The monthly needed amount for supporting a Tibetan varies according to the personal situation. Usually 20 Euro already can ensure a monthly provision with basic supplies. Unless specified otherwise, this will be the sponsorship contribution.
Presently we are looking after 23 sponsorships for 18 needy people in the area of Dharamsala and Bir. Between them there are families, children, as well as nuns and monks, who do not live in a monastery. Most of the elder people never had the chance for a school education and therefore are not able to earn enough even for the most basic needs in life. Parents often cannot afford to pay the school fees and their children are able to get a school education only thanks to the support from abroad. But a school education is most important and a solid foundation for a more secure future. Therefore providing the means for a school education for children of poor families is one of our main aims.
Nuns and monks who are not living in monasteries often are sick and need permanent medical care. Except they have pay for room rent and food on their own. In such cases we are helping with sponsorships for the basic adequate supply.
*****
For the monks in Tse Chok Ling monastery, which we are supporting with different projects, we are currently looking for sponsors.
Details and photos can be found on the page “Monks in Tse Chok Ling monastery”.
*****
For the following children, youths, single people and families in the Dharamsala area we are currently in search of sponsors:
Kamal, Ritu Devi, Anshuman und Rimjim
Die indische Familie lebt seit Anfang des Jahres in Dharamsala, am Rande von Mcleod Ganj. Vorher lebten sie in einem winzigen Dorf weit oben in den Bergen. Kamal (36) und seine Frau Ritu Devi (34) – sie leidet unter einer schlechten Gesundheit – sind arm. Entsprechend der üblichen Rollenverteilung der armen Bevölkerung in Indien, die nie einen Beruf erlernen konnte und über keinerlei finanziellen Mittel verfügt, kümmert sich auch hier Ritu Devi und dem Haushalt und die Kinder, Kamal arbeitet seit Jahren im Restaurant von Thupten Pema Lama (ehemaliger Mönch und Direktor des Klosters Tse Chokling), zusammen mit Banu, dem Bruder des kranken Akshay Sharma, für den wir ebenfalls seit langem einen Paten suchen. Solange die Familie noch in den Bergen lebte, musste er im Restaurant schlafen, denn der Weg nach Hause war zu weit und zu teuer. So konnte er seine Frau und die Kinder nur wenige Mal im Jahr sehen. Nyima hatte die Familie im Jahr zuvor dort besuchen können und hat gesehen, wie schwierig die Situation war. Die dortige Schule führt nur bis zur 8. Klasse und so hatte sich die Familie aus all diesen Gründen entschieden, schließlich gemeinsam nach Dharamsala zu ziehen. Ihr neues einfaches Zuhause liegt in der Nähe des Restaurants und die Kinder laufen einige Kilometer zur Schule.
Mit der Arbeit verdient Kamal ca. 90 Euro. Da die Kinder auf eine staatliche indische Schule (Govt. High School Kotwali Bazar) gehen, die kostenlos ist, reicht das Gehalt um die Kosten für Schuluniformen und Bücher und auch die Miete zu decken. Der Sohn Anshuman (13) geht in die 8. Klasse, die Tochter Rimjim (10) geht in die 6. Klasse.
Bei den Lebensmitteln und wirklich guten Versorgung der Kinder ist der Familie auch schon vor Corona meist Mitte des Monats das Geld ausgegangen, doch seit der extremen Kostensteigerung nach der Pandemie haben die Vier oft Hunger. Wir möchten der Familie mit einer Patenschaft für die tägliche Grundversorgung mit Lebensmitteln und einer besseren Versorgung der Kinder helfen.
Unterstützen Sie Kamal, Ritu Devi und ihre Kinder mit einer Patenschaft von monatlich 60 Euro oder einer Teil-Patenschaft für ihre Grundversorgung.
*****
Dolma Lhamo
The 70 year old Tibetan exile Dolma Lhamo has been living in McLeod Ganj since 2004. Back then she and her husband set out for a pilgrimage to Nepal and India, then after a few months decided to stay in India where they found help in a refugee camp in Dharamsala initially. Later on Dolma’s husband found work as a seamster while she worked as a maid. Later they ran a small food stall.
But then Dolma’s husband had a serious accident. He was hit by a car and after many months of confinement to bed he died. Next the Covid pandemic happened and Dolma found herself with no income at all. A Lama in Dharamsala helped her with donations and was able to set up a sponsorship of 50 Euros a month for her room rent, but this support will end from November 2023. Dolma has been suffering from rheumatism in the legs for a while and is now too old to work. She worries she soon won’t be able to pay for her room rent anymore. For food she was able to borrow something here and there so far, but now the situation is getting critical.
Please support Dolma Lhamo with a monthly amount of 50 Euros or a partial sponsorship for her room rent.
*****
Ani Tsewang Yangdol
38 year old Tsewang Yangdol is a Tibetan nun, originally from the Changtang highland in Ladakh. She has been paralyzed on her left side since childhood, probably as a result of Poliomyelitis. Due to her disability Tsewang never found a mate and at the age of 30 she decided to become a nun. She went to Namdroling Nyingmapa Nunnery in Bylakuppe, Southern India where she lived until 2017.
Her ordination name is Pema Yangchen.
Unfortunately she did not tolerate the humid climate of the South too well, fell sick and as a consequence was unable to carry out her duties at the nunnery which is why she decided to return to her family in Ladakh. For the past 2 years however she has lived in Mcleod Ganj, where she feels physically better. The cold in Ladakh repeatedly caused pain in her legs. On top of this Tsewang has been suffering from a chronic gastritis for a few years. For treatment she needs to consult doctors in Delhi on a regular basis.
Since her family is unable to support her Ani La has asked us for help. Her small room without running water in Mcleod Ganj costs 60 Euros a month, an additional 40 Euros are required or food. Completely destitute Tsewang is not able to survive on her own. She would like to study English and Chinese to maybe go to Bodhgaya during the cold winter months as many nuns and monks do.
There she would teach Chinese and other Buddhist pilgrims. This way she would be able to earn her living and no longer rely on donations. Up until then we would like to support Ani La via sponsorship.
Starting in August of 2022 Ani La acquired a sponsorship of 10 Euros a month, since May 2023 a second one for 30 Euros and we are hoping for her to find additional sponsors.
Please support Ani Tsewang Yangdol with a monthly amount of 60 Euros or a partial sponsorship for rent and food.
*****
Akshay Sharma
40 year-old Akshay Sharma, originally from North Indian Shimla, has lived in Dharamsala for a few years. His younger brother Bhanu works at our friend Thupten Lama’s restaurant. The latter, former monk and director
of Tse Chokling Monastery, has drawn our attention to Akshay and asked to help him.
The two brothers come from a very poor Indian family. Their father died 20 years ago and their mother in early 2020. Bhanu and Akshay were both able to attend school until 12th grade although they did not receive good education. While Bhanu has managed to somehow struggle along with various jobs Akshay started to consume drugs and alcohol starting at an early age. Due to this abuse he has been suffering from severe mental disorder for six years now and has to take regular medication. At present we do not now, yet, whether there is prospect of recovery for Akshay or whether his brain has been irreversibly damaged.
Neither Akshay nor Bhanu have a family of their own and so Bhanu is taking care of his older brother. Himself he sleeps at Thupten’s restaurant and uses his salary to pay the rent of the simple room, food and the medication his brother needs, which is quite a challenge for him. Thupten and his wife try to help out with groceries now and then but this is not easy for them either.
The room rent costs about 30 Euros, at least 50 Euros are needed for food each month, medication amounts to around 25 Euros. We want to try to help out with at least 60 Euros monthly in order to cover room rent and medication.
Please support Akshay Sharma with a sponsorship of 60 Euros a month or a partial sponsorship for room rent and medication.
*****
If you would like to help with a sponsorship please contact us by e-mail: info@tibet-tshoesem.de