Support for Tibetan refugee children
Support for Tibetan Refugee Children The Current Situation Since the invasion of their country by the Chinese troops, the Tibetans who have succeeded in fleeing the oppression must live in exile as refugees in countries that count among the poorest on the planet – Nepal, Bhutan, and India (see also About Tibet). For many Tibetans, the challenging adjustment imposed upon them as refugees in a foreign land, was further complicated by the dramatic change in climate and living conditions in India, which provoked an outbreak of tuberculosis and other health conditions rarely encountered in Tibet. They have nevertheless attempted to survive and to maintain their way of life and of being that characterizes their unique culture and dignified values.
For the majority of the Tibetan refugees, life conditions are unrelentingly difficult. Those that have recently escaped Tibet are once again deprived. Among the refugees, the condition of the children is the most precarious one. The families in difficulty often turn themselves towards the monasteries that represent a chance for the children to live in decent living conditions and to receive an education. The monasteries receive a lot of young children and adolescents, mostly coming from difficult situations: they may have been orphaned or abandoned, or their parents were too poor to assure their well-being and education. Despite their devotedness, the monks that take care of the children can not provide for all of their needs such as: food, clothing, medical care and other necessities. There are numerous children that suffer from tuberculosis, requiring ongoing medical treatment. For most of these monasteries, external assistance is the only possibility of survival. Unfortunately, the assistance from the local community is not enough to support the increasing number of children arriving in the monasteries and residing there permanently.
The Siddhartha project aims to enable Tibetan refugee children, as well as local children of impoverished communities, to receive food, shelter, and a proper education. It also aspires to help preserve Tibetan identity by providing training in Tibet’s traditional and cultural arts. The project provides students with the necessary qualifications to either continue onto higher education or to become self-sufficient.
Every year, Songtsen helps to support a large number of monks and nuns who have been brought up in exile, or who have 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 basic daily needs and to improve the health, education and living conditions of the monks and nuns.
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