By Phuntsok Yangchen
DHARAMSHALA, November 19: A noble initiative started for slum children of Dharamshala by a Tibetan monk – The Tong-Len Charitable Trust – today celebrated its tenth anniversary at its premises. Former Tibetan Prime Minister and academician Professor Samdhong Rinpoche presided over as the Chief Guest a modest function earlier today.
The Tong-Len Charitable Trust also honored the Tibetan spiritual leader His Holiness the Dalai Lama with Tong-Len award for his “global humanitarian work and promotion of peace, love and compassion throughout the world.” Prof. Samdhong Rinpoche received the award on behalf of His Holiness the Dalai Lama
Tong-Len also honored Professor Ajay Shrivastava, Chairman of Umang Foundation in Shimla and Anna Owen, Director of Tong-Len UK, with the Tong-Len award for their contribution to the society.
Addressing the occasion, Professor Samdhong Rinpoche said, “This is an occasion of satisfaction for a monk who has performed his universal responsibility in the right way and a very much appreciated.”
Rinpoche also commended Lobsang Jamyang, theTibetan monk who founded the Tong-Len and transformed several people’s lives. Rinpoche also lauded the decision by the slum dwellers and parents to send their kids to school.
In 2002, Lobsang Jamyang founded the Tong-Len Charitable Trust after witnessing the situation of the children in the slums near Dharamshala. Tong-Len provides education to children from families who have never had access to schools; it is currently home to almost 100 children and also provides medical facility to the people of the Charan slum camp.
Lobsang Jamyang, founder of Tong-Len said that the achievement of Tong-Len’s first ten years should be measured through the lives that have been saved, the future that have been changed and the hope that has been provided for the future.
Elated children of the slum were quick in expressing their feelings when they saw cameras and reporters with microphones. “Ever watched a seed carried by a strong wind being dropped into a heaven like place. It is due to the hard work of the strong wind. For me this strong wind is Tong-Len. Before I came to Tong-Len, I was nothing, I was a simple guy who used to look for garbage in dirty bins and spread my hand for begging. I did not have hope; my future was the life of a dog. Finally I reached Tong-Len and now have every facility necessary for my life. Now the light for my future has appeared,” said Rinku, a former ragpicker and now a neat Tong-Len student, in English.
“I have been a child of Tong-Len for all the ten years, this year I will finish class 12 and hope for a future in Indian Navy. Before Tong-Len no one in my family went to school but now my brother and three sisters all go to school,” said Karan Kumar, another child brought from the slums.
