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Tibetan Homes Foundation Mussoorie Supplementary Diet Project

Currently TRAS has agreed to allocate donations from Tibetans in Canada to a food supplement program at the THF.

The Tibetan Homes Foundation (THF) was established by the Dalai Lama in 1962. It takes care of the overall development and cultural upbringing of orphan, semi-orphan and destitute Tibetan children inside and outside Tibet. THF runs four schools (three of them are boarding schools), with 1900 to 2000 children under its care. The Tibetan Homes Foundation in Mussoorie, north India, was one of the first two Tibetan children’s homes opened in India and has been supported by TRAS since 1962.

THF Home built by TRAS in 1962

TRAS was recently contacted by a Tibetan Canadian, Khechog, asking if he and his friends could sponsor some children at the Tibetan Homes Foundation (THF) in Mussoorie, north India. TRAS has arranged sponsorships at THF since the early 1960s, and sensing a story, TRAS asked Khechog how he came to hear of TRAS and THF.

Here’s what he told us: “I was born in Tibetan Homes Foundation where my parents served as foster parents in Home 13, one of the 25 homes, each holding 25 children, most of them orphans or semi orphans. As a teenager I was transferred to Home 8/18, a large Victorian building which housed two Homes. It had a plaque indicating it was funded by TRAS. The plaque explains that TRAS donated this home. In 1981, my family moved to Alberta and I graduated from high school and then from university with a degree in Electrical Engineering. There are around 25 THF alumni in Calgary, about twice that many in Toronto and a few in BC. This past April, THF organized an event to express gratitude to His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Dharamsala and I attended. On my return to Canada, I decided to help the current students at THF and organized the first fundraising event for THF in Alberta, raising $10,500 and finding sponsors for 16 students. One project we decided upon, during our visit to THF, was to improve nutrition for the THF children and we are very grateful that TRAS has agreed to endorse this project and also to look after the sponsorships.”

It’s wonderful to see the circle completed, as Khechog gives back to help today’s children at THF. Thank you, Khechog, for your generous donation and for entrusting TRAS to carry out your wishes.

By donating to this project, you will help with providing nutritious food to the children – fruit, eggs, meat, cheese – for better growth, better body metabolism, and better health, preventing nutrient deficiencies.

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Dr Yosef Wosk Family Foundation Library Project

Buddhism Library Section

Thanks to the Yosef Wosk Family Foundation and Dr Wosk’s determination to spread the joy of reading and learning far and wide, TRAS is helping hundreds of children with a supply of new books and library furniture!

Hope for Children has been able to set up 7 remote village library centers in the Almora and Naintal regions in the Himalayas. Read their November 2024 report

Sundrawati Basic School, Dolakar, Nepal – A new project to provide books and furniture (tables, chairs, and bookshelves) to Sundrawati Basic School (nursery to Grade 8) in Dolakha, Nepal. 100 boys and girls aged 5 to 15 (girls outnumber the boys) will benefit from a collection of stories, biographies, poetry, essays, Nepali and English grammar, and dictionaries. Most of the children in this school are from the Thami community, one of the most deprived communities in the region. Read their November 2024 report

Tibetan Children’s Village – Lower Chauntra school library – The support of new books for their library will benefit 454 students – report pending

Tibetan Children’s Village – Suja, Bir school library – The purchase of new books for their library will benefit 427 students of all ages. – report pending

Sambhota Tibetan Schools– the purchase of new books will benefit 282 students in Miao, 203 students in Tenzingang and 66 students in Tezu. Their report is due in December.

Rainbow School Library, Zanskar, Ladakh – support in establishing a well-furnished library.  See the report from the school president here.

Read more about this project on page 7 in our 2024 Fall Newsletter

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DONATE HERE

CTA Nurses Vocational Training Project

Since 1995, TRAS has been supporting the training of nurses in Dharamsala, Northern India. In partnership with the Central Tibetan Administration (the Tibetan government in exile), and with the full support of the Dalai Lama, TRAS’ longest ongoing project continues to improve the lives of many bright young women.

Each year, TRAS supports up to eight students who are studying for their General Nursing (BSc Nursing) degrees. We remain in contact and monitor each of our students’ successes throughout the three-year study program and two-year internship. Training includes curative and preventative treatment, health education, midwifery and traditional Tibetan medicine. We are proud to report that nearly every student that we have supported have graduated, with many then returning to their home towns to work.

Nearly all of our graduates have immediately found work in one of the seven hospitals, four health centres, or 43 clinics run by the Tibetan communities in India and Nepal. They have been able to enrich their lives through their new profession, and most importantly, give back to the community that is consistently in need of health care professionals. These young professionals have developed the skills and confidence required to make a real difference and positive impact in their communities.

Every year, students from the Tibetan settlements can apply for the scholarship, and as each one graduates, she is replaced by a new bright young pupil.

As on ongoing project TRAS has been able to pay $125,525 CAD to the CTA Department of Education and has supported 73 students, 65 of those students successfully received their BSc Nursing certificates (the 8 that didn’t complete had to drop out because of selecting a different course of studies, ill health or emigration).

Will you help us support the CTA Nurses Training Project?
Ways to donate

Read their annual reports here

CTA Tibetan Nurses Training Report May 2021

CTA Tibetan Nurses Training Report May 2022

CTA Tibetan Nurses Training Report April 2023

CTA Tibetan Nurses Training Report May 2024

Sonam Y. wrote “I would like to thank my  TRAS Canada and DOE (Tibetan Department of Education) for the scholarship provided during my three-year General Nursing course. I am grateful for this scholarship.”