Purpose

The PURPOSE of the foundation is: to provide personal support to elderly people who have fled from Tibet and who have no substantial source of income, in particular in the areas of housing, nutrition, medical care and everything related to these matters (in the broadest sense).

Many of these elderly people fled Tibet with the Dalai Lama fifty years ago and have never had the opportunity to return to their home country since, not even for a short period. A large number of elderly people live in a wide area around Dharamsala, where the seat of the Tibetan government in exile is located. One of the ministries of the government is “The Ministery of Home”. In every area there is a ‘Tibetan Wellfare Office’ (a kind of social affairs office). There is also an office for the Dekyiling Collony in the area around the city of Dehra Dun. Through familiarity with a few people in this community, we decided to start the work of the foundation in this area and to work closely with the Tibetan Wellfare Office.

We have realized that most charitable foundations focus on the needs of children and their families. That is of course of the utmost importance, but single elderly people who have no children to take care of them in their old age (or with children who are too poor to help their parents), are seriously in need. When they were younger, they managed to collect their daily food, but mostly through activities that did not provide for a pension. As a result, they are now practically empty-handed. Our opinion is that these people, who have already had such a tough life, deserve a little help and we would like to dedicate our efforts towards their well-being.