The children study Tibetan reading and writing, debating, English, Hindi, social studies, math, science, and the traditions and texts of Tibetan Buddhism and the Drepung Gomang Monastery. One time general donations, periodic donations, and sponsorships of students and teachers are all much needed. Our continuing contributions have provided desks, medicines, vitamins, food, and basic supplies. Now we are seeking funds for teachers and for a future program to teach traditional art classes, such as thangka painting. We've shipped bags of school books to the School over the years, bought ceiling fans, desks, and computer disks for the school computer. We've paid for ear and tonsil operations, eye exams and glasses, and dentistry. We're trying to ensure that all students get regular health checkups. We seek general funds for projects like these AND sponsors for individual students, staff, and teachers. Sponsorships have typically been $15/month, but other amounts are possible. At $15/month all school students are helped, not only a specific child. Helping these children through either one- time donations or sponsorships is a high priority! Support is sent quarterly, bi- annually, or annually.

The Drepung Gomang Monastery has also served the Tibetan refugee community in the settlement in many ways. They have planted a vegetable garden and tree plantation, a project which has been funded by several donors, most especially the Tibetan Blues Bash Project which raised funds via Blues Concerts benefitting this and other efforts for Tibetans. In 2003 there was a dangerous fire in the coconut tree plantation due to an accident. Now the trees are doing much better and it turns out the losses were only superficial. This monastery runs a summer school on Tibetan culture open to children of the entire settlement. They serve the community with a major clinic and dispensary that is heavily used and serves the entire refugee community as does the DTR Hospital (see below). In particular we sometimes send funds to help provide regular health checkups and medical assistance for elderly monks, many of whom have not had sufficient access and to good regular care. Contributions can be made to the Monastery itself or towards specific projects such as those mentioned. . We also help monks at some other monasteries in Mundgod. Below we show a photo (at Manipal Hospital in Bangalore) of a teenager who needed 5 surgeries post a yak encounter in Tibet which damaged his eye. He is one of our sponsored monks from another monastery in Mundgod. Donations can also be sent by those wishing to have prayers said for relatives and friends.

Early on, we focussed on those with ulcers due to infection by the Helicobacter Pylori bacteria. We have funded the cure of ulcers of monks in this group as well as those in other monasteries and nuns in the nunnery. Our work uncovered the fact that the hospital had acquired defective and harmful batches of the antibiotic Amoxicillin through an Indian supplier who turned out to be getting medicine from mainland China. Fortunately the same medicine from another supplier was excellent. As a result of our work, the hospital's supply of this critical drug, used for many diseases, including TB, was cleansed of the faulty product. We work closely with the Doeguling Resettlement Hospital on health issues, but also fund necessary treatments at more distant medical facilities when this is required. We have helped a leprosy patient who is recovering, tuberculosis patients, and many with skin diseases. Some recent refugees have no immunity to virulent skin ailments which attack them in the hot south of India where the biggest settlements are. Donations to the Gungru Khangtsen Health and Emergency Fund are crucial and can be either one-time or periodic. These provide help when most needed as well as general assistance with prevention and hygiene.

We now also aid Tibetan monks from other monasteries in Mundgod as well as various groups within Drepung Monastery by funding a General Monks' Emergency Fund. See more about all the monks we have helped in our annual newsletters linked to this near the beginning of the webpage.

HOSPITALS AND KHARYAK CHARITABLE SOCIETY:

The Doeguling Tibetan Resettlement Hospital (DTR), provides sliding scale, inexpensive medical and dental aid to 13,000 Tibetans as well as local Indians seeking help. This hospital has a central site as well as out-patient clinics in the separate villages of Mundgod that dispense treatment and health education. In the past, our funds were used to install mosquito screens, construct doors for the Women's ward, assist with video health education projects, essential staff needs, women's needs, and emergencies not otherwise covered. In 2005 we funded a complete re-build of the Doeguling Tibetan Resettlement (DTR) hospital's bathrooms and shower facilities as well as 3 large outdoor solar lighting fixtures to make the area safer at night. In 2006 we sent a good quality otoscope to the DTR to help with ear exams.

We have been especially honored to have helped Mr. Tenpa TK, who worked so hard improving many hospitals, including the DTR at Mundgod, Tso-Jhe Khangsar at Bylakuppe, and Dhondenling Van Thiel at Kollegal. We started helping him years ago when he was first at the DTR Hospital. Below we show how many of the rooms looked before he came to the DTR Hospital, and after. We personally took these photos and saw the changes. Tenpa made special efforts on behalf of women employees (strong support of education and hiring of women for jobs such as hygenist, lab technician, dentist, etc. as well as traditional nursing jobs) and supported women patients and their special needs. After working to improve the Bylakuppe and Kollegal Hospitals Tenpa returned to the DTR Hospital, where he again worked hard on upgrades and community programs. Now he has turned hospital management over to others and is working in the community as a local leader and running his new Kharyak Charitable Society (KCS) which aids poor patients and also helps young people get the higher education so many want but find out of reach. Recently FOTSI, KCS and others have aided a Tibetan woman who wants to be an engineer. In 2007 Mr. Tenpa is working with the (Richard) Gere Foundation to assist them in helping seriously ill and needy Tibetan monks and nuns get medical care for major problems. Working with him allows us to apply ourselves to unmet needs and be in tune with current needs.

When Mr. Tenpa TK was at the Tso-Jhe Khangsar Hospital in the Bylakuppe settlement, we helped him buy sterilization equipment and we began and continue to support the Tso-Jhe Hospital's Tashilunpo Clinic. After that we sent funds to help Mr. Tenpa continue his great work improving the facilities at Dhondenling Van Thiel Hospital in the Kollegal settlement, where he was stationed for a time. A number of hard-working support groups have helped fund the wonderful work shown below, including FOTSI.

TIBETAN CHILDREN'S VILLAGE (BYLAKUPPE): The Tibetan SOS Children's Village in the Bylakuppe Tibetan Settlement near Mysore in Karnataka State, India, serves over 1500 Tibetan children (about half boys and half girls) from primary to 12th grade in a Montessori style education system which emphasizes a "commerce stream" in the last 2 grades, although many students are interested in other types of future careers, such as in the medical field. We sponsor children here and also send general funds and pocket money in cases when donors cannot afford a full sponsorship ($360/year per student). This school is a boarding school and is especially suited for and intended for recent escapees from Tibet, children with special needs (such as former polio patients), and orphans or children from dysfunctional homes. Currently we are helping 5 children here. One is a former polio patient who walks with a brace, is an excellent student; the two others were abandoned by a parent with severe mental difficulties. Another boy and girl we began sponsoring in early 2005 are from families who cannot provide what they need. We specialize in helping children we find through our work in the Mundgod settlement. These are children the community feels really need the special care given by the School's thirty homes and two youth hostels in which the students live with Tibetan home-parents for young children. Older students live in a boarding school environment which also is run like a family. This is a wonderful way to change a child's life and offer a priceless chance for a good education. Our sponsored first grade girl came out of a desperate situation to be first in her class! Sponsorship of a child at TCV Bylakuppe is $360 per year, sent bi-annually.