May I be a protector to those without protection;
A guide for those who journey
And a boat, a bridge, a passage for those desiring the future, further ashore.
48 years ago since our school was established
1567 children being supported at the moment
8700 students have graduated
In July 2023, Andrew Harvey, in conjunction with Sacred Earth Journeys, led a trip to Ladakh in Northern India, the heart of the Himalayas. This is a region that welcomes many refugees who have left occupied Tibet so they can freely practice their culture and traditions. One such inspired initiative is the Tibetan Children’s Village (or TCV), a community started in Leh almost 50 years ago on direction of his Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama. His holiness saw the need to protect, preserve and nurture Tibetan culture in exile, in this instance through investing in its children. He identified 4 goals to underscore TCV including
(1) promoting human values;
(2) promoting religious harmony;
(3) preserving Tibetan culture and traditions and
(4) reviving ancient Indian traditions.
These values were the foundation for the birth of TCV – originally a temporary shelter for refugee children – and carried it to its current status as a modern school that supports over 1567 children and has graduated over 8,700 students.
The commitment of the teachers and all those at the school who love, nurture and care for these children - many of whom are there without family - has created a vibrant community of engaged, happy, beautiful children who will be able to live out the values embedded in their cultural traditions.
The vibrancy of the TCV, however, is in stark contrast to their infrastructure and funding. Individual students rely on external sponsorship to cover their tuition which includes their schooling and room and board. By Western standards, the monthly requirements are truly minimal, but this amount truly is the life-blood of the school.
We are thrilled to be working to securing sponsorship for TCV students. Our goal is to have every child sponsored by committed and compassionate individuals like yourself in the next year. After that, we will focus on securing sponsorship for the annual intake of new students every March.
If this sounds like something you may be interested in, please consider applying to sponsor a student. On receipt of your application, we will send you a profile and sponsorship form You can reach out if you have any questions to [email protected].
Our world is crying out - screaming - for all of us to step up with an open heart and integrity to be good citizens. The small commitment you may make to TCV will truly have a life-long positive impact not only on the children, but also on the preservation of Tibetan culture and on the emergence of a world better attuned to the values that will sustain us going forward.
SPONSOR A CHILDÂ
I'm inviting you to sponsor a Tibetan refugee child as our commitment to helping Ladakh evolve while preserving the truth of its ancient soul.
I am thrilled by the work of my dear friend Jude Kornelsen who coordinates this very practical project to help Tibetan refugee children get the kind of education both spiritual and modern that they will need to negotiate this difficult transition.
I strongly urge you, if you can, to answer the call and help the Tibetan refugees with all the generosity and love at your command. Â
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