Sponsor an Individual
From classroom books for eager learners to daily meals for elders, your sponsorship transforms lives, nurturing education, dignity, and opportunity across generations in Tibetan communities living in exile.
Following the Chinese occupation of Tibet, thousands of Tibetans fled into exile in India and Nepal, where communities continue to rebuild their lives while working to preserve their language, culture and spiritual traditions.
Our sponsorship programme began in the 1960s, supporting children who had fled Tibet with their families in search of safety and a future.
Today, more than 60 years on, that same spirit of care continues — reaching elders, monks, nuns, and students, and helping them live with dignity, continue their education, and keep Tibetan culture and identity alive for future generations.
Through sponsorship, you can offer stability, opportunity, and connection — standing alongside Tibetan communities in exile and becoming part of something that truly endures.
466
Individuals sponsored in the last year
Sponsor children, young monks, nuns, and elders living in Tibetan refugee communities. Read their stories below to see the real-life impact of your generosity. Your sponsorship helps provide direct funding to the schools, monasteries, nunneries, and elder care homes that support them, helping ensure stable care and support for the whole community.
Children
Supporting children in education
For Tibetan children growing up in exile in India and Nepal, education is deeply connected to identity, community and cultural continuity. Many children live and study in residential schools where they receive not only academic education, but also support in learning Tibetan language, culture and traditions.
For families facing financial hardship, providing stable education and daily care can be extremely challenging. These schools help create safe and supportive environments where children can grow, learn and remain connected to their heritage while living far from their homeland.
Sponsorship helps support education alongside everyday needs such as food, accommodation and school resources — giving children the opportunity to thrive while helping preserve Tibetan culture and identity for future generations.
Meet Tsering
Meet Tsering
Meet Pema
Meet Yeshi
Young Monks
Supporting monks in study and practice
For young Tibetan monks living in exile in India and Nepal, monastic education is far more than academic study. Monasteries are places where Tibetan language, Buddhist philosophy, spiritual practice and cultural traditions continue to be passed from one generation to the next.
Following decades of repression inside Tibet, many monasteries in exile now play a vital role in preserving traditions that remain under threat. Young monks dedicate their lives to study, discipline and community service, helping to sustain Tibetan Buddhism and cultural identity for the future.
Sponsorship helps provide daily necessities, education and ongoing support, allowing monks to continue their studies and contribute to the preservation of Tibetan culture and spiritual heritage in exile.
Meet Kunga
Meet Jamyang
Meet Sherab
Meet Konchok Z
Nuns
Supporting nuns in study and practice
Young Tibetan nuns living in exile in India and Nepal follow a dedicated path of study, spiritual practice and community life. Nunneries provide supportive learning environments where Tibetan language, Buddhist teachings and cultural traditions can continue to thrive.
In exile, these communities play an important role in preserving Tibetan identity and religious practice in the face of ongoing cultural suppression inside Tibet. Through years of study and commitment, nuns contribute not only to spiritual life, but to the strength and continuity of Tibetan communities in exile.
Sponsorship helps provide essential daily support and educational resources, enabling nuns to continue their studies and sustain these important traditions for future generations.
Meet Chimath
Meet Stanzin
Meet Tenzin
Meet Tanzin
Elders
Supporting elders in later life
Many elderly Tibetans living in exile today were among those who fled Tibet in the early years following the Chinese occupation, often enduring immense hardship, loss and displacement in the process. After a lifetime shaped by exile, many now live without regular family support or financial security.
For older Tibetans in India and Nepal, sponsorship helps provide essential care including food, healthcare and safe accommodation, ensuring dignity, stability and companionship in later life.
Supporting elderly Tibetans is also a way of honouring a generation who helped carry Tibetan culture, language and traditions through exile and preserve them for future generations.
Meet Ms. Lhandon
Meet Ms Tsering
Meet Mr Kyipu
Meet Tenzin M
Frequently asked questions
What difference does sponsorship make?
When you sponsor a Tibetan child, elder, monk, or nun living in exile, your support helps provide stability, care, and opportunity. Sponsorship makes a real and lasting difference to people rebuilding their lives and preserving their culture in exile.
What does sponsorship help provide?
Your sponsorship provides vital funding to our partner institutions (such as schools, monasteries, nunneries, or the Lodrik Welfare Fund). These institutions use the funds to ensure your sponsored individual receives education, daily meals, healthcare, accommodation, and overall wellbeing support as part of their daily care.
Will I receive updates?
Yes. You will receive a short biography and at least one update each year about the person you sponsor. If they are unable to write in English, updates may be prepared with the support of a caregiver, teacher, or monastery representative.
You can also choose to be a silent sponsor when setting up your sponsorship.
Can I write to the person I sponsor?
Yes. Many sponsors value the meaningful connection that develops through letters and messages. Correspondence is managed via our partner institutions to bridge the connection with your sponsored individual.
To protect both parties, all correspondence is carefully checked before being forwarded to ensure it is safe, respectful, and appropriate. The wellbeing, safeguarding, and privacy of both our sponsors and sponsored individuals is always our highest priority.
How long does sponsorship last?
We view sponsorship as a long-term commitment that supports children through their full education and ensures elders receive ongoing care. However, we understand circumstances change, and you can adjust or cancel your payments at any time.
If you choose to cancel, our partner institutions step in to ensure the individual's care continues uninterrupted while we look for a new sponsor. A child's sponsorship naturally concludes when they complete their education or vocational training, and we will update you as that transition approaches.
How is my sponsorship donation allocated?
80% of your sponsorship donation is distributed directly to our partner institutions—including the designated school, monastery, nunnery, or the Lodrik Welfare Fund. These trusted partners manage the funds locally to directly cover your sponsored individual's care, accommodation, food, and education costs. The remaining 20% is retained by our charity to cover essential administrative, governance, and UK fundraising costs, ensuring the program can run sustainably and securely.
Can I claim Gift Aid on my sponsorship?
Yes. If you are a UK taxpayer, you can add Gift Aid to your sponsorship at no extra cost to you. Because our charity retains full control and overarching governance of the funds sent to our partner institutions, 100% of your gift eligibility remains intact, allowing us to claim an extra 25p for every £1 you give.
What safeguarding measures are in place for sponsored individuals?
The safety and protection of all individuals in our program is paramount. We work strictly alongside our partner institutions (schools, monasteries, nunneries, and the Lodrik Welfare Fund) to ensure robust child and vulnerable adult safeguarding policies are enforced locally. We do not permit unsupervised direct contact, unvetted visits, or the exchange of personal contact details (such as phone numbers or social media profiles) between sponsors and individuals.
How do you ensure my money safely reaches India and Nepal?
We operate under strict formal written agreements and robust due diligence processes with all our overseas partners, including Lodrik Welfare. Funds are transferred via secure, monitored banking channels. Our partners are required to submit regular, audited financial receipts and itemised reports detailing exactly how the 80% allocation has been spent on care and education.
Why does sponsorship matter?
Tibetan communities living in exile in India and Nepal continue to face many challenges following displacement from Tibet. Sponsorship helps children access education, supports elders in later life, and enables monks and nuns to continue their studies and spiritual practice.
By sponsoring, you are helping preserve Tibetan culture, language, and traditions for future generations while supporting people to live with dignity, stability, and hope.
Still have a question?
If you have any questions or would like to talk anything through,
please get in touch - we’re here to help.
call Kennedy on 07557 814177
or
email Kennedy at sponsorship@tibetrelieffund.co.uk
