Recent photos from Kunsel Kyetsal, the TSF-sponsored science and technology high school in Golok are now viewable online. Tulku Kalsang Dorje, a native of the region who currently resides in Canada, came to Tibet during the summer of 2011 and our school was one of the stops on his trip. Accompanying him to the campus was Ven. Sogan Rinpoche’s brother Guru who is a monk living at Bayan Monastery. School officials including Phunrab, the principal and Phuntsok, administrator led a tour of the facilities.

–> To see the photos, click here.

While living conditions for the semi-nomadic Tibetan inhabitants of the high plateau would not be considered easy under any circumstances, for the survivors of the 2010 earthquake in Yushu County, daily life in the extreme climate of their high-altitude homeland is more difficult than ever before. Among the residents in the tent community seen above are very elderly Tibetans who lost dear friends and family members in the catastrophe. Many were physically injured and also suffer from the emotional after-effects of experiencing major trauma. The light-weight cotton tents provided in the relief effort soon after the quake offer minimal protection during harsh weather, and the most basic essentials like food and warm clothes remain in short supply.

Still, the bonds within this traditional community remain strong. The cluster of brightly decorated tents reflects the vibrant spirit of a culture deeply rooted in compassion for all beings, with a profound and universal respect for life. Shared values and ancient traditions are a source of strength, and with material help from a variety of outside agencies the residents – despite the obstacles – are moving forward with their lives.

When fund-raising for The Sogan Foundation’s clean water project successfully concluded with a surplus in May, 2010, we decided to direct some of the extra money to those affected by the tragic quake. We are in contact with relief organizations who have been closely involved with the ongoing aid efforts in Yushu, and after careful consideration, the TSF board decided to target our grant specifically for the purpose of supplying two large (484 square feet or 45 square meters), insulated tents for community use.

–> To see more photos of life in post-earthquake Yushu and to find out how the two tents sponsored by TSF are making a difference, go here.

Last summer a TSF supporter visited Golok and took the photo shown at left. The statue which honors Tonmi Sambhota, the inventor of the Tibetan alphabet, is part of our first project in Golok – the construction and furnishing of Kunsel Kyetsal, a technical high school for Tibetan students.

Tonmi Sambhota is traditionally thought of as the architect of the Tibetan script. He was the most intelligent minister of King Songtsen Gampo, a remarkable man who ruled in the seventh century. The King's earliest achievement consisted of continuing the political and administrative reforms initiated by his father. He then embarked on a program of social reform and cultural development, including redistributing the land that was in the possession of the nobles and great landowners, to give common people a bigger and better share.

Since the Tibetan language at that time had no written form, King Songsten Gampo sent a group of young Tibetans – including Tonmi Sambhota – south to Kashmir on a cultural mission to study. While there Tonmi, who was a brilliant student, was given the name "Sam-bhota" which means "best Tibetan."

After mastering linguistics, Thomi returned to Tibet, where he introduced a script for writing the Tibetan language; based on Indian scripts, it was comprised of thirty consonants and four vowels. He spent many years using the new Tibetan alphabet to translate Indian texts and wrote a number of works on the Tibetan grammar system.

So it is fitting that one of the first great Tibetan scholars is acknowledged at the site of Kunsel Kyetsal, a school which now offers young Tibetan scholars of Golok their first opportunity to explore contemporary fields of learning like the sciences and technology.

Pictured here is the Bayan senior community. The austere beauty of the Tibetan high plateau when it lies frozen under a deep blanket of snow is undeniable, but living conditions during the long winters can be challenging for inhabitants. During this part of the year the shelter provided by their simple dwellings, the support of living in a community and the protection of nearby monks from Bayan Monastery are all especially important for the elderly nomads.

Fortunately this winter, for the first time, the frequent walks to obtain drinking water are shorter and safer, thanks to the water system that was installed last summer. And the electric tea kettles provided to every household by TSF give the seniors quick, easy access to hot water, which is important for maintaining health and well-being during the extremely cold winter on Mt. Bayan.

A view of the growing settlement of seniors near Bayan Monastery in Golok, taken on a beautiful summer day in 2010. The peaceful Machu (Yellow) River flows in the background and the lush summer grasses for which the area is well-known are visible even on distant hillsides.

Just a few weeks before this photo was taken, the TSF project to improve water quality for the community was finished, and residents were already enjoying much easier access to cleaner water. Visit the Bayan Water Project page to read what a few of the seniors are saying about how the project has made a difference in their daily lives.

           

By now, winter has arrived on Mt. Bayan in Golok. However this year – for the first time – the growing community of older nomads settling near Bayan Monastery will have access to filtered water from a tap for drinking, cooking and washing. When the TSF water project was finished approximately two months ago, four pumphouses had been erected and new water buckets were distributed to the residents. The filtration system has enhanced water quality, and visiting the pumphouses every day is easier and safer than hiking to the open spring which previously supplied their water.


           

The spring being used to supply this water system has a particularly robust flow, which means it is expected to be a reliable water source for decades into the future. In general, the springs on Mt. Bayan are known to be of excellent quality, but protecting even this good water from contamination by organic waste, insects and filtering out particles like leaves and twigs is still essential for ensuring a healthy water supply. Earlier this year the Bayan seniors received another significant upgrade to their standard of living when electric lines were run from the monastery to their homes. Since the water project came in under budget and our successful fundraising drive also generated a surplus, we opted to use some of those extra funds to furnish each household with an electric tea kettle.

YUSHU RELIEF UPDATE
As mentioned in an earlier post, we have reserved the final portion of our surplus to aid the victims of the April, 2010 earthquake in Yushu (Qinghai Province). We continue to monitor the situation in Yushu and will channel our assistance directly to those who need the most help during the difficult, long-term struggle toward recovery.

Three years have now passed since the fall of 2007 when Kunsel Kyetsal's doors were first opened to students. In a recent report to TSF, sponsor of the entire project, administrators outlined the current situation of the school which provides science & technology training in the Tibetan language for high school students.

We are happy to relay the news that Kunsel Kyetsal is thriving. Students, teachers and administrators are committed to making the most of this opportunity to bring new hope for the future to individual lives and to strengthen the community as a whole. During the academic year 2009-2010 enrollment totaled 752 students. The graduating class numbered 184, half of whom passed the college entrance exams. The library, classrooms and labs are being used to their full extent and curricula in all subjects are being developed for each grade level.

For more details about the update from Golok and to see new photos from the academic year 2009-2010, visit our Kunsel Kyetsal page.

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Although the San Francisco sky was predictably overcast on Saturday, May 8, inside TSF board president Laura Batie's home the atmosphere was warm and sunny as nearly fifty foundation supporters joined Ven. Sogan Rinpoche and several other board members for a house party.
Originally planned to help generate the funds still needed for the Bayan Water Project, the event became instead a celebration of the completion of fundraising and an opportunity to discuss how we plan to direct the money raised in excess of our target amount - $30,000 for the water system itself.
On behalf of TSF's board of directors, Laura announced that there are two areas of need which will benefit from the additional funds: Bayan seniors and victims of the April 14 earthquake in Kyigudo.


For the seniors, many of whom are extremely impoverished, we plan to underwrite the purchase of warm blankets, and clean, non-toxic vessels for carrying water from the soon-to-be-constructed pump houses; many of the water containers now in use once held gasoline and are likely contaminated with dangerous chemicals. The need for help for the earthquake survivors is urgent; over the next few weeks we will be determining how best we can offer support.

Please visit our site for updates about these humanitarian efforts. And thank YOU for your generosity which continues to enable us to bring hope and opportunity to those most in need.

In California on May 2, 2010, friends of The Sogan Foundation gathered for a festive dinner at the Blue Angel Cafe in South Lake Tahoe, a town which lies on the shores of the pristine Lake Tahoe, a large freshwater lake nestled high among the Sierra Nevada mountains. To the delight of our supporters, the Cafe's own Chef Jens Dressler prepared a feast of traditional Tibetan dishes. An internationally trained chef, Jens served a variety of Tibetan classics like tsampa made from barley flour and butter tea, and momos, a kind of steamed dumpling.
The program began with a short talk given by TSF chairman, Sogan Rinpoche, followed by board president Laura Batie’s presentation of a slide show about our projects. An after-dinner raffle featured items generously donated by friends of the organization – including scarves, hats, photos and works of Tibetan art and craft. This event raised $1200 for the Bayan Seniors Water Project. Many thanks to all who contributed to this successful – and joyful! – fundraising evening.


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Recently TSF friends and supporters in Italy have been busy spreading the word about The Sogan Foundation's humanitarian work, especially the Bayan Senior Water Project which is now in final stages of fundraising, with the start of construction coming soon.
In a beautifully decorated exhibit at Lignano in Fiore (Spring Flowers's Festival), visitors see photos from Tibet and learn about the Bayan senior community. The annual event, held at the north Italian seaside resort town of Lignano on the Adriatic, takes place over three weekends starting in mid-April. The festival is run by volunteers, and it was started in 1987 to raise money for seriously ill children in the local community; over time, its tradition of generosity and celebration has expanded to include helping charitable projects the world over.

The Sogan Foundation wishes to express our deep gratitude to those whose hard work and dedication have made the exhibit and fundraising effort possible and we are honored to be a part of this year's program in lovely “Lignano of the golden sand.”

           

DEAR FRIENDS,

Our hearts are heavy with the sad news of the many who are suffering in the wake of the 6.9 magnitude earthquake in Kyigudo (Chinese: Yushu), a Tibetan region that neighbors Golok. While our friends in Golok report no damage there, over 1400 people have died in Kyigudo. Many thousands more are injured, and there are reports of widespread devastation to buildings and property. 

We are accepting donations to meet the enormous need within affected communities in the region. 100% of your donation will be directed to the relief effort. You can donate via Paypal on our website (please specify Earthquake Relief in the add special instructions to the seller section). Checks should be made out to The Sogan Foundation and sent to us at 1559 28th Avenue, San Francisco, CA  94122. Please note Earthquake Relief on the memo line.

Thank you.

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In July and August of 2007, several board members and supporters of The Sogan Foundation joined Sogan Rinpoche for a journey to Golok, Tibet to celebrate a newly-constructed and soon-to-open technical/scientific high school – our foundation's first humanitarian project. In this new photo gallery with captions, we share more images from that memorable time.

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September, 2009 was a time of travel for TSF founder and board chairman, Sogan Rinpoche. This was his second trip to Savogna, Italy, where he gave teachings at Polava di Savogna, a Dharma Center located in this town in northeast Italy. He also had the opportunity to do some sightseeing in the beautiful surrounding region. At the conclusion of teachings, Rinpoche spoke about the humanitarian work of The Sogan Foundation and its new undertaking, the Bayan Water Project, now in the final stages of fundraising with construction projected to start in spring, 2010.