2024 Winter Newsletter
Uncategorized
Rainbow School, Zanskar
Rainbow School Library, Zanskar, Ladakh – support in establishing a well-furnished library.
The school president wrote in November 2024
“I am delighted to share that the library is now fully completed and actively serving our students. The new library has truly transformed the learning experience at Rainbow School. It is a spacious, welcoming, and well-organized space filled with a diverse range of children’s books, thoughtfully selected to cater to various age groups and interests. Observing our students immersed in reading in such an inspiring environment is indeed a pleasure. The library has had a profound impact on fostering a love for reading among our students. To make the most of this facility, we have introduced designated Library Days. Each class spends dedicated hours in the library, reading independently or participating in interactive sessions where the librarian explains books and teaches library etiquette. These initiatives have significantly contributed to developing reading habits and expanding our students’ knowledge horizons.
Life in Ladakh during winter is challenging. Although this season has been relatively dry with little snowfall so far, we anticipate the closure of roads connecting Ladakh to the rest of the country once heavy snowfall begins. These roads typically remain closed for five months. Despite these challenges, the library provides a warm haven for intellectual growth, particularly during the academic season.
Today marks the last working day of our school before the winter holidays. Rainbow School will remain closed from December 1, 2024, until the end of February 2025 due to extreme cold and restricted mobility caused by snowfall. While the school building is not equipped with heating facilities, our office will remain operational to ensure uninterrupted communication.”
Once again, thank you for your invaluable contribution. Your support has made a lasting impact on our school and students.
2023-2024 Sponsorship Report
The Himalayan region is both spectacularly beautiful, and at the same time, one of the poorest regions in the world. Sponsorship enables these Tibetan children to receive a quality education as well as learn more about their Tibetan culture and language.
The sponsorship program began in May 1964 with 13 sponsors. Today we have 73 sponsors supporting 119 children. Over the years our sponsors have helped over 815 children graduate with many of them going on to post-secondary studies.
In 2023-24 we had 10 children graduate, 1 was selected as destitute and is receiving free education and 1 did not return to school as her father had passed away and her mother wanted her at home.
School reports, letters and cards were forwarded to many sponsors during the year. Many sponsors send cards and letters, and they have been warmly received by the children who love to hear from their sponsors.
Sponsorship disbursements are sent to the schools and settlements twice a year and we thank everyone who has paid for the 2024 year. Sponsorship renewal letters will go out in December via email.
We would like to help give as many Tibetan children as we can, a chance to grow up healthy and with enough education to improve their lives and those of their families and communities.
Please contact us at info@tras.ca or call 604-224-5133 if you would like to sponsor a child
Ray Yee Memorial Fund
The Ray Yee Memorial Fund was established in March 2021 in memory of our dear friend, Ray Yee (May 16, 1960 – March 15, 2021).
Ever since Ray and his wife Janet returned home to Vancouver from their trip to China, Tibet, India and Nepal in the early 1990s, they became great advocates for the Tibetan cause. Ray dedicated the rest of his life to the cause and worked tirelessly towards this end, along with Janet and their children, Connor, Hannah and Walker.
When Canada agreed to take in 1,000 Tibetans in 2012, His Holiness the Dalai Lama specifically asked that they come from extremely remote underserved Tibetan settlements in Arunachal Pradesh in northeast India. Ray was instrumental in ensuring that the Vancouver portion of the Tibetan Resettlement Project for Tibetans coming from Arunachal Pradesh was a success.
Along the way Ray touched many lives and left a lasting impression on all those who had the honour of working with him. The compassion and love that he demonstrated through his work and friendships helped Tibetans who were new to Canada feel welcome and safe.
The family hopes that, through the Ray Yee Memorial Fund, some of his work and impact may continue. The money will be earmarked for projects to support the education of Tibetan children still in Arunachal Pradesh. There are small primary and middle schools in these Tibetan settlements for young children. Many older children attend the Sambhota Tibetan Schools in West and South India, thousands of kilometers away, a distance that makes the journey long and expensive; some travel home only once every few years.
Given Ray’s ties to the people of this region through his work on the Resettlement Project, it is a fitting match that his Memorial Fund should help the children who are still living there.
If you would like to donate to the Ray Yee Memorial Fund to support Tibetan children in Arunachal Pradesh, you can do so by:
- Credit card online via CanadaHelps
(CanadaHelps is a registered charity that supports Canadian charities by providing a platform for online donations; it charges TRAS a 4% fee to cover the cost of credit card transactions and other operating costs.)
- Bank e-transfer to email address: info@tras.ca and add reference “Ray Yee Memorial Fund”
- Credit card by phoning the TRAS office at 604-224-5133 (the phone line is monitored regularly)
- Cheque made out to TRAS. Please note “Ray Yee Memorial Fund” on the bottom of the cheque, and mail it to:
TRAS
1183 Melville St
Vancouver, BC, V6E 2X5
Thank you for helping to continue Ray’s legacy of generosity and compassion.
TRAS Projects – An Overview
Since 1962, TRAS has funded an array of projects in India, Nepal and Tibet. These range from a large ten-year integrated rural development project amounting to nearly $1million, to ongoing multi-year educational and health-related projects of $30,000 to $60,000 each, to smaller projects needing annual or one-time donations of $2,000 or $5,000. TRAS has funded just over 300 projects in the region.
The early thrust of TRAS’s work was directed to supporting Tibetan refugees. Later TRAS funds contributed to the creation of the Tibetan settlements in northern and southern India. In the 1980s, TRAS reached out to Indian villages near and beyond the Tibetan settlements, and gradually was able to take on larger integrated rural development projects in Nepal as well. Current TRAS-supported projects continue to support our belief that communities thrive when their children are healthy and educated.
TRAS works in partnership with local non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in India, Nepal and Tibet. We send no westerners abroad to manage or to work on projects. We value the fact that we are able to assist local NGOs in their efforts to help their own people.
The benefits of working through local NGOs include:
- Local NGOs know the needs of their own communities
- Their projects are culturally and economically viable
- The local NGOs are strengthened in their ability to manage projects
- Using local workers and supplies supports the local economy
The current projects are described below. (Click on the link for more information).
Support future nursing students through the Nurses Vocational Training Project
Support Indian village children’s health and education through the Voice of Children Projects
Support the education of Nepalese village children through the READI Nepal Humla Education Project
Support promising young students in post secondary education through the TRAS Scholarship Fund (TSF)
Midwifery training through the Innovative Development Education Academy (IDEA)
Voice of Children Covid-19 Emergency Response
Personal Protection Equipment for Tibetan Healthcare Workers in Nepal
To see the regions where TRAS-funded projects are located, please see the map of currently funded projects.