I believe I had a happy childhood even though I see my parents worrying helplessly about how they can afford to send me and my sister to school or how they sometimes quietly argue, worrying about next day’s expenses in our small solitary room while we lay motionless in bed. I always have this realization that there are many other families who are exposed to severe poverty and whose children can never go to school or have to drop out from school.

When some 80,000 Tibetan people escaped with H.H. the Dalai Lama to India in 1959 owing to brutal invasion of Tibet by communist Chinese, there was remote hope of placing all the destitute Tibetan children. The situation has changed positively over last few decades with the relentless effort of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the worldwide support. However, there are still scores of children who are less fortunate than us and whose future can be determined with our little help and concern.

I was truly smitten the moment Hermien and Paula excitedly told me about the project of supporting Tibetan children and improving their education environment way back in 2002 when we first met. That common goal was enough to spark our lasting friendship.

Over the years, TCF has expanded and reached many less privileged Tibetan children in helping them to go to school and continue their education. This is mainly due to active and selfless work of Paula Schepers and Hermien Jalink in the Netherlands, and their friends and all other supporters. I do my small part in raising fund and coordinating the program, making sure scholarship money gets to deserving children and are well used.

I want to thank all the donors and supporters on behalf of TCF, without whom we could have never reached this far.

Love & peace,

Dr. Tenzin Namdul