Thank you Indredible India

Little Nun at Government School Receiving Award for Top Scores

India has the densest population in the world - yet still it makes room for the world's refugees. Incredible when one considers that India gave home land to the Tibetans. Still India takes on even more refugees while more and more Tibetans leave Tibet in search of spiritual freedom. Even though India makes room for the Tibetans, and schools and houses them, the Tibetans resources in India are almost entirely limited. There aren't enough jobs in India for the Indians -let alone the Tibetans. So the future is completely precarious...

One day we were treated to a visit to the settlement's government school, previously having met the Director or Rector. The "Government" school is provided to the Tibetan Refugees and maintained by the Indian government in their quest to educate India. Most of the teachers are Indian and the Director at this particular school is Tibetan. The school houses roughly 500-700 students, children of the 9 camps and also some who are sent there from smaller refugee camps in the region. This includes young nuns because the nunnery does not have its own school like the larger monasteries do.

I was anxious to visit the school and learn more about their Vocational Department and also their computer room. I was very, very impressed with the grace and care of the India teachers. On that day they had a special presentation of awards to the students who were top in their class and they had invited us to hand out awards to the kids. I was not well dressed (same old t-shirt and jeans) and did not feel energetic enough to do so - hoping my partner Menlo (who is the more externalized one) would do so... in any event, the Rector appealed to us that this would be extremely meaningful to these children and Menlo thought I should be the one to do it. According to the Rector, to have someone else from the International Community take interest in the children's education (which they hold in such high esteem) would benefit the children, the teachers and the parents.

Of course my thoughts went to 'Who am I - no one ... and what could I say to make a difference here in the life of these children? '

As soon as I saw the first little girl however, this one here in this picture, my heart sprang wide open and I knew what was important. To tell them to "keep going" and that "education is the most important effort they can make at this time" and remember the "international community does care about them". And so it went on for about 25 children, each of which I spoke to one on one - each individually, to keep encourage them to keep on striving as we keep working in the International Community for the survival of their culture.

With that said, I have included in this blog below an appeal from the Rector of this school. If anyone is interested in this school and would like to assist their Vocational Training programs by offering up the funds for one or two computers (roughly $850/each) please contact me so we can figure out the best way to make that happen. Here are pictures if the school's present Vocational Training program. Although approached with so much zeal and earnest, one may only imagine the limitations of this classroom.

If this porject speaks to your heart out there... Please contact me info@tibetech.org

Please read on

Dear Melanie
This is the Rector from CST Mundgod at Karnataka India. We cherish your visit to our school. Our children loved receiving gifts from you on the Indian Republic Day celebration in our school.

It was very different experience for the kids as you made them feel very special and good with your affections and beaming smile at them.

We treasure those moments. We also enjoyed sharing those brief moments in our Camp no 3 and school. We long to look forward meeting you along the journey of our life.

Melanie, you have seen that not only this school is one of the biggest Tibetan school located in the heart of Tibetan settlement, we are the only school that has vocational studies for the senior students. One of the main shortcoming of the school is the use of Typing instead of computer application course in the school. I wonder if there is way there by which someone can sponsors some computers for our school which will be very useful. I know you will look into this matter as you have seen the condition here.
Good bye ! and best wishes.

Rector Norbu Tsering from Mundgod
Tibetan settlement