Summary of TVP’s 2008 Annual Project Report
Without doubt, Tibet unrest and protests surrounding the Beijing Olympic Games had a huge impact on everyone who is working in Tibet. However, TVP has managed to continue its ongoing medical and educational projects and successfully implemented several new projects.
Summery of Accomplishments
1. TVP continued to make progress on health care initiatives in remote villages and includes: direct support to four clinics and the operation of a mobile health clinic with volunteer Tibetan doctors. Our program now benefits about 5,000 Tibetan villagers annually. In addition, TVP has improved sanitation of a village in Kham by building a waste-management bin and educating about 40 villagers (one from each household with total of about 250 family members).
2. TVP continued to promote literacy while preserving Tibetan language by supporting rural schools programs. Our program has benefited about 500 students in 2008 through stipends, tuition, food, warm blankets and clothing, textbooks, and school supplies. Among them, Palhakang Orphanage in Kham that has 46 children considers TVP and its supporters as their parents. In addition, TVP is in the process of building 10 greenhouses (4 built so far) to grow fresh vegetables for school kids as a way of helping to combat the malnutrition problem and provide constant food. However, Tibet unrest caused delays on our greenhouse project and the effort will continue in 2009. Some of the other schools TVP supported in the past also have not been able to contact until toward end of 2008 due to the unrest in Tibet.
3. TVP had to cancel all of its Conscious Journeys trips in 2008 due to the unrest in Tibet. As a result, TVP has lost a significant amount of it’s funding in 2008. However, TVP has managed to organize two eco-tourism training workshops: one with 26 participants, and one with 20 participants. The objective was to provide practical tourism training with particular care for the environment and most importantly, the preservation of Tibetan culture. Tourism is the one of the biggest sources of income for Tibet but jobs normally go to non-Tibetans. TVP plans to continue Conscious Journeys trips to Tibet in 2009 so please visit our website if you or someone you know might be interested joining. We still have some spots remaining.
4. TVP provided the training and seed money to start seven Tibetan businesses as a way of promoting self-sufficiency. In 2007, twelve Tibetans have received three-month motorbike repair training in Nagchu. In 2008, TVP provided a total of $7,000 in loans to start or improve six motorcycle supplies and repair shops. As a matter of reality, motorbikes are becoming the preferred and dominant mode of transportation, as opposed to horses, donkeys and Yaks. However, Tibetans are simply not skilled and equipped to take advantage business opportunities. In Kham, Dolmaling Nunnery has received U.S.$5,000.00 in setting up & training support from TVP to start a general store. The shop will provide income to toward supporting about 370 nuns.
5. Tamdin Wangdu, the founder and Don Cullen, a board member and TVP’s representative in Australia continued to educate and raise awareness about TVP projects and Tibet as part of our Outreach and Cultural Program effort. About twenty different talks have given at various venues: schools, libraries, community centers and social organizations, etc.
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