Tibet Relief Fund is proud to run a successful sponsorship programme for Tibetans in need in India and Nepal. Over 800 children, elderly people, monks and nuns benefit from the support given by their sponsors, who may live thousands of miles away but make a positive impact on their lives every day.
Life can be especially difficult for elderly Tibetans in exile. For many of the older generation, who were born in Tibet and fled after the 1959 uprising, their old way of life is utterly annihilated and now in retirement they face poverty and ill health, without family to support them. We feature two elders, Mr Dajam and Mr Tsetop, in our New Year Tibet Matters and are delighted to say we have found sponsors for both of them.
Mr Dajam
Age 90
Nangchen Care Home, Kathmandu
Mr Dajam lives with his wife Bimtso. They escaped to Nepal from Tibet in 1959 along with their two small children and faced great hardship crossing the Himalayas on horseback and at night to avoid the Chinese police.
Due to his old age Mr Dajam needs regular medical attention and must live in the care home with Bimtso. As he is not very mobile he spends much of his time at home chanting Buddhist mantras. Mr Dajam now has three grandchildren and is very happy when they visit. He enjoys eating tsampa and drinking Tibetan butter tea, as well as the occasional piece of meat!
Mr Tsetop
Age 72
Nangchen Care Home, Kathmandu
Mr Tsetop lives at Nangchen care home with his wife Tsezom. They are originally from Nangchen region in eastern Tibet and arrived in Nepal in 2000. The religious restrictions in Tibet drove them out of their home country and they had to pay a high price to an agent to help them cross the border to Nepal.
Mr Tsetop appreciates that he can enjoy his Buddhist belief freely in exile. A former monk, he always carries his prayer wheels with him and enjoys circumambulating Swoyambhu Stupa every day as it is close to the care home.
Mr Tsetop has no grandchildren. He helps the other elders who are in need of support.
For as little as £50 per year you too can sponsor a Tibetan and support their education and future.
