Email This Page
Print This PageRelated Categories
 |
 |
 |
  |
|
Tibetan Nuns Project
Description of the problem:The Chinese communist takeover of Tibet in 1959 forced more than 100,000 Tibetans to flee into exile. Over 6,000 monasteries were demolished and religious practice was deemed illegal. The monks and nuns followed their leader, the Dalai Lama, into India where they have rebuilt their monasteries and nunneries and keep Tibetan Buddhism alive. Not until they fled into exile was there ever a system developed for the nuns to get the same monastic education as the monks. Through sponsorship programs, general donations and developing self-sufficiency projects TNP supports these nuns in their pursuit of education and religious freedom. Description of the project / solution:TNP now supports nuns in six different nunneries, two of which we have built from the ground up. Dolma Ling is a model non-sectarian educational institution that houses over 200 nuns. Geden Choeling, of the Gelug Buddhist sect is the oldest nunnery in exile and has 180 nuns. Shugsep, of the Nyingma tradition will house 108 nuns. Tilokpur, of the Kagyu tradition has nearly 70 nuns and our two newest additions – Sakya and Spiti nunneries have nearly 100 nuns each. TNP provides salaries for the teachers, as well as monthly stipends and all food, medical and housing needs for the nuns. Amount that Channel G seeks to raise in order to help the organization achieve its goals:Our most recent endeavour is to rebuild Shugsep nunnery. The Shugsep nuns are the lineage holders for the chod ritual which has been passed down for centuries through the female lineage holders of the Nyingma tradition. The nuns of Shugsep nunnery come from Shugsep nunnery in Tibet, near Lhasa, most have been imprisoned and are survivors of torture. Currently, Shugsep nunnery is located in a very wet and remote valley in Dharamsala where there is no access to a road and the wall of the aging buildings are constantly damp and crumbling. TNP has raised enough money to buy a new piece of land and begin construction of the first phase of the nunnery. The nuns will be able to move into this section by the next monsoon season. However, to continue for the next two phases of construction, we need to raise $700,000 to complete the buildings to house 108 nuns as well as teachers and staff. Nearly the cost of a single family home in America will house over 120 people. Other support needed by the project:We continue to raise money and sponsors to maintain all 5 nunneries. The sponsorship program is run out of our US office, where donations are tax-deductible in the US and Canada. $1 a day provides food, clothing, health needs, and education for a nun living in exile. |
Channel G Supporters | |
      |
 | |
|
|
