Despite the difficulties imposed by the current
Maoist-Royal Nepal Army conflicts in much of Nepal, the SARS epidemic,
and decreased international travel due to the “war on terror”
and the war in Iraq, we at DROKPA have continued to make small
steps – and award small grants – to individuals and
communities dedicated to cultivating the health of their cultures
and environments.
This year, more than $35,000 was raised for projects
that DROKPA helps to support.
We at DROKPA remain committed to supporting both
renewal grants and new initiatives. We welcome proposals from
individuals or organizations. Initial grant requests should not
exceed $2000.
Alternative Energy
Dolpo, Nepal
To date, the solar lights and parabolic reflector cookers that
DROKPA helped to deliver in 2001 to the Tsharka and Panzang Valleys
of Dolpo, Nepal, are working well, providing light and cooking
sources to the 20 household monasteries. A rotating fund for repairs
and spare parts is also in place.
In addition, the seed idea, planted in part by
DROKPA’s efforts, of solar as a viable option for meeting
household needs has grown throughout the region. Due in part to
new cash income generated locally from trade with Tibet, families
are now purchasing small, Chinese-made solar systems for their
homes.
In the winter of 2002-03, DROKPA representatives
met with the Panzang Valley Community Development Committee to
discuss the next phase of alternative energy work in this region
of Dolpo. DROKPA granted the committee $3000, initially intended
for alternative energy use. However, after discussion amongst
the Panzang committee, funds were, instead, used as a rotating
credit account for local individuals. Discussions ongoing as to
how the funds will be used in 2004. Ideas are either to keep funds
as a rotating credit account, overseen by the Panzang Committee,
or to use for other alternative energy related purchases, such
as community greenhouses.
In 2004 DROKPA will help to supply the new Kula
Primary School in Panzang Valley and the new Primary School in
Tsharka Valley with solar lights.
DROKPA was recently awarded a renewal grant of
$20,000 by the International Foundation for Alternative Energy
projects Nepal, in 2004. DROKPA is currently planning the utilization
of these funds, in collaboration with local partners in Nepal.
DROKPA granted HAA $1500 in 2003, for use toward
the International Conference of Amchi (Jan. 25-29, 2004) and for
use toward developing curriculums that will be recognized by HMG
Nepal – a key component of their overall mission and goal
of achieving government recognition and support for sowa rigpa
medicine practice, production, education and community health
delivery in Nepal.
The HAA is trying to earn income to help support
staff salaries and HAA Kathmandu Clinic expenses through several
means. Medicines used at the HAA clinic are provided free of charge
by HAA member Wangchuk, through his Himalayan Medicine Industries
factory. The HAA clinic has a growing clientele, including people
from the remote communities served by HAA members who come to
Kathmandu in the winter. Revenue from patient treatment is increasing,
although profits from the clinic currently cover about half of
the monthly running costs. To date, remaining operating costs
have been covered by other grants to the HAA, primarily from the
Japan Foundation Asia Center. However, this funding has been renewed
for 3 years and will not be renewed this year. HAA members pay
an annual membership fee of Rs. 100, which is also used to help
cover administrative costs. HAA is also exploring possibilities
to provide Tibetan herbal bath treatments at several upscale Kathmandu
hotels, as another means of earning income for the clinic and
office. DROKPA will consider renewing support for the HAA in 2004,
based on their current needs.
For more information on the Himalayan Amchi Association,
please go to HAA's website.
Lo Kunphen School and Mentsikhang, Mustang,
Nepal
In 2003, DROKPA raised more than $11,000 toward
the support of Lo Kunphen School and Mentsikhang, and facilitated
co-founder Amchi Gyatso Bista’s visit to the US in November.
In addition to the fundraising events DROKPA organized for Gyatso,
DROKPA also facilitated his participation in the Second International
Congress on Tibetan Medicine, held in Washington DC from 5-8 November,
2003, and organized by Pro Cultura. This event brought together
practitioners and scholars of Tibetan medicine from India, Nepal,
China, the US, and Europe. Gyatso’s participation allowed
him to discuss the future of Lo Kunphen in the context of Tibetan
medical education and practice regionally, and laid the foundation
for future collaboration and knowledge sharing between Lo Kunphen
and other individuals and institutions.
A portion of the funds raised for Lo Kunphen
are allocated toward ongoing student sponsorship, in collaboration
with the UK charity Kids in Need of Education (KINOE), the primary
funders of the Lo Kunphen school. The majority of the funds will
be used for the establishment of two small clinics of Tibetan
medicine in Tsarang and Kimiling/Tshonup villages in Mustang District,
Nepal. These clinics will serve two purposes: first, they will
provide local amchi with a secure and quality supply of medicines
and raw materials with which to treat local patients; second,
they will provide a venue for clinical apprenticeship for the
eldest 12 students of Lo Kunphen, on a rotational basis, and pave
the way for ongoing clinical work in local Mustang communities,
after their graduation from Lo Kunphen in 2006-07. DROKPA’s
support will help cover the costs of the establishment of the
clinics and the initial supplies of medicines and raw materials.
Remaining funds will be used to establish a small trust fund to
help pay the salaries of the two local, experienced amchi who
will staff the clinics and oversee clinical training of Lo Kunphen
students. Lo Kunphen anticipates that, aside from the support
for amchi salaries, the clinics will be self-sustaining: funds
generated from sale of medicines will be cycled back into purchase
of medicines and raw materials in future years.
Dolpo Amchi Association (Panzang Valley Branch),
Dolpo, Nepal
DROKPA granted $500 to Amchi Drukge of Panzang
Valley for the purchase of raw materials needed to make medicines
and serve patients in his community. DROKPA will consider renewing
this grant in 2004.
Geshe Ngawang Jangchup of Lingshed Village in
Ladakh visited the S.F. Bay Area in June after touring other major
cities in the U.S. DROKPA gave a grant to the Trans Singela Amchi
Association in 2001. Geshe Jangchup reported on the progress of
the Amchi Association as well other Lingshed projects including
a nunnery, cultural association and snow leopard protection program.
In 2003 more than $16,000 was raised through
DROKPA for the Lingshed projects at several events in the Bay
Area and through the sale of photographs by Board Member Judith
Brown. For further information about the projects and people of
Lingshed Village go to www.ladakh.co.uk.
Bhutan
In 2003, more than $12,000 was raised through DROKPA for the Bhutan
Cultural Preservation Project, under the direction of Mr. Sonam
Dorjee. To see a progress report on this project, please click
here.
Dolpo Artists' Cooperative
DROKPA continues to provide strategic planning and networking
support for Mr. Tenzin Norbu and the Dolpo Artists’ Cooperative.
This support includes working with Norbu to secure commissions
for and exhibitions of his work in Nepal and abroad. DROKPA is
also helping to market paintings and hand-made accessories that
Norbu designs and that are produced by other artisans from Dolpo.
In March 2004, Tenzin Norbu will have an exhibition
of his work at the Shangri La Hotel in Kathmandu, Nepal, titled
Dolpo Lives. Tenzin Norbu will donate 20% of the proceeds he earns
to the Kula Mountain Primary School in his home village of Tinkyu.
In 2004, DROKPA will work with Norbu toward the
creation of a Tibetan language version of Clear Sky, Red Earth:
A Himalayan Story, a children’s book that is a collaboration
between Norbu and DROKPA board member Sienna Craig. The Tibetan
language version will then be distributed for use in local schools
in culturally Tibetan areas of Nepal, particularly in Mustang
and Dolpa Districts.
Through the hard work of Mackenzie Hawkins, more
than $1200 has been raised through DROKPA in 2003 to help support
the Crystal Mountain School. This exemplary institution, funded
primarily by the French charity Action Dolpo, has set standards
for education in Dolpo, and works in close collaboration with
other schools throughout the Dolpa District.
Tsharka Valley, Dolpo, Nepal
During the month of September, Drokpa board member Leona Mason
was able to help the community of Tsharka, in the eastern part
of Dolpo, in northwestern Nepal.
Leona's report:
The children in Tsharka have been without the opportunities that
education brings and I was asked to help them with a school project
3 years ago. This fall I was able to go to Tsharka with teaching
materials to help facilitate the community’s efforts to
start their own school. I spent my days there teaching out of
a large kitchen tent. We had 3 volunteer teachers and we were
able to teach English, Tibetan, and Nepali. We brought posters,
paper and pencils, and a soccer ball. After a full day of class
the students were more than willing to play a game or two. Throughout
our time there we had 60 students from the community, almost evenly
boys and girls. Parent participation and interest is crucial to
the success of any school and it was truly inspiring to see the
community bring their students to classes in the mornings and
discuss future plans with the school committee comprised of 9
local men and women.
The community of Tsharka is continuing to meet with their future
Nepali, Tibetan, and English language teachers and secure all
the necessary paperwork for the future of their school. The Tsharka
community building cooperative will assist local Room to Read
construction workers so that they can have a building sometime
during the 2004 school year. The people of Tsharka are truly dedicated
to their community school project and I see this as the greatest
success so far. The Tsharka school committee will work hard over
the winter months to secure 65 students, one from each of the
65 households to attend school starting this April when the snow
melts. Students, along with 3 new teachers, will work from the
tent as the community construction project is underway.
Sichuan, PRC (Kham)
In 2003, DROKPA granted Ms. Chokyi Drolma of Tagong $1000 toward
the cost of her training in midwifery and maternal and child health
at the Yaan Medical School in Dartsendo, Sichuan. Her course of
study will take four years, and is funded with the aim of making
full use of a medical clinic that will be built in Dorakarmo by
Jampa e. V, a German NGO. There are a number of skilled traditional
Tibetan medical practitioners in the area but none of them have
any training in public health, birth complications, maternal child
health, or basic western medicine. Rather than risk the confusion
that comes from training one person in both the biomedical model
and Tibetan medicine simultaneously, we aim, through participating
in Drolma’s western medical education, to build up the capacity
of the clinic to serve the local community with quality medical
care based in both western and Tibetan medical clinical practice.
DROKPA will consider renewing support for Drolma’s education
in 2004.
