The Pemakö Project
Preserving Tibet’s Oldest Spiritual Treasure - …And educating children for the modern world
The
Pemakö Project aims to secure the survival of Tibet’s cultural
treasures and benefit the people of the Pemakö region. Human-scale
projects, environmental conservation and committed local involvement are
the hallmarks of this program.
At heart of ThePemakö Project activities is the LhundrüpTopgyé
Ling School.Pemakö is located in the Arunachal Pradesh (Land of the
Rising Sun) region of northeastern India and Tibet, in the eastern Himalayan
region. It borders India to the southwest, Bhutan to the west, Burma to
the east and Tibet/China on the north and northeast. The terrain includes
much diversity— everything from snowcapped mountains, and open plains,
to densely vegetated jungle. Ven Lopon P Ogyan Tanzin Rinpoche was born
and brought up in this region as was HH Dudjom Rinpoche...
The school is a traditional ‘dra-tsang’, where the spiritual,
academic, artistic and cultural treasures of the Tibetan people are passed
from generation to generation. Blessed and named by the Supreme Head of
the Nyingma Lineage, H.H. Minling Trichen Rinpoche, it upholds the Gökar-chang-lo’i-dé,
the culturally vital non-monastic lineage of ngakpas representing one
of the two original streams of Buddhism in Tibetan history that has flourished
in Tibet since the 8th century. Following the Chinese occupation of Tibet
it is in danger of extinction unless efforts are made to pass it on within
the Tibetan community outside its homeland.
Ven. Lopon P Ogyan Rinpoche has designed a curriculum based on traditional academic and yogic training that has been studied and practiced for nearly 2,000 years. Also important is the preparation of children for the modern world with a grounding in Maths, English and Sciences. Rinpoche offers over 15 years of teaching experience at the Institute for Higher Tibetan Studies and is founder of The Bodhicitta Centre, a social welfare organization that has successfully assisted many Tibetan refugees in the Pemakö region.
THE PEMAKÖ PROJECT IS UNIQUE
Recognizing
interdependence: Education does not take place in a vacuum. Efforts
to meet local needs for medical care, infant care, food and clothing complement
the school’s initiative and create an environment where grass-roots
support and community involvement insure long-term success.
Offering aid to those who would otherwise be missed: Because the Pemakö region is remote, little aid reaches the Tibetan refugee populations and the region is often ignored. Girls are generally denied education in order to baby-sit younger children while parents work the fields. The Pemakö Project has opened a day care centre that makes education a real choice for young girls for the first time.
Cultural preservation means cultural diversity:
Sadly, despite the best of intentions, large-scale relief efforts often
overlook smaller but vital aspects of an endangered culture. The Lhundrüp
Topgyé Ling School is the only school working to save the Gö-kar-chang-lo’i-dé
tradition within the exiled Tibetan community.
Dylan Esler has recently visited Pemakö with Ven Lopon P Ogyan Tanzin Rinpoche. You can download his account of the pilgrimage here and view the photos he took of his journey and his time there here.
How can you help the children in Pemakö?
Much
has been done since the project started in 2001. School buildings have
gone up, clothing, food and medical care have been provided, a day care
center now serving 22 infants and toddlers has opened and the Lhundrüp
Topgyé Ling School is educating and transmitting Tibet’s
cultural heritage to 68 children. We foresee this number reaching 100
with need for additional buildings, staff and resources.
Rinpoche and the local villagers are ready to move forward, continuing
to do the work required to help these children and save an ancient heritage
and prepare for the future. They have proven their commitment and ability
but the project cannot progress without help. Success now solely depends
on much needed financial backing.
Rarely does the opportunity exist to turn immediately lives around for
so many children. Our goal is to enable Rinpoche to maintain his commitment
to the children and families who view the Lhundrüp Topgyé
Ling School as a miracle. For more information pleasecontact pemakoinformation@nyingma.com.
Donations of any amount are helpful and are greatly appreciated.
Please send donations to the following address: SNCD, 20 Longcroft Road, Caldicot, Monmouthshire, NP26 4EX, United Kingdom. We are able to accept cheques in Pounds Sterling and Euros made out to SNCD. At present we cannot process card payments. Please specify the Pemakö Project in writing on the back of the cheque when you send the donation.
Until necessary formalities are completed to establish the Pemakö Project as a registered UK Charity Sang-ngak-chö-dzong acts on behalf of the Pemakö Project in the UK. SNCD is a UK registered charity: No 1019866
Please write the following on paper and enclose it with your donation
if you wish the Pemakö Project to claim income tax relief and add
this to your donation:
'I confirm I am a UK income tax payer, and would like the Pemakö
Project to be able to claim tax relief on my donation of £ …..via
the Gift Aid scheme. [Full name] ………………….
[Signed]…………… [Dated] ………...
[Home Address]……………………..
………………………………………
……………………………………………….………………………………………………..
© Nyingma.com
2006