through France, the Czech Republic and Germany. Despite snags in his charity work due to the impact of the global crisis, Monk Thich Phat Dao kept on believing in the people’s good hearts and successfully raised Euro 26,500.

The Monk returned to Vietnam and worked with Monk Thich Nu Le Phat from Chau An pagoda in of Ho Chi Minh City’s Go Vap district. They raised a large amount of money, clothes and blankets and sent them directly to the storm victims.

Under the instructions of Monk Thich Thien Chieu of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha in Go Vap district, Monk Dao’s delegation set off on an 8-day tour of 7 provinces and cities to raise funds, including Kon Tum, Gia Lai, Phu Yen, Binh Dinh, Quang Ngai, Quang Nam, Da Nang.

Each province received 200 gifts worth VND630 million in total, including instant noodles, rice, clothes and medicines.

Phu Yen province was provided withVND30 million, 2,000 notebooks, 5,000 ballpoint pens and clothes for pupils worth VND10 million sponsored by the Ben Nghe ball point pen and stationary company, while Binh Dinh province got VND10 million.

In addition, the Monk also bought VND10.2 million of Era Mor medicine and 6000m2 of metal sheet for 100 roofs.