Sponsorship of Tibetan monks & nuns

Still today, due to the continued oppression in Tibet by the communist occupation, many Tibetans make the difficult decision to flee Tibet with their family or to help their children escape in the hope that they may have a better future and be able to live according to their sacred Buddhist tradition. Risking their lives on the hazardous journey across the Himalayas, those who survive take refuge in the neighboring countries of India, Bhutan or Nepal.

For the majority of the Himalayan population, and in particular for the Tibetan refugees, life conditions are very difficult. The impoverished families often turn towards the monasteries, which offer a chance for their children to live in decent conditions and to receive an education in keeping with their cultural traditions. However, the institutions that take care of the children cannot provide all their needs by themselves. Monasteries, in particular, depend on external assistance for survival. Traditionally in Tibet, families would provide regular support to the monasteries and temples by providing food and donations. However, in these difficult times, where Tibetan refugees struggle to meet their basic needs, Tibetan monasteries in exile greatly depend on international aid. In this framework, Siddhartha, together with KRF Development, collects funds for the financial support of schools, monasteries and higher learning institutes that welcome monks and nuns in India, Bhutan, and Nepal, as well as for university and medical students in Tibet.

Every year, through its various sectors, Songtsen helps to support a large number of monks and nuns who have been brought up in exile, or who have recently escaped Tibet in order to be free from the Chinese persecution. Many of the monasteries and nunneries in India, Nepal and Bhutan do not have adequate space and living conditions are rudimentary. The funds given to the monasteries help to support daily needs and to improve the health and living conditions of the monks and nuns. Most of the monks and nuns depend entirely on donations to meet their basic needs, including food, clothes, medical care, and education (such as texts).

Siddhartha is currently engaged in the support of the following Tibetan institutes and monasteries in exile:

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