India-Tibetan Social Work

Hello- Tashi Delek and please click on the title to go directly to the website….

Many of you do not know about the hardships of life as a refugee. I am exposed to the many stories of sadness and struggles they endure as their country was invaded by Communist China 50 years ago in 1949. Since then they have lost many of their basic human rights such as freedom to education, freedom of religion, freedom of expression and many other basic freedoms we should all have available to us. With these freedoms individuals are provided an opportunity for a better quality of life. It is through self-determination that one can utilize the resources made available to them in which they are able to obtain such things as economic freedom through employment opportunities, better nutrition because of self-sustainability and spiritual fulfillment through personal beliefs.

The Tibetan refugee community has fled to live in other countries because they have been denied the option for choice. They have been oppressed, discriminated against and brutally tortured for their nationality and desire to maintain their culture. It is through the voice of the Tibetan refugees that we become informed of the issues inside Tibet under the illegal Chinese Communist occupation.  I will try to provide more historical aspects but it would be easier for you to just read a little of the historical invasion of 1949 when the peaceful country of Tibet started to lose freedoms and Tibetan traditions of the culture due to communist invasion.

I just want to make a VERY IMPORTANT statement… The Tibetans I meet are not looking for handouts from the world they are looking for support in understanding the HARSH conditions inside their country due to communist rule under the Chinese. Here in India they seek ways to achieve education to provide personal growth so they too can join society as a working  member and contributors to the global community. They desire greatly to return to their homeland but to first try to create change in hopes of a more democratic process or at least a situation that provides them BASIC HUMAN RIGHTS which the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was established by the United Nations  in 1948 just prior to the illegal occupation of Communist Chinese rule in Tibet.

http://www.un.org/Overview/rights.html

The Tibetan refugees need more then just political support they need empowerment. Your small amount of compassion and understanding can generate so much goodness to assist them. It is keeping in the tradition of the  past year of Pennies for Partnerships that I am desperately seeking your small contribution to take my little donation I can give and turn into something large as an international social work project.  I have already purchased many Tibetan craft items to support the local people in which you have an opportunity to WIN for only the small contribution/ purchase of a $1.00 raffle ticket.

FOR $1.00 per ticket you can increase you chances to win many wonderful Tibetan items. This method of support not only provides income for the many Tibetans in the Dharamsala, India Tibetan refugee community but it maximizes support of the many programs Lha has or needs to put in place to help the community;  in return you get your name in the hat to possibly be a lucky winner when names are drawn for the many nice cultural items either made by the Tibetan community here in exile or by those in Tibet. So that’s right for $1.00 you may win Tibetan craft items. So far items available to WIN for participating in the online raffle are:

Tibetan shawls, music cd’s, beautiful jewelry, prayer wheels, handmade paper journals, incense,  photographs, clothing items, bags, books, prayers flags, banners, letter holders and many many other wonderful crafts from the Tibetan culture. I will personally be purchasing (with my money not the funds generated) additional items to be added to the list as the contributions come in on paypal so feel free to buy as many tickets as you like so you can increase your chances of winning. ALL PROCEEDS from the purchase of  EVERY RAFFLE TICKET will go 100% towards the SOCIAL WORK ORGANIZATION- Lha Charitable Trust and they in return provide the EDUCATIONAL AND EMPOWERMENT PROGRAMS which HELP TIBETANS HELP THEMSELVES.

Those who have already contributed will be included in the raffle so not to be forgotten for your wonderful compassion. I will see to it your names are entered for the drawings.

So everyone please don’t hesitate it is only a buck $1.00 and you can win something worth lots more than a dollar. As well all proceeds go towards education, hunger relief, and social efforts to help the refugee community.  Please sacrifice the coke, candy bar, beer, or something of small luxury today and help build the global community by compassionately giving. Click now to go directly to the Lha website where you will find the paypal button that actually says “DONATE”.

http://www.lhasocialwork.org/

Remember…tickets for the raffle are only $1.00 so buy as many as you like and increase your opportunity to win cool gifts. Paypal is a wonderful thing and many in the Fayetteville community have seen how this online way of generating funds can work. As well we have seen in our community how successful the raffles can work. So please spread the message. Feel free to take any portion of this e-mail and spread it around to your friends and family and other online posts, links, blogs and types of spreading the news.

Deadline for the raffle is less than Two weeks  away April 25th so do it today don’t wait. Names for Prizes will be drawn on April 27th and announced via e-mail and also on the Blog. I will then mail all winners the items upon my return to the US within a few weeks of the drawing.

Kind regards to all of you and thank you for participating and supporting the Tibetan refugee community. Remember you are giving in ways that empower the people to help themselves through education and employment.

OK Tashi Delek (Good Luck) I hope you win because these items are precious in the fact that we need the Tibetan culture in our global community and many of these gifts have special blessings.

Remember I have a plethora of pictures and albums listed on my photobucket page so please visit it to capture more of a personal view of the Tibetans and how they persevere in exile.

http://s278.photobucket.com/albums/kk100/lhdawg/

Thu Jee Chee is thank you in Tibetan,

Leann

This is keeping with the idea of “Pennies for Partnerships” it only takes a little from a lot of people to produce a magnificent result. This way if we all just give a tiny bit then the outcome has potential to be enormous.

You will be blessed for your ACTIONS of COMPASSION in ACTION.

Editing is not complete please pardon errors.

Tashi Delek and Hello.

It has been a longtime since my last post. I realized the last time how timely it is to actually update photos and videos as well as compose the blog. Thanks to Daniel the blog administrator, because  in the past he has spent a great deal of time helping me do this.

Be sure to read below how you can win wonderful items for only $1.00

OK first thing is remember to click on the title to go directly to the blogpage where it is much more exciting with colorful pictures and videos.

This post is going to concentrate on a quick update of what I have been doing the past two weeks in India. Mostly I have been working on research and assisting Lha with a specific grant project.

As a social service organization they have many programs that need funding for the education and empowerment of the Tibetan refugee community. I learned a great deal from this grant writing task and thanks to Erin and Ngawang there was awesome teamwork involved.

The grant focuses on programs that will provide skill training for Tibetans to move into the workforce more easily. The programs are focused on intensive language training, extensive computer training, and baking skills. The area in McLeod has many tourist businesses so if one becomes advanced in language they have a better opportunity of finding employment in one of the many hotels or restaurants. As well withcomputer skills they can advance into jobs withthe many opportunities with NGO’s, government jobs or other opportunities. There is obviously more to this grant but at this time lets just summarize by saying the programs that Lha would like to expand on are very beneficial to the community and address the many concerns of a population that is disadvantaged. The programs offer economic possibilities which allows Tibetan refugees to obtain a better quality of life.

There are many other programs in development one I feel very strong about and that is the idea for a community kitchen. Ngawang the director has an excellent idea to address the hunger problem in the refugee community. Many of the Tibetans lack nutritious food because they do not have the financial source to support themselves. The new Lha building has the capabilities to open a community kitchen which would provide affordable nutritious vegetarian meals to the many Tibetan refugees that go hungry and/or lack healthy options. The program will include the development of a voucher program that also will allow foreigners and travelers to give food vouchers to the beggars and hopefully curb some of the amount of begging that at times is very difficult for the travelers to endure. So many needs in a community of displaced peoples where there are restrictions of the types of employment because of their lack citizenship makes it difficult for them to meet basic needs.

The Tibetan people seek ways to obtain a better life and there is personal drive and interest in doing such among the people. The programs at Lha provides resources so that the individuals can utilize self determination to pursue a better life. Lha provides literacy programs. language programs, computer training, job skills training, as well as Lha assists with community outreach such as free clothing and other types of assistance when possible.

I would very much like to take a moment to knowledge and thank all who have participated in assisting Lha with the different contributions and donations that continue to go directly to the community. Just a brief review of the people and the ways in which they have offered thier compassion…

The items from the clothing drive will be distributed next Saturday April 18th. This past weekend I helped post notices around town about the free clothing give away. I found one particular discussion interesting with a young mother I would like to share. She has two very small children that could benefit from the clothing provided by friends in Fayetteville. She has a baby girl who is just at one year and a boy who is 2 1/2. I told her she would find some very nice things if she could come on Saturday.  She showed enthusiasm and interest for her children’s sake then she indicated that she is just too shy and would not want anyone in the community to know. We talked for a little while about the privacy aspect and she has asked me to please if I could pick out only one or two outfits for her children she would be so appreciative but that she would not be able to come to the office for many reasons…one she has to work that day because Saturdays are busy days for possible tourism and she works in a little retail shop. So I will see what I can do to assist her. The participants in the clothing drive that should be recognized again are:

the Suttles, the Mitchiners, the Jacksons, the Pledgers, and the Andersons. Also to all of you who had more clothing to donate and I was unable to gather it due to time constraints and space requirements thank you. If for some reason you name is not mentioned and I have accidentally forgotten please e-mail me to let me know so I am sure to add your name to the raffle.  Thank you to all of you for your thoughtfulness and consideration of giving to those who can make good use of the items.

On another note…the “Make Your Mark” on Tibetan education campaign has produced only a very small result but then again this one is more difficult to manage for we are only aware of the packages that actually are received in India. Many other friends had indicated that markers were on the way and the director is great about letting me know when the dry erase markers arrive. I would like to thank the following contributors who have sent markers and donated to the “Make your Mark” campaign.

Jeremy Scott was the first and he contributed over 40 markers, thanks so much. Also the following contributors have successfully “Made their Mark” for Tibetan education:  The Cullisons, Jerrmy Gawthrop, the Hendersons, and Frank and Deb Halsey family. Thanks you guys it is so exciting to receive the markers in the office and to see the level of appreciation on the faces of those working at Lha. If you have sent markers and your name is not noted here please let me know via e-mail the date you sent and how many for this means they have not yet been received and I will let the director know to keep an eye out on it.

Also a big thanks the following compassionate individuals for their kind and loving financial contributions made through the Lha paypal account. Clair and Michael Garret, and Sharon and David Hoover. Your contributions go a long way to help support this community of refugees in exile.

This brings me to my next suggestion….

Today we are starting an online raffle through the Lha paypal account.

http://www.lhasocialwork.org/

We have discussed the many options for a fund raiser and I would like to take my contribution to Lha and turn it into something more for them. So here it is….I hope you will be interested in receiving some very cool gifts picked out by yours truly…me.

FOR $1.00 you have the opportunity to win many wonderful Tibetan made items. This measure of support not only provides income for the many Tibetans in the community but it provides ways to support the many programs Lha has or wants to put in place to help the community;  in return you get your name in the hat to be drawn for one of many nice cultural items either made by the Tibetan community here in exile or by those in Tibet. So that’s right for $1.00 you could win Tibetan craft items. So far items available to win for participating in the online raffle are:

Tibetan shawls, beautiful jewelry, prayer wheels, handmade paper journals, incense,  photographs, clothing items, bags, books, prayers flags, banners and many other wonderful crafts from the Tibetan culture. I will be adding to the list as the contributions come in on paypal so feel free to buy as many tickets as you like so you can increase your chances of winning.

Those who have already contributed will be included in the raffle so not to be forgotten for your wonderful compassion. I will see to it your names are entered for the drawings.

So everyone please don’t hesitate it’s only a buck and you can win something worth lots more than a dollar. As well all proceeds go towards education, hunger relief, and social efforts to help the refugee community.  Please sacrifice the coke, beer, or something of small luxury today and help build the global community by compassionately giving. Click now to go directly to the Lha website where you will find the paypal button.

http://www.lhasocialwork.org/

Remember…tickets for the raffle are only $1.00so buy as many as you like and increase your opportunity to win cool gifts. Paypal is a wonderful thing and many in the Fayetteville community have seen how this online way of generating funds can work. As well we have seen in our community how successful the raffles can work. So please spread the message. Feel free to take any portion of this e-mail and spread it around to your friends and family and other online posts, links, blogs and types of spreading the news.

Thanks.

Deadline for the raffle is Two weeks March 25th so do it today don’t wait. I will then mail all winners the items upon my return to the US in within a few weeks of the drawing.

Kind regards to all of you and thank you for participating and supporting the Tibetan refugee community. Remember you are giving in ways that empower the people to help themselves through education and employment.

OK Tashi Delek (Good Luck) I hope you win because these items are precious in the fact that we need the Tibetan culture in our global community and many of them have great blessings.

Leann

This is keeping with the idea of “Pennies for Partnerships” it only takes a little from a lot of people to produce a magnificent result. This way if we all just give a tiny bit then the outcome has potential to be enormous.

You will be blessed for your ACTIONS of COMPASSION in ACTION.