Washington, DC: To honor His Holiness the Dalai Lama in His 70th year, the Capital Area Tibetan Association (CATA) last year raised and set aside a fund of US$3,000/- to be used for educational and health related projects in rural areas of Tibet. During this year’s celebration of the His Holiness’ birthday, CATA’s Board announced the allocation of the fund to five different projects.
In announcing the decision, CATA’s Board said in a statement: “While the amount of the funding is very not large by any measure, we are very happy to have made such a commitment, and we hope other Tibetans groups, especially in North America, will realize that this is an area where we can make a real and significant difference for our brethrens in Tibet. In spite of China’s claims of development and progress, the most basic of Tibetan people’s needs, like schools, health care clinics, drinking water are woefully lacking in so many areas, especially in rural Tibet. We are very inspired by the efforts on many non-governmental organizations and individual Tibetans, who have started and run projects to in Tibet to provide for some of these needs, and we hope Tibetans abroad will become more aware of such efforts and support them.”
The $3,000 fund was allocated to the following projects. Parties interested in donating to these projects are most welcome to do so.
a)Mother’s Wish: A tuition fund to help disadvantaged young girls and women with good academic potentials from poor farming families in Amdo to attend university Funded: $400 for 1 student for 1 year’s tuition. To donate, contact: Mother’s Wish, 723 Quebec Pl, NW, Washington, DC 20010.
b)Children of Tibet Trust Foundation (CTTF): “Poverty in Tibet limits the opportunity of children to get the education they need ” and CTTF seeks to provide such opportunities through tuition assistance, diet supplements, drinking water provision etc. in Mamba, Drikung. Funded: $365 to support 1 child for 1 year. For more info and to donate, visit www.childrenoftibettrust.org.
c)Kashi Health Care Center: A project to set up a critically needed healthcare facility in Kashi, Kham, “an area has been overlooked by regional and national health care systems” to provide medical treatment and care to the nomadic people of this region, as well as the monks in residence at Kashi monastery. Funded: $840 for resident patients’ & physician accommodation in the clinic. For more info and to donate, visit: http://tibetanfoundation.org/projects/kashiTibetClinic.php
d) Fund for Poor Rural Teacher Trainees: An existing initiative begun by a group of teachers in Tibet to help poor and promising candidates from all over TAR to attend teacher training college, and become future teachers. Funded: $1,080 for 3 teacher trainees for 1 year, $360 each. To help, please contact dolkar@hotmail.com confidentially.
e) One Heart: “The mission of One H.E.A.R.T. is to reduce morbidity and mortality in Tibetan women and newborns through health care, education, and research. One H.E.A.R.T. is committed to providing the simple training and medical supplies necessary to prevent a majority of the birthing-related deaths that occur daily in Tibet.” Founded by Arlene Samen of Utah, its amazing success and results speaks for itself. Funded: $325 for 5 “Gift of Life” Birth kits @$65 each. For more info and to donate, visit: http://onehearttibet.org/AboutUs.html
There are many other similar projects making a difference in Tibet, and we must appreciate their compulsion to operate non-politically so that they can keep doing what they do.
Capital Area Tibetan Association represents the Tibetan community in Washington, D.C., Maryland and Northern Virginia area, and consists of 250 members approximately, including children. For more information, visit www.dctibetan.org, or email: catatibetan@yahoo.com.
