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Summer in Tawang is warm and wet.  The rains started in May and will go on until September.  This month temperatures will be between 25 and 30 degrees C during the day and around 10 degrees C at night.  There is rain at Manjushree most days, usually very heavy and often with thunder and lightning. 

For the last couple of months everyone at Manjushree has been busy preparing the ground and planting vegetables in the field and in the greenhouse.   In recent e-mail’s Lama Thupten said “…the older students are in holidays for two months.  They are helping with uncle in kitchen and growing vegetables in green house and garden…we are growing vegetables and this time we have planted lots of different kind of flowers and some roses are blooming beautifully in front of our school building”

The school and orphanage continue to grow and flourish.  15 new students have recently joined and there are now a total of 153 children under Lama Thupten’s care.  The school year finished in April and four more students have completed their secondary education and await their results.  We hope that at least a couple of them will soon be joining the other students at university in Delhi.

 In April, the Tibetan people were in the news and our friends in Tawang were very much in our thoughts. The Guardian reported

“A series of earthquakes hit Yushu County, Qinghai province on the Tibetan plateau.  More than 600 people were reported dead, 9,000 injured and 300 missing.  Rescue teams had to cope with gusting winds and altitude sickness, while on the road from the provincial capital, Xining, more than 500 miles away, bulldozers and other heavy moving equipment were being transported into the worst-affected areas of Yushu to accelerate the rescue and rebuilding operation. further hampered disaster relief efforts. Rescue workers had to move rubble with their hands searching for children trapped or buried under collapsed school buildings.  The Yushu No 3 primary school, with more than 3,000 pupils, was badly hit.  Many of the classrooms were fragile structures made from mud rather than brick and cement.” 

At Manjushree the original buildings were flimsily built due to lack of funds, but Lama Thupten is very conscious of the risk of earthquake and the old buildings are gradually being replaced.  Both the dormitory block and the new hall were strongly built with deep foundations. 

Earlier this year supporters from Australia were at Manjushree to help dig the foundations for a new 100 bed boys’ hostel.  It is being fully funded by an Australian charity and it is hoped that the hostel will be ready for occupation by December this year.

John Ullman (of Architecture for Tibet) is currently at Manjushree.  His fund raising for the new academic centre is progressing well and the initial preparations will begin soon.  The old education  block will be demolished and temporary classrooms built.

The Amrit Davaa doctors from the US have been back to Tawang to further the immunisation programme and give medical treatment to the children and the people of the villages and the monastery.

With the support of our many friends in the UK, FMVSO continue to provide for the day-to-day needs of the children (food, fuel and clothing, books and other educational materials, sports and recreational equipment). This continues to be our first funding priority 

The children are happy; they are well fed and healthy. They study hard and achieve excellent results.  They are well motivated and keen to learn new skills.

At Manjushree the children are taught through English from age 4.  They move on to the local secondary school when they reach 11 or 12.  It is a ten minute walk across country to the village of Bumba

Both the boys and the girls love their sport.  They play cricket and badminton, often with improvised equipment.  They play a lot of football – they compete, and win, against local teams. The football strip was provided by a UK sponsor.

FMVSO’s second funding priority is Further Education. 

The Further Education Fund covers the costs of those currently at college and university.  We aim to maintain a consistent level of support to give future school leavers the opportunity to go on to further education – whether academic or vocational. There are 5 Manjushree students at university in Delhi.  3 of the senior boys completed their secondary education in April and await results of their application for further education places.    There are now 9 boys who have chosen to study to be monks at the Gyudmed Tantric University near Bangalore 

In October this year I will be going back to India   with my fellow trustee, Grainne. We will stop in Delhi to spend time with the Manjushree students attending university there.  We then make the 3 day journey to Tawang, stopping in Guwahati and Tezpur before the challenging jeep run up into the Himalayas.  The children e-mail us from time to time and are excited about our visit – as we are!

Lama Thupten and the Manjushree family send their love and prayers to all you kind folks who support the orphanage through FMVSO.

Thank you from me, and from  FMVSO,  for your kindness and your generosity

Di Gallagher 30 June 2010

Last week, I received exciting news from Lama Thupten Phuntsok:

"On 12th Nov 09, His Holiness the Dalai  Lama visited for one and half hour to Manjushree and he blessed all children and staff."

His Holiness spent a week in Tawang, and the BBC world news reported:

"The freezing temperatures in Tawang did not deter thousands of villagers taking to the streets to catch a glimpse of the Dalai Lama.   Tibetan prayer flags fluttered and monks struck cymbals and played horns as the Dalai Lama headed to the Tibetan monastery, the second largest of its kind in India, to hold a prayer session.

"We are very pleased and blessed to have his holiness here," one monk, Sarwang Lama, told AFP news agency.

Some pilgrims had walked for as long as five days to be there. "

After the Dalai Lama's visit, Lama Thupten travelled to Delhi to spend time with the Manjushree seniors who are now students at university.  He then went on to Dharamsala for further conversations with His Holiness, who takes a keen interest in all that goes on at Manjushree.  

Its getting very cold in Tawang now and soon the snows will make communications very difficult.  The power, telephone and internet are often 'out' and the army struggles to keep open the one road south.  Although the children know about Christmas, its business as usual at Manjushree with exams looming. 

FMVSO continues to receive wonderful support from individuals, schools and organisations in the UK.  Huge thanks from the Trustees to all those who have made it possible for us to send regular contributions to Manjushree, helping Lama Thupten to continue to give the poor children of Tawang district a better life.

Love and good wishes to all our supporters from me and all the Manjushree family.

Di Gallagher.   10th December 2009

In early April Grainne and Di returned from a 3 week visit to Manjushree. 

It was a great trip, challenging as ever, but extremely rewarding.  The orphanage and school continue to flourish and there are exciting plans for the future.

The website has been updated with all the latest information, in particular the 'Description' and 'Objectives' sections.  New photos will be added soon.  A newsletter has been sent out to all our supporters. 

Now that there is a satellite link actually at Manjushree, the seniors have the opportunity to use the internet.  Grainne and I, as well as some sponsors, receive regular e-mails from the children. The older children have been on holiday from school for the last month so have been playing lots of football and cricket.  An Indian Army officer from the local army base visits regularly to teach singing and guitar.  The children are all naturally musical and pick up a new instrument very quickly.  The weather is warm now but the rainy season has started.  They will have a lot of rain over the next few months and the roads will become treacherous with mud slides and rock falls - not a good time to travel to Tawang!

In a recent e-mail, Lama Thupten says:

"Last week I have gone to Dharamsala and I had an opportunity to meet H.H.The Dalai Lama and I have requested him for blessing to all our children and well-wishers for their better life. You know H.H.The Dalai Lama is going to visit Tawang in the month November, 09."

It was hoped that His Holiness would be visiting Tawang in March this year to attend the inauguration of the new hall.  However, the visit had to be postponed.  HH Dalai Lama takes a great interest in the progress of the orphanage and school and continues to give financial and spiritual support.

Di Gallagher 25.5.09

 

 

January 2009, Latest News

It is very cold in Tawang and there is lots of snow, but all's well with the Manjushree family.  I receive regular e-mails from Lama Thupten.  At Christmas the children were doing their annual examinations; everyone was in good heart despite the weather.

The dining hall block is now complete and in use.  The official inauguration will take place in March and Grainne and I feel very honoured that we are invited to attend.  We will spend three weeks at the orphanage, working with the children and gathering information and pictures to relay back to our many friends in the UK - so watch this space!   Di Gallagher 25.1.09

 

 

FMVSO Newsletter Number 3.  July 2008

FMVSO is now well into its third year of operation and I am happy to report that, thanks to the support to a lot of good people in UK, we continue to grow and flourish.

In its first year the charity raised over £18,000

In the second year income increased to £22,000

ALL income goes direct to Manjushree

NO expenses are deducted.

In 2006 the Trustees identified an urgent funding priority: to help fund improvements to the living conditions of the  children at Majushree                                                  

By February 2007 the boys’ dormitory was complete. The boys moved into their new dorm in March.  All the children now have indoor bathroom facilities.  The girls’ dormitory has a new wooden floor and each child now has his or her very own bed.  FMVSO fully funded the dormitory project.  By the end of 2007, a further storey had been built on the dormitory block; this will provide badly needed accommodation for Lama Thupten and other staff  who have been sharing in small cramped rooms. The outside toilets have also been rebuilt.  FMVSO have funded this project. .  A charity in the US funded the solar water heating system.

In January 2008, £8,500 was sent to help fund the building of a new education block. This will provide, downstairs, a special room for Nursery and KG, plus a hobbies room. Upstairs will be a large library/study hall for seniors plus a smaller library for juniors. A local philanthropist has already donated £12,500 specifically for the education block project.  

As well as supporting building projects, the charity sends regular amounts for general expenses, e.g. food and clothing, heating etc.  Regular amounts are allotted for education purposes, e.g. teachers’ salaries, books and education equipment.  Funds are also being specifically allotted for further education.

Lama Thupten Phuntsok, the founder and principal, continues his magnificent work giving a home, education and love to his growing family.  He sends me e-mails whenever he can to keep us all in touch with what’s going on at Manjushree.

It has been a long hard winter in Tawang and communications have been extremely difficult. In a Christmas message, Lama Thupten said:

“Everyone is fine and the children are very happy to be celebrating Christmas like every year.  At the same time, they are having their English exams tomorrow so they cannot enjoy the bliss and fun of Christmas. However, they prayed for the world peace and harmony in this world in the morning of today’s sacred day of Christmas.”  

Although most of the children have been born of Buddhist families and the orphanage is run on Buddhist principles, the children are taught tolerance and understanding of other religions.

We had no news during January but in February I managed to get a call through to Manjushree and spoke with Lama Thupten.

January had been a tough month with extremely cold weather and no power during the day.  The internet in Tawang was down so the only means of communication was by telephone and that intermittently.  His telephone service (land line) does not permit him to call outside Arunachal Pradesh, so this makes communications extremely difficult.

More than half of the children returned to their home villages and extended families for Jan and Feb. The children who remain at Manjushree have no classes – they play games and read – and try to keep warm.

Construction on the new dining hall came to a halt until March because of cold weather.  Concrete won't set properly in the cold and many of the workers are Assamese, for whom the winter is simply too cold.  Meanwhile, local workers continued to prepare the building materials ready to get going again in March 

Foundations for the new dining hall block were started in November. Earthquakes are a possibility so foundations are major.  

I have recently heard that the ground floor is almost complete and will be in use very soon.  The construction of the news education block will not start until the dining hall block is complete.

 

In March Lama Thupten and several of the older children went to Uttrakhand to attend a yoga festival.  The children performed traditional dances and songs.  The trip provided a much-needed break for Lama Thupten and a great experience for the children.  

They stayed in Delhi for a couple of days and spent some time with Mani and Tsultim, the first two children to leave Manjushree, who are now at University. 

I met up with the 2 students in Delhi last autumn and Mani e-mails us regularly; he is currently awaiting his end of second year exam results.

This year, just one student has completed his secondary education.  Nima passed out of XIIth standard with an excellent 87% and he hopes to gain admission to Shri Ram College of Commerce in Delhi.

FMVSO is now sending specific funding for further education.  A Scottish company, PETROWELL, (See Links page) are making this possible with a substantial monthly donation for bursaries.  In the next 4 years, 12 children will have completed their secondary education.  FMVSO should be able to fund all these 12 children through higher education

5 more children have joined the Manjushree family.  There are 3 new teachers.  The president of  Tibetan children’s village, Mr. Tsewang Yeshi la, and the Education director, Mr. Tenzin Sangpo la, visited the orphanage in May and they are helping to recruit a good English teacher.  Earlier this year, five of the teachers underwent 2 weeks of teacher training, provided by the Tibetan Children’s Village and the sister of HH Dalai Lama.

In May Lama Thupten had the opportunity to meet with HH Dalai Lama in his residence in Dharmsala.  His Holiness continues to take an interest in the work of Lama Thupten at Manjushree and gives his blessing and financial support.

 

Manjushree now has limited internet facility.  A friend from the US arranged the installation of the satellite dish.  As time goes on this will make a huge difference to the administration of the School and Orphanage as well as giving the children the opportunity to gain computer and internet skills necessary to compete in the modern world.

 

Health Matters

The US charity, Amrit Davaa World Health Corp. recently reported in their website:

“We are currently working with Architects for Tibet on the design for the new free clinic/infirmary to be constructed at Manjushree Vidyapith Orphanage. The clinic will offer free service to the local people and the children at Manjushree. We are currently raising funds for this building project, and plan to break ground in the spring of 2009.”

Great news!

Some of you will remember Lobsang.  He came to Manjushree 2 years ago after a terrible burning accident.  His lower arms had been amputated and he had severe burns to his neck and legs.  He has grown in to a strong, confident and capable young man but his scars were becoming a problem as he grew. Through the generosity of an Indian doctor he has had major surgery to correct the problem.

Lobsang is just one of the 130 children under Lama Thupten’s care.  With the generous support of our many friends in UK, FMVSO is able to send regular funding to help provide a home and education for these children.

The rainy season has now set in; Lama Thupten said in a recent e-mail: “We have very bad weather here, everyday it’s raining and the day becomes cloudy. Because of that it is very difficult to dry the clothes of children 

Everyone will be looking forward to the sunny months of the autumn before facing another harsh mountain winter.

In March 09 I will be returning to Manjushree to work with the children and to see for myself how FMVSO funding is making a difference. 

The Manjushree family send their love, and thanks to the many supporters in UK for their kindness and generosity.

Di Gallagher    FMVSO Trustee

 

 

Newsletter Number 2, November 2007

In the last six months there have been exciting developments at the school and orphanage.  Di has just returned from a 3-week visit, working with the children and gathering information to relay back to our supporters in UK.   Funds sent from UK have helped to improve and expand the accommodation, sustain living conditions and support the excellent education provided by the school.

Lama Thupten Phuntsok, the founder and principal, continues to guide and care for his growing family with wisdom and a sure and loving hand.HH Dalai Lama takes a keen interest in the progress of the School and Orphanage. He has contributed towards various projects and pays an honorarium towards teachers’ salaries.

The Lama’s dedication to improving the lot of the deprived children of Tawang district received national recognition in April 2007. The president of India bestowed on him the prestigious Padma Shree Award, one of the highest honours in the country.

Lama Thupten’s integrity and hugely valuable contribution to the Tawang community is widely recognised by individual Indian Government ministers, senior army officers and people from all walks of life, in India and abroad. Manjushree receives no financial aid from the Indian government.  The School and Orphanage continues to flourish through the generosity of the local community and organisations, friends from all over India and charities and individuals from abroad.

FMVSO has already transferred £10,000 this year, shared between construction projects, education and general funds.  We hope to send a further £8,500 in January specifically for the building of the new education block. 

This was Di's third visit to Manjushree and she is convinced more than ever of the worth and validity of the organisation.  Staying at the orphanage and being involved in everyday life gave the opportunity to witness first hand what an amazing place it is.  The children are secure and happy.  They are well fed, warmly clothed and now have comfortable dormitories. 

Education up to 5th grade within Manjushree is of a high standard compared with government schools.  At 6th grade the children go on to Bumba Secondary School, just a 15-minute walk away.  The Manjushree kids are all more forthcoming than their peers, their English is better and they are more interactive with their teachers.  They are generally in the top 3 in the class.  Everyone loves the Manjushree children.

125 children are living at Manjushree under Lama Thupten’s care. The majority are orphans or destitutes; 9 are physically handicapped. 11 more of the family are studying elsewhere: 2 students are attending university in Delhi.  Mani (who lost both forearms in an electrical fire) is in his second year, reading economics, and is being sponsored by FMVSO. Tsultim is in her first year, with some funding from Holland. One of the senior girls is attending High School in Guwahati, under sponsorship.  6 senior boys are boarding at the army school in Tezpur, Assam (funded by the army).  3 more boys, of their own volition, are studying to become monks at a monastery in south India.

There are also 36 day students attending school free of charge; these children’s parents cannot afford the uniform and books required to attend the government school.  There are many more children in the area who have never been to school.

PROGRESS

It was thrilling to see the boys happily settled into their new dormitory. They now have the luxury of indoor bathrooms and hot water from the solar water heating system.  Friends of Manjushree have made this possible.

A further storey has been added to the dormitory block; this will provide badly needed accommodation for Lama Thupten and other staff.  They have currently been sharing in small cramped rooms. The outside toilets are also being rebuilt.  FMVSO are funding this project.

Thanks to TLC (the US charity who funded the solar water heating) the old dining hall block is being replaced with a much larger, better built, two-storey structure.  Downstairs there will be a new dining hall, kitchen, office and domestic staff quarters; upstairs the study hall will also be used for entertainments and cultural programmes.  Foundations have been laid and the project should be complete by March.

FUTURE PLANS

Since Di's last visit in 2006, FMVSO has been focussing its attention on the hostel block.  Now that this is fully paid for we can look to other priorities.

Classroom space is still a problem.  Nursery & KG have classes on the dorm. floor or outside.  Class 1 are taught on an open veranda.

School Building was built in 1998 when the orphanage was founded. Of the 8 rooms in school building, 4 are currently being used as classrooms; they are poorly equipped, ill-lit and in a bad state of repair.   2 further rooms have been dry lined and have wooden floors. One is now the computer room, with 6 working computers donated by an Indian TV station. The other serves as the library and staff room. The final rooms are the office and Lama Thupten’s bedroom (which doubles as the school’s prayer room).

FMVSO have pledged to contribute the £8,500 balance required to build and equip a new education block. This will provide, downstairs, a special room for Nursery and KG, plus a hobbies room. Upstairs will be a large library/study hall for seniors plus a smaller library for juniors.  A local philanthropist has already donated £12,500 specifically for the education block project. It is hoped that this small education block will be the starting point for a much larger building to be added later when funds allow.

Other Projects

A piece of land has already been allotted for a 2- storey guesthouse.  This will comprise 6 twin bed rooms with bathrooms and balcony.  Downstairs will be a dining hall, kitchen and office.  The rationale behind this plan is to provide:

• A source of revenue
• Opportunity for vocational training and jobs in hospitality/tourism/traditional crafts
• Accommodation for visitors/volunteers

FMVSO will be supporting this project

A meditation/retreat centre is also planned. This would tie in nicely with the guesthouse, catering to local visitors as well as those from overseas.

Still badly needed are:

An Infirmary/Clinic with basic medical care as well as accommodation for sick children.  A US charity is currently researching medical facilities at the orphanage and in the Tawang region.  If required FMVSO will raise funds to support their efforts.

A separate hostel for the boys would help provide more space,  privacy and personal identity for both the boys and the girls.

EDUCATION

In the next 4 years, 12 children will be completing senior education and looking to their futures.  FMVSO aims to help fund them through higher education, whether academic or vocational.

There are 3 new teachers. There is help for slow learners and the seniors now have computing, debating and public speaking as extra curricular subjects. Extra tuition in Maths, English and Science is being given to the seniors to encourage more students to aim for the science stream in Grade XI and XII.  FMVSO contributes towards general expenditure, which includes teachers’ salaries, books and uniforms. 

Thanks to the continued interest and support of our many friends in the UK, we are helping to make a difference.

Design © Simon Child 2006