NYINGTOBLING

(The name of Nyingtop Ling is given by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and means Realm of Courage)Tibetan handicapped Children's Craft Home

BACKGROUND INTRODUCTION

Nyingtobling external view

Tibetan society being a family-oriented one, the concepts of old people's home and home for handicapped are relatively unknown where every family is expected to take care of its disabled members, respect for elders and concern for handicapped form and inherent part of the Tibetan traditional norms.

Invaded by China's People's Liberation Army in 1949-50, Tibet lost 1,2 million of its people, i.e. 20% of its total population, in the years of brutal political persecutions that followed. The events of 1959 forced His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama to flee into exile. Around 80 000 of his people followed him over the icy Himalayan passes and into the Indian plain. Subsequently a temporary exile Tibetan government was set up in the northern Indian town of Dharamsala with His Holiness the Dalai Lama as its head. Unending streams of refugees continue to arrive from Tibet even to this day.

In the past, the Tibetan families had been able to support themselveand their less productive members by drawing income from their livestock, agricultural produce or business ventures. Earning a living today, however, both in Tibet and in exile has become much more difficult.

1- Inside Tibet, the heavy concentration of Chinese population has not only exhausted traditional sources of income for Tibetans, but also displaced them to overcrowded urban areas where each has to fend for his living.

2- The harshness of exile lives, on the other hand, throws up many difficulties in earning one's livelihood.

3- The burden of supporting non-productive members, in the face of such daunting challenges, places serious financial strain on families, making it highly difficult, if not impossible, to look after handicapped children or older people.

In response to this need, the Tibetan Government in Exile as well as some NGO's have established a few old peoples homes in various settlements. However, apart from expressing sympathy to the handicapped, so far no center has been established to provide them care and vocational training. The small amount of stipend, that the Tibetan government gives to families with disabled persons, has hardly been sufficient to relieve their hardships. This does not entail any training programme for the handicapped whereby they could one day become self-supporting productive members. It is in response to repeated appeals for such a facility from parents and others concerned with the plight of the handicapped that we feel a strong need to initiate a handicapped training center for handicapped Tibetan people.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

Nyingtobling the classroom

The initial aim of our project is to provide vocational training and employment opportunities for handicapped Tibetan children in exile. We intend to further extend this project into Tibet also. This project will, in conformity with the objectives of the UN Development Plan, offer the handicapped children access to income and employment opportunities, as well as education, health and a clean and safe environment. A hostel, eqquipped with appropriate facilities, has been built wherein the children can live together in an atmosphere of love and care, and learn some vocational skills.

Through this project, the abilities and potentials of handicapped people can not only be developed, but also be harnessed into realising their economic self-reliance. This is the basis on which their confidence will be boosted and shape them into productive members of their society. Priority is given to the preservation of traditional Tibetan crafts and lifestyle, while endeavoring to introduce prospective techniques to suit the needs of both the present and the future.

PROJECT OUTLINE

Children belonging to the age group 12-18 are short listed and selected from families having financial difficulties. It is required for the families to take their wards back home on holidays in order to help sustain the bond and make future reintegration easier. The sale proceeds of their work is going towards funding the continuance of the project. The first phase started March 1999 with 8 children, a teacher, a cook and a helper. After a year the second phase will start with new enrollment of wards and recruitment of an additional teacher. The third phase will follow and the total enrollment of the home will be brought to 50 children. The present premises are very humble and need to be improved and extend. The Home doesn't so fare not receive any financial support, except one donation received in the beginning and used for the initial building. A regular financial help is necessary to carry on this beautiful project blessed by His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

RUNNING ANNUAL EXPENSES (in Indian currency)

Staff salaries :

Student maintenance :

GRAND TOTAL FOR ONE YEAR (for10 children) : 337380 Indian Rupees

Approximately : 8300 US$ - 13000 SF - 52000 FF - 15300 DM

Contact :

	Project initiator Mrs Nawang Lhamo (Kanang) ATPD Gangchen Kyishong, Dharamsala 176215 Distt. Kangra, HP India Tel : +91 1892 22481, fax 24593
	Nyingtobling Tibetan handicapped Children's Craft Home Near Norbulingka Institute Sidhpur, Dharamsala HP Tel +91 1892 28922
	Mrs Nawang Lhamo is a member of the Tibetan parliament in exile. She has been teacher in a Tibetan school at Lhadak, an active high rank member of the Tibetan Women Association during many years. She initiated the project of tayloring training centers for Tibetan women and was also particularly involved since her young age in providing all kind of support to very poor Tibetans.

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last updated : June 1st, 2009