October 2019

2018-2019 Annual Scholarship Report

2019/10/15

We are very pleased to report that the TRAS Scholarship Fund (TSF) is thriving and has indeed surpassed our expectations.
We have 3 partners that we are continuing to work with. This year we have expanded the program and initiated a new contract with all three NGO’s.

  • Munsel-ling School

Our oldest partner, Munsel-ling School in the remote Spiti valley, has completed 6 years under the TSF. Thirteen students altogether have graduated or are currently studying.

The two new students selected this year are highly qualified. Pasang Dolma successfully passed her pre-med test and is now studying medicine at the government medical college in Himachel Pradesh. Tanzin Trokit obtained 93% in her Qualifying Exam and is trying for acceptance at the prestigious St. Stephens College in New Delhi. She is hoping to obtain a job in the civil service.

What is a very interesting pattern that has emerged is that almost all of our scholarship candidates use the 3 year scholarship as a stepping stone for further education. After a B.A. or B.Sc. degree they go on to a B.Ed., Master’s degree, or Research, etc.

Our initial $3,000 support seems to go a long way in enabling even higher education with the students finding their own funding resources!

To name some successes: Sherap Dolma, who completed her B.Sc. in honors math, is currently working as a bank manager. Sonam Dolker, who also completed her degree in honors math, went on to obtain her B.Ed. Her goal is to serve Spiti Valley as a teacher in the much needed field of math and science.

  • Voice of Children

Another partner, Voice of Children (VOC), had such a high number of applicants for scholarship positions each year that we have expanded the number of new students from two selected each year to three. Therefore we will be supporting an increase from 6 students being funded every year to 9 students per year at various stages of their studies.

VOC serves a catchment of 25,000 people in a poor remote mountainous region of North India which has very few resources.

Even though they have only been funded by TRAS for 3 years they have 11 students who have graduated or are currently studying. They are entering phase 2 of funding under a new contract.

One of the first VOC students funded, Taniya Tewari, is also a success story. She is enrolled in a local government girl’s polytechnic in computer science and engineering. She is going to do a lateral transfer to obtain her B.Tech and hopes to get her teaching degree in order to teach other girls these skills! Khushi Budlakoti is in her second year of B.Sc. Nursing degree; she comes from a very poor family with no hope of studying without a scholarship and is now giving back to her community already by volunteering with VOC. She works with teen girls groups to promote women’s issues, menstrual hygiene and to inspire other girls to get an education.

  • Dekyiling Tibetan Settlement

Dekyiling is a Tibetan settlement in North India close to Dehradun. After 3 years of funding they have 4 students have graduated. Two female students have completed their B.A. and two have completed diploma courses.

Tenzin Wangmo, after finishing a very practical secretarial course is concurrently completing her BA degree online! Tenzin Choenyicompleted a computer software engineering course. Dekyiling has 3 new students enrolled in 3-4 year programs.


As we can see by the success of the first 6 years of the Scholarship Program TRAS has obviously tapped into an overwhelming need and desire for students to get further education. The student’s letters enthusiastically describe their optimism and gratitude for a better future.
They repeatedly thank the donors for “giving them a chance to achieve greatness”!


Thank You for supporting the Scholarship Fund
Lynn Beck
Scholarship Director