Jampaling Old People’s Home, Dharamsala (74 Elders)

For senior Tibetan refugees living in exile, elderly homes are more than places of shelter – they are sanctuaries of respect, protection, and kindness in the final chapters of life. Many elders have no family backing and live with chronic illness, limited mobility, or advanced age, relying entirely on the compassion and commitment of their communities and benefactors.

Since 2016, FPMT’s Social Services Fund (SSF) has been providing essential, sustained help to Tibetan elder refugees across India, ensuring access to food, medical assistance, safe housing, and daily assistance. In 2026, this commitment continued with a total of US$247,591 provided to eight elder homes, addressing both annual running expenses and critical infrastructure and repair needs. Contributions were also made to two additional projects in Tibetan settlements focused on the care and well-being of elders. This report highlights the positive impact of the 2026 grants, offering much to rejoice in through these compassionate activities. Please continue to read about the valuable elder homes we currently support.

Jampaling Old People’s Home | Kalimpong Old People’s Home | Dhonden Old People’s Home  | Lugsam Samduling Old People’s Home | Old and Infirm People’s Home |  Rabgayling Old People’s Home | Dhondenling Old People’s Home | Phuntsok Ling Old People’s Home | The Tibetan Settlement in Dalhousie | Paonta Cholsum Tibetan Settlement | Thank you!

Jampaling Old People’s Home in Dharamsala is the largest Tibetan-run elder care facility of its kind, providing daily assistance, shelter, and medical care to 74 elderly residents without family backing. Established in 1991 and managed by the Department of Home, Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), Jampaling is a place of safety, dignity, and compassion for elderly Tibetan refugees.

For nearly a decade, FPMT’s Social Services Fund has been a cornerstone of this initiative. Since 2016, the fund has provided annual help toward Jampaling’s running expenses, helping cover essential costs such as food, medical custody, staff salaries, utilities, and daily necessities – ensuring continuity of care year after year.

In 2026, Jampaling Old People’s Home received a grant to help cover a shortfall in its annual operating budget, meeting essential expenses such as food, healthcare, staff salaries, utilities, and other day-to-day running costs. In addition, a separate one-off grant was approved for major internal repairs and renovations. These included the conversion of an existing garage into a dedicated health clinic; the creation of a new communal dining hall from a former clinic and storeroom; repairs to the drainage system between the residential building and kitchen; and the replacement of outdated electrical wiring and switchboards in one of the residential blocks. Funding also provided furniture and essential equipment for the new facilities, together with minor repairs to staff accommodation. Collectively, these improvements have significantly enhanced the health, safety, and comfort of the elderly residents.

Kalimpong Old People’s Home, West Bengal (12 Elders)

Located in the hill town of Kalimpong in West Bengal, the Kalimpong Old People’s Home (OPH) provides essential care and security to elderly Tibetans who have no family or financial support. Established in 2008 with the facilitation of Ottawa Friends of Tibet, and completed in 2012, the home currently looks after 12 elderly residents. Although Kalimpong is home to more than 3,000 Tibetans, the community is widely dispersed rather than living in a compact settlement. This isolation leaves many elderly individuals particularly vulnerable, making the Kalimpong OPH an essential source of stability and belonging. The home is managed by the Department of Home, Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) and run by a dedicated team of five staff members, who provide daily meals, healthcare aid, assistance with daily activities, and emotional companionship. In addition to elders from Kalimpong itself, the home also guides residents from nearby regions such as Darjeeling, Gangtok, and even Bhutan, extending its helping hand beyond the immediate town.

Since 2022, the Social Services Fund has played a crucial role in sustaining the Kalimpong OPH by supporting its operational and running expenses. In 2026, Kalimpong OPH received funds to address a shortfall in its annual operating budget, covering essential needs, including food, medical expenses, propane, residents’ pocket money, funeral firewood, and other general operational expenses.

Dhonden Old People’s Home, Chauntra, Bir, Himachal Pradesh (23 Elders) here the Dhonden OPH residents with their new cookware sets

Dhonden Old People’s Home (OPH) is located in the tranquil Bir-Chauntra settlement in the Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh. Nestled in a peaceful rural setting, the home provides long‑term custody and stability to 23 elderly Tibetans, all over the age of 60, who are without family support or financial means. Established in 2004 with the generous sponsorship of the Help Tibet Association (London), the construction of Dhonden OPH was financed through grants and loans that have since been fully repaid with interest. Today, the home stands as a secure and nurturing environment for elders who previously lived in scattered Tibetan communities across Kullu-Manali, Bir, and nearby regions, often in isolation and hardship. The home is managed by the Department of Home, Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) and operated by a dedicated team of five staff members. These staff provide daily meals, medical support, assistance with daily activities, helping some of the most vulnerable members of the Tibetan community.

Since 2021, the Social Services Fund has assisted Dhonden OPH by contributing toward its operational and running expenses. In 2026, Dhonden OPH received a grant to cover a gap in its annual operating budget. The funding was used to meet essential operational expenses, including staff salaries, stationery, travel allowances, water and electricity charges, vehicle repairs and fuel, medical care, and clothing for residents. This support helped ensure the continued delivery of care and services to elderly residents throughout the year.

Lugsam Samduling Home for the Aged and Disabled, Bylakuppe (40 Elders).

Lugsam Samduling Old People’s Home (OPH) in Bylakuppe, Karnataka, is a vital elder‑care facility managed by the Department of Home, Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), providing daily assistance and companionship to around 40 elderly Tibetans. With a committed team of caregivers and help from volunteers, the home ensures nutritious meals, age‑appropriate medical attention, and a safe, respectful living environment. During 2025-2026, elders benefited from a full medical check‑up camp, regular hospital supervision, and spiritual support, including a visit from the 41st Sakya Kyabgon Gongma Trichen Rinpoche.

The FPMT’s Social Services Fund has sustained the Lugsam Samduling OPH’s annual running expenses since 2016, playing a crucial role in sustaining food provision, medical care, staff salaries, utilities, and maintenance. For 2026, a grant was offered toward the home’s annual expenses. Looking ahead, the Lugsam Samduling OPH plans a gardening and beautification initiative in 2026 to create a calmer, greener environment that promotes the elders’ mental and emotional well‑being.

Doegueling Old and Infirm People’s Home, Mundgod (50 Elders). Here a Doeguling Mundgod OIPH’s resident Dolker Wangmo receiving blessings from His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

The Old and Infirm People’s Home (OIPH) at Mundgod Doeguling Tibetan Settlement, South India, provides round‑the‑clock care, medical assistance, and a safe living environment for 50 elderly residents, many of whom are over 80 years old and living with chronic or life‑limiting health conditions. The home is administered by the Department of Home, Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) and reinforced by a devoted team of caregivers, including medical and support staff.

The FPMT’s Social Services Fund (SSF) has contributed toward OIPH’s annual running expenses continuously since 2016, helping ensure stability in essential services such as food, medical care, staff salaries, utilities, and daily operational needs. In 2026, the SSF provided funds toward the home’s recurring annual costs. In addition to core operations, the 2026 grant also included funding for welded wire mesh fencing along the verandah to improve safety and provide greater peace of mind for elders at night, as well as key infrastructure requirements to facilitate the relocation of elderly residents from Block 6. These improvements are especially important for frail and mobility-limited elders, helping reduce the risk of falls, exposure to weather, and related health complications.

Rabgayling Old People’s Home, Hunsur (13 Elders), here the residents enjoying their meals.

Rabgayling Old People’s Home (OPH), located within the Rabgayling Tibetan Settlement in Karnataka, provides residential care, daily support, and companionship to 13 elderly residents. The home is administered by the Department of Home, Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) and serves elders who rely on the community for safety and stability in their later years. The FPMT’s Social Services Fund has backed the Rabgayling OPH’s annual running expenses consistently since 2015, ensuring continuity of essential services such as food, utilities, medical attention, and staff support.

For 2026, a grant was offered toward the home’s annual operating costs, helping meet day‑to‑day needs and maintain a secure living environment for the elders. Beyond daily care, Rabgayling OPH continues to strengthen its facilities to improve safety and long‑term living conditions. Planned improvements include upgrades to drainage, better lighting, exterior maintenance, and infrastructure enhancements to protect elders from weather, structural risks, and safety concerns.

Dhondenling Old People’s Home, Kollegal (20 Elders)

Dhondenling Old People’s Home (OPH), located within the Dhondenling Tibetan Settlement in Kollegal, Karnataka, provides nutritious meals and medical support to elderly Tibetans who depend entirely on community assistance. The home is administered by the Department of Home, Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) and serves elders with limited financial means and increasing health
needs.

Residents of Dhondenling OPH extend their warm wishes for a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 2026 to all members of the FPMT

The FPMT’s Social Services Fund has supported Dhondenling OPH’s annual running expenses since 2018, playing a vital role in sustaining food provision, medical care, and basic daily operations. For 2026, funds were offered toward the home’s annual costs, helping ensure that elders continue to receive proper nutrition and necessary medical attention.

Phuntsokling Old People’s Home, Odisha (13 Elders), here Phuntsokling OPH’s resident Samten Choetso

Phuntsok Ling Old People’s Home (OPH), located within the PhuntsLinok g Tibetan Settlement in Odisha, is a friendly community for the elderly, caring for 13 residents, including four bedridden seniors, sustained by a capable team of five staff members. The home is administered by the Department of Home, Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) and plays a vital role in ensuring dignity
and stability for elders living far from their homeland. The FPMT’s Social Services Fund has supported Phuntsok Ling OPH since 2021, helping to sustain essential services, including food provision, medical care, staff salaries, and day-to-day operational
expenses.

One of the the households in Odisha affected by the severe rainstorm in 2026.

In 2026, the grant was allocated for the renovation of the Phuntsok Ling OPH, including urgent repair works required after cyclone-related damage, as well as the renovation of homes belonging to three destitute households. In May 2026, severe rainfall caused substantial damage to the homes, resulting in roof leaks, water damage, and weakened structures. Renovation support enabled the necessary repairs, improving the overall living conditions of the affected families.

Tibetan Settlement Office Dalhousie. The Dalhousie Phuntsokling Tibetan Settlement proudly welcomes Sikyong Penpa Tsering from the Central Tibetan Administration, August 2025. Photo Courtesy: Tenzin Phende, CTA

The Tibetan Settlement in Dalhousie, Himachal Pradesh, was established as part of a rehabilitation effort to resettle Tibetan families scattered across the Chamba region, bringing them together into a cohesive community that could preserve Tibetan culture while ensuring better access to welfare and social support services. Within this settlement, the Tsering Khang and Kalsang Khang
residential buildings, constructed in 2007, are home to 49 households, many of whom are elderly Tibetans who depend on a safe and healthy living environment. The Whitewash of Buildings Project was initiated to address long‑term deterioration caused by
exposure to weather, moisture, and aging infrastructure. The buildings had not been whitewashed since their construction, leading to peeling paint, damp walls, and conditions conducive to the growth of harmful fungi and mold – posing serious health risks for elderly residents, particularly those with respiratory or age‑related illnesses. By applying protective whitewash, the project helps prevent moisture retention, improves hygiene, and contributes to a healthier indoor environment for older residents. In 2026, FPMT’s Social Services Fund offered a small grant toward this project, enabling essential whitewashing and maintenance work to be carried out.

On 8th September 2026, elderly residents of the Paonta Cholsum Tibetan Settlement were deeply blessed to receive an audience with His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama.

Paonta Cholsum Tibetan Settlement, located in Himachal Pradesh, India, is home to more than 1,000 Tibetans, including many elderly community members who have contributed greatly to preserving Tibetan culture and community life in exile. In 2026, FPMT’s Social Services Fund sponsored the costs for a special pilgrimage for elders aged 65 and above to attend a private audience with His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Dharamshala. The funding enabled 45 elderly residents, accompanied by 4 camp leaders and 2 volunteers, to travel safely and comfortably, covering transportation, accommodation, meals, and other essential expenses. For many participants, this precious opportunity to receive the blessings from His Holiness was the fulfillment of a long-held aspiration and a deeply meaningful expression of gratitude and care for the settlement’s senior community members.

Thank you!

The stories and updates in this blog reflect more than numbers or projects – they reflect lives cared for with respect, patience, and compassion. Through consistent operational support and timely infrastructure improvements, FPMT’s Social Services Fund has helped ensure that elderly Tibetans can live their remaining years in peace and comfort. The US$247,591 granted in 2026 to eight elder homes represents not only financial assistance, but a continuation of a long‑standing promise: that elders who carried the weight of displacement, survival, and cultural preservation are not forgotten. As the needs of aging communities continue to grow, sustained support remains essential. With deep gratitude to all donors, partners, and caretakers, this work stands as a living expression of compassion in action – and an ongoing commitment to serve those who once served their people so faithfully.

We deeply appreciate your support, together, we can help these resilient communities build stronger and safer environments, ensuring that the Tibetan elders continue to live with dignity and peace. 

Your continued support to the Social Services Fund, helps ensure continuous assistance for elderly homes and those who are in need.

Kopan Sangha preparing relief supplies for 300 families. Source: Kopan Monastery Facebook page.

The devastating floods that struck the border area of Tibet and Nepal on August 26 have caused immense suffering. According to the latest Nepal Government report, as of September 2, 1,204 people had lost their lives, 4,216 people remained missing, and 301 people had been injured. Thousands of people have been displaced, while homes and livelihoods have been destroyed, leaving many families facing an uncertain future. Children have been among those most deeply affected, with humanitarian organizations reporting growing concerns for vulnerable and orphaned children.

In response to the floods, FPMT established the FPMT Emergency Relief Fund to provide assistance to those affected. In cooperation with Kopan Monastery and Kopan Nunnery, the fund is already supporting emergency relief efforts for flood-affected families from Rasuwa.

Kopan monks distributing relief supplies to families from Ama Tsodinmo village. Source: Kopan Monastery Facebook page.

On September 1, rice and dal were provided for flood relief efforts through Budhanilkantha Municipality. On September 6, relief supplies—including mattresses, pillows, towels, and other daily necessities—were provided to 40 people from Ama Tsodinmo village in Rasuwa. On September 9, household kitchenware—including pots, pans, pressure cookers, cups, plates, and other items needed for preparing and serving meals—was provided to approximately 140 families affected by the floods. These families had traveled to Kathmandu from the flood-affected area and requested assistance.

Kopan Monastery providing essential kitchenware to around 140 families affected by the recent floods in Rasuwa. Source: Kopan Facebook page

Kopan Monastery providing essential kitchenware to around 140 families affected by the recent floods in Rasuwa. Source: Kopan Facebook page

These relief efforts have been made possible by Kopan Monastery and Kopan Nunnery and through the generosity of donors to the FPMT Emergency Relief Fund, together with the support of Kopan Helping Hands, Kleine Hilfe Deggendorf e.V., and many individuals and volunteers who have responded with open hearts to this crisis.

At present, the focus remains on meeting immediate and essential needs. As needs continue to be assessed and circumstances evolve, we hope that support can extend beyond immediate emergency relief and contribute to longer-term recovery wherever possible.

Kopan Sangha preparing relief supplies for 300 families. Source: Kopan Monastery Facebook page.

We offer our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who has supported these efforts so far. Your kindness is already reaching families in need and bringing practical help, comfort, and hope during an extraordinarily difficult time.

We offer our sincere prayers for all those who have lost their lives in this devastating flood, and to all the families and communities who have been affected. Lama Zopa Rinpoche often reminded us that, even when circumstances seem overwhelmingly difficult, sincere prayer can have a profound effect. We have compiled Rinpoche’s key advice for natural disasters, along with prayers to do for those who have passed away.

The FPMT Emergency Relief Fund provides immediate support to communities connected with FPMT around the world. The fund assists people and families affected by natural disasters, emergencies at FPMT centers and projects, and other urgent situations where immediate help is needed.

Kopan Sangha offers prayers for all those who lost their lives in the Rasuwa floods on August 27.

People around the world have been deeply saddened by the devastating flash floods and mudslides that struck Nepal on August 26. The disaster has caused loss of life, injuries, displacement, and extensive damage in the Nepal-Tibet border region near the Rasuwagadhi-Gyirong crossing. Roads, transportation networks, and critical infrastructure have also been severely disrupted.

Devastation at the Nepal-Tibet border.

The floods are also affecting our community close to home. We are already in close contact with monks and nuns at Kopan Monastery in Kathmandu whose families have been directly affected by the flooding.

In addition to offering prayers (more information below), we can also express our compassion and concern through practical support. With the FPMT Emergency Relief Fund, we will work closely with Kopan Monastery to ensure that funds reach those facing the greatest challenges. 

The FPMT Emergency Relief Fund assists individuals and families affected by natural disasters, emergency situations at FPMT centers and projects, and other urgent crises requiring swift aid. FPMT is working directly with Kopan Monastery to identify those most in need and to help ensure that support reaches affected families directly. This is not the first time FPMT has supported Nepal’s communities in crisis. In the past, FPMT has responded to emergencies such as the 2015 Nepal earthquake and the 2024 Thame flood, providing direct support to Kopan Monastery, Lawudo Retreat Centre, and local communities. As more information becomes available, we will continue to share updates on the situation and how donations are being distributed.

We also want to share The Nepal Prime Minister’s Disaster Relief Fund if you prefer to donate directly there. 

Lama Zopa Rinpoche often reminded us that, even when circumstances seem overwhelmingly difficult, sincere prayer can have a profound effect. We’ve compiled some of Rinpoche’s key advice for natural disasters, which you are welcome to engage in as you are able.  Yesterday, His Holiness the Dalai Lama offered special prayers for victims of the recent floods:

Thank you to everyone who has been keeping the people (and all beings) of Nepal in their thoughts and prayers, and to all those offering their help at this difficult time. Knowing how to help in a positive way after a disaster can feel overwhelming. We hope these resources make it easy for anyone to make a meaningful difference.

The Social Services Fund, established to support Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s Vast Visions for the FPMT organization, focuses efforts primarily in India, Nepal, Tibet and Mongolia. Funds help children, the elderly, sick, and very poor.

Stupa of Complete Victory at Kopan Monastery, May 2026. Photo by Tenzin Tsultrim.

Holy objects have always been at the heart of Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s vast vision for benefiting sentient beings. Again and again, Rinpoche taught that holy objects are among the most powerful methods for bringing peace, wisdom, compassion, and liberation into the world. Whether people engage with them intentionally or simply see them in passing, holy objects leave positive imprints on the mindstream, creating causes for happiness and enlightenment that can endure for lifetimes.

For this reason, Rinpoche dedicated immense energy throughout his life to establishing holy objects around the world. From statues and stupas to prayer wheels and sacred scriptures, these projects were never seen as mere monuments or works of art. Rather, they are living expressions of compassion and skillful means to guide beings toward awakening and supports for the flourishing of the Dharma for generations to come.

In 2026, the Holy Objects Fund and other FPMT funds dedicated to creating holy objects granted US$312,594 toward the creation and restoration of holy objects. Please continue reading to learn how these grants have been utilized. 

Stupa at Kopan Monastery | Zangdog Palri at Lawudo | Prayer Wheels at Centro Nagarjuna Valencia | Stupa at Monastère Dorjé Pamo | Stupa at Istituto Lama Tzong Khapa | Stupa at Kopan Nunnery | Buddha Statues for His Holiness  | Offerings to Stupas in Nepal | Thank you! 

Through the kindness of benefactors, US$121,894 was recently offered toward the completion of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s Stupa of Complete Victory at Kopan Monastery in Nepal. This extraordinary stupa is being built for the swift return of Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche and the fulfillment of all his vast wishes for sentient beings. We are especially pleased that, due to the generosity of our kind donors, additional funds have also been secured to support the creation and offering of statues that will be placed within the Mahabodhi Memorial Stupa being built at Kopan Nunnery for Khensur Lama Lhundrup and Lama Zopa Rinpoche. 

We are delighted to announce the upcoming inauguration ceremonies for these remarkable memorial holy objects. Please save these dates and reserve time in your calendar – we would be overjoyed to celebrate these auspicious occasions with you:

• December 11, 2026: The Stupa of Complete Victory at Kopan Monastery, enshrining the sacred relics of Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche, will be consecrated.
• December 14, 2026: The Mahabodhi Memorial Stupa at Kopan Nunnery will be consecrated in honor of both Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche and Khensur Lama Lhundrup Rigsel.

Stupa of Complete Victory at Kopan Monastery, August 2026.

We rejoice deeply in the creation of these extraordinary memorial stupas and in the kindness of all those helping bring them to completion. May these holy objects become inexhaustible sources of peace, inspiration, and spiritual awakening for countless beings, and may they contribute to the swift return of Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche and the fulfillment of all his vast and compassionate wishes. 

Another project deeply connected to Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s vision has reached a truly historic milestone. Through the generosity of benefactors, US$150,000 was offered toward the creation of the Zangdog Palri at Lawudo Retreat Centre in Nepal, and after many years of planning and preparation, construction has finally begun. The project commenced on April 13, 2026, the third anniversary of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s passing. 

For those familiar with Rinpoche’s life story, Lawudo is a very special place. Nestled high in the Himalayas in the Solo Khumbu region of Nepal, at an altitude of approximately 14,000 feet (4,300 meters), the retreat center surrounds the meditation cave of Rinpoche’s previous incarnation, the first Lawudo Lama, Kunsang Yeshe. 

Among all the projects Rinpoche envisioned for Lawudo, the creation of a Zangdog Palri, or Glorious Copper-Colored Mountain, held particular significance. Zangdog Palri is the pure land of Guru Rinpoche (Padmasambhava), the great tantric master whose enlightened activity established Buddhism in Tibet and laid the foundation for a lineage that continues to benefit countless beings to this day. 

The beginning of the building of the Zangdog Palri in Lawudo, August 2026.

As Lama Zopa Rinpoche explained:

“Due to Guru Rinpoche’s great compassion, Tibetan Mahayana Buddhism flourished in Tibet and now has spread throughout the entire world. Because of that, so many people have experienced the path to enlightenment and achieved enlightenment. Due to his great compassion, the lives of an infinite number of sentient beings have become meaningful.”

The project itself has evolved over time, and the location has now been adjusted so that the structure will be built adjacent to the Lawudo library, creating a more suitable and sustainable site for this significant sacred structure. While current photographs show the early stages of construction rather than the magnificent Guru Rinpoche’s mandala that will eventually emerge, the beginning itself is cause for great rejoicing. After years of aspiration and preparation, the vision is now taking physical form.

The project is being managed by Frances Howland, working closely with Ven.Nima Tashi, who oversees construction on the ground at Lawudo. A team of artists, carpenters, builders, and support staff are bringing the project to life, including master artist Gen Ngawang Thokme of Thubten Choeling Monastery, who established the measurements and artistic designs and continues to guide the work. 

Constructing such a holy object in this remote Himalayan location requires extraordinary dedication. Hundreds of tons of materials have already been transported to the site, much of it by donkey and human effort along mountain trails. Construction is progressing according to strict engineering standards, including earthquake-resistant requirements established by local authorities. Materials acquired to date are sufficient to complete approximately 60 percent of the project.

A special three-day puja was held before starting construction of Zangdog Palri.

As foundations are laid and walls begin to rise, we rejoice not only in a construction project underway, but in the manifestation of another aspect of Rinpoche’s compassionate vision. May the Zangdog Palri quickly and successfully come to completion, and may it become an enduring source of benefit for all who encounter it.

Not all holy objects are monumental structures rising above mountain ridges or overlooking monastery courtyards. Some are much smaller in scale, yet equally vast in their purpose and benefit. This year, US$3,000 was offered to support an inspiring initiative led by Centro Nagarjuna Valencia in Spain: the creation and offering of prayer wheels to FPMT centers throughout the country.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche had a special affection for prayer wheels, often describing them as an extraordinarily powerful method for benefiting sentient beings. As Rinpoche famously said, “Prayer wheels are my hobby!”

Prayer wheels at Centro Nagarjuna in Valencia, Spain that contain 1.5 billion Om Mani Padme Hum mantras, along with the Four Dharmakaya Relic Mantras and Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s holy name mantra.

Rinpoche also taught that “A prayer wheel makes the place very holy and precious, like a pure land.”

Inspired by this, Centro Nagarjuna Valencia has been creating prayer wheels according to Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s detailed instructions and offering them as gifts to other FPMT centers throughout Spain. With a total of twelve centers, including a nunnery and an elderly care home, the aspiration is that every FPMT center in Spain will eventually receive one of these precious holy objects.

The prayer wheels are crafted with great care and attention to tradition. Copper panels embossed with the compassion mantra are produced by skilled artisans in Nepal, while the wheels themselves are assembled in Spain. Hidden within each wheel are more than 1.5 billion Om Mani Padme Hum mantras, along with the Four Dharmakaya Relic Mantras and Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s holy name mantra.

What makes this project especially joyful is its spirit of offering. Each prayer wheel is created not for one center alone, but to be shared. As Steve Milton, director of Centro Nagarjuna Valencia, beautifully expressed, continuing to make and offer prayer wheels is a way of continuing both the hobby and the vision of Lama Zopa Rinpoche.

In support of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s aspiration to fill the world with holy objects and as a tribute to our precious teacher, Monastère Dorjé Pamo in southern France has begun construction of a magnificent Enlightenment Stupa dedicated to Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche. Supported by an offering of US$7,500, this stupa is being built for Rinpoche’s swift return, the fulfilment of his vast wishes, and the benefit of all sentient beings.

A drawing of the future Enlightenment Stupa at Dorjé Pamo Monastery.

The Enlightenment Stupa commemorates the moment Buddha Shakyamuni attained complete awakening beneath the bodhi tree in Bodhgaya, India. As a representation of the Buddha’s enlightened mind, it serves as a powerful source of blessing, merit, and inspiration for all who encounter it. According to Lama Zopa Rinpoche, holy objects make it easy for beings to purify negative karma, accumulate merit, and create the causes for enlightenment.

Standing more than four meters high and built according to traditional specifications, the stupa will contain sacred texts, mantras, tsa-tsas, incense, and other holy materials prepared according to authentic Buddhist traditions. Situated on the grounds of Dorjé Pamo Monastery it will offer practitioners, visitors, and local residents a precious opportunity to circumambulate, make prayers, accumulate virtue, and connect with the path to awakening. We rejoice in the creation of this beautiful Enlightenment Stupa at Dorjé Pamo Monastery, dedicated to Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s swift return and the fulfilment of his vast wishes.

Work in progress on the Stupa of Enlightenment at Istituto Lama Tzong Khapa, under the supervision of Geshe Tenzin Thenpel. July 2026. Photo by Stupa Onlus.

At the same time, we rejoice in the many other stupas now taking shape as manifestations of Rinpoche’s vision, including the Stupa of Enlightenment at Istituto Lama Tzong Khapa in Italy, being built in honor of Rinpoche and blessed with relics offered by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, being built in honor of Rinpoche and blessed with relics offered by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, and the magnificent Mahabodhi Memorial Stupa at Kopan Nunnery, which will honor both Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche and Khensur Lama Lhundrup and serve as an object of devotion for generations to come. Together, these sacred projects reflect Rinpoche’s heartfelt wish to fill the world with holy objects, making it ever easier for beings to purify obscurations, accumulate merit, encounter the Dharma, and create the causes for enlightenment. 

Mahabodhi Memorial Stupa at Kopan Nunnery, 2026.

Among the many holy object projects inspired by Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s vision, one particularly meaningful project is the ongoing offering of Shakyamuni Buddha statues to His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

Statues of Shakyamuni Buddha to be offered to His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

Since 2019, Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s wish has been to offer statues of Shakyamuni Buddha to His Holiness the Dalai Lama on behalf of the entire FPMT organization. A total of 2,100 statues have already been offered, and FPMT remains committed to offering 100 statues annually to His Holiness. Each offering is made with prayers for His Holiness’s long life and the continued flourishing of his enlightened activities for the benefit of all sentient beings. 

As Lama Zopa Rinpoche explained:

“It is so important to have His Holiness in this world today. No president or leader of a country, or Buddhist leader, in the world today can compare with His Holiness’s incomparable wisdom, compassion, and special effect on the world.”

Supporting the long life and activities of His Holiness is one of FPMT’s highest priorities. His compassion, wisdom, and leadership have a profound benefit for people around the world, reaching far beyond any one Buddhist tradition, country, or generation.

We are delighted to share that the next set of 100 Shakyamuni Buddha statues has now been completed. The statues have been carefully produced, their faces painted, gold gilded, filled with sacred contents, and consecrated. They are already at Tushita Meditation Centre in Dharamsala awaiting their formal offering. 

FPMT Global Mani Retreat 2026. Please join the Global MANI Retreat Facebook group for all the latest and timely information about this retreat and upcoming opportunities.

There is currently a plan for these 100 statues to be offered in conjunction with the completion of the FPMT Global Mani Retreat on November 1, 2026. At the conclusion of the retreat, practitioners around the world will offer the total number of Om Mani Padme Hum mantras they have accumulated, together with prayers for His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s long life and the continued flourishing of his enlightened activities.

While some holy object projects involve creating entirely new sacred monuments, others focus on caring for and preserving holy objects that have benefited the world “from beginningless time”.

Each year, through Kopan Monastery, support is offered for the maintenance of Nepal’s two most sacred stupas, Boudhanath Stupa (Jarung Kashor) and Swayambhunath Stupa. This includes sponsoring new umbrellas and pinnacles for the stupas on Buddha holy days and providing fresh paint offerings throughout the year, amounting to approximately US$5,200 annually.

The story of Boudhanath Stupa reveals why it is regarded as one of the most extraordinary holy objects in the Buddhist world. According to tradition, the stupa was originally built by a poor woman whose determination to create a holy object was so sincere and unwavering that she obtained permission from the king to undertake what seemed an impossible task. After her passing, her four sons completed the stupa and dedicated the merit with vast prayers for the flourishing of the Dharma and the welfare of all beings.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche in front of Boudhanath Stupa, Nepal, June 2021. Photo by Ven. Lobsang Sherab.

It is said that these four sons later manifested as some of the most influential figures in Tibetan Buddhist history: King Songtsen Gampo, the minister Padma Gungtsen, the great abbot Shantarakshita, and Guru Padmasambhava. Through their enlightened activities, Buddhism became firmly established in Tibet and eventually spread throughout the world.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche often pointed out that our present opportunity to encounter, study, practice, and realize the Dharma is closely connected with the immeasurable merit and blessings associated with Boudhanath Stupa. 

Swayambhunath Stupa is equally extraordinary. According to the traditional accounts, the Kathmandu Valley was once a great lake. From its waters arose a crystal stupa, the embodiment of the Buddha’s holy mind, the dharmakaya itself. This sacred crystal remains enshrined within Swayambhunath and was foretold by Shakyamuni Buddha long before its appearance. The entire hill upon which Swayambhunath stands is regarded as the mandala of Chakrasamvara Buddha. While ordinary beings may see only a mountain, accomplished yogis perceive a pure realm of enlightened reality. Offering paint, sponsoring an umbrella and a pinnacle, cleaning the stupa, making prayers, or circumambulating it become causes of vast merit and benefit for countless sentient beings.

Thank you!

We offer our heartfelt thanks to all the sponsors whose generosity has made these projects possible. Your support is helping to preserve sacred places, create holy objects, and make the Dharma available to future generations. We invite everyone to rejoice in what has been accomplished and in the generosity that has made it possible. Through these projects, the FPMT community continues to fulfill Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s vision and wishes and bring immeasurable benefit to sentient beings.

We encourage everyone to continue contributing to the creation of holy objects, whether through your local Dharma center or through one of the FPMT Holy Objects funds.

To help ensure our support to the creation of holy objects around the world, we invite you to offer a donation of any amount to the Holy Objects Fund.

FPMT Social Services Fund (SSF) continues Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s vision of compassionate service by supporting projects that bring healthcare, education, and hope to those most in need. In 2026, we awarded US$136,103 in grants to seven organizations across India and Mongolia, helping provide lifesaving medical care, community health services, rehabilitation, support for vulnerable families, and safe spaces where people can build healthier and more secure futures. The grants awarded in 2026 build upon the remarkable achievements of these organizations in 2025, supporting their continued efforts to serve communities in need throughout the year. In total, these efforts impacted an estimated 50,000 individuals, offering not just medical aid but also dignity, hope, and a pathway to well-being. We are delighted to share a glimpse of the extraordinary impact made possible through the generosity of our sponsors.

Shakyamuni Clinic staff engaging with the community during the outreach program

Shakyamuni Buddha Community Health Care Centre | Maitri Charitable Trust | Lamp of the Path | Patient Care Trust | Tibetan Heart Foundation | Integrated Indigenous Tribal Children’s Ministry of India | REWA Tibetan Youth Center | Thank you!

The Shakyamuni Buddha Community Health Care Centre in Bodhgaya, India, had an exceptional year in 2025, serving 39,065 people through its clinic, mobile outreach, health camps, and education programs – surpassing its annual target of 36,000. Its mobile clinic brought essential healthcare and medicines to five remote villages, while special initiatives included large-scale health camps, blood pressure screening, and menstrual hygiene programs supporting women and girls. The clinic also strengthened preventive health education and reopened its Community Dental Clinic after a two-year closure. In 2026, the Clinic will focus on expanding dental services, strengthening women’s health programs, supporting undernourished children, and increasing preventive care through mobile outreach. The US$29,400 grant from the FPMT Social Services Fund will support these initiatives and essential operational costs, including staff salaries, medicines, and facility expenses.

Photo report from Maitri on their TB Program activities

MAITRI Charitable Trust in Bodhgaya, India, continues to provide deeply compassionate, practical care for mothers, children, and people affected by tuberculosis in some of the region’s most underserved communities. In 2025, its work reached far beyond the clinic walls: MAITRI detected and managed 525 new TB cases, collected 252 sputum samples from seven collection points, supported an average of 82 TB patients each month with food rations, and carried out wide-reaching TB awareness efforts in 1,535 villages through wall paintings, community outreach, school engagement, and World TB Day activities. For mothers and children, the team registered and followed hundreds of patients, delivered 221 healthy babies, provided 21 anti-tetanus vaccinations, completed 21 tubectomies for women in their third pregnancies, and offered regular checkups, blood tests, supplements, milk powder, cerelac, legumes, and sanitary pads to vulnerable women and children. What makes MAITRI’s work especially moving is the way it combines medical treatment with nutrition and consistent human support. The clinic continues to face several challenges, including growing healthcare needs among elderly women in nearby villages, rising living costs, delays in government TB services, and ongoing needs for staff support and building maintenance.  In 2026, MAITRI will continue strengthening its outreach, hospital services, staffing, and infrastructure to meet growing community needs. To help sustain this essential work, the FPMT Social Services Fund has awarded US$55,000 toward MAITRI’s annual operating needs. This support will enable the organization to continue providing compassionate, lifesaving care to some of the region’s most vulnerable families.

LOP’s Soup Kitchen beneficiaries celebrate the new year with a special lunch

For more than 22 years, Lamp of the Path (LOP) Community Center, the flagship social service project of FPMT Mongolia, has been a place of warmth and hope for vulnerable families living in the ger districts of Ulaanbaatar. Guided by Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s vision of compassion in action, LOP offers practical care to people facing poverty, homelessness, illness, and social isolation, while creating safe and nurturing spaces where children can learn, grow, and flourish. In 2025, LOP served 14,199 hot meals through its year-round Soup Kitchen, delivered 1,920 meals to homebound families, distributed more than 9,000 items of warm clothing, provided regular medical check-ups and tuberculosis screening, and harvested 9,000 kilograms of vegetables to nourish beneficiaries while generating income to sustain its programs. Its growing Mahayana Children’s Program continued to expand, offering educational activities and healthy snacks for children from disadvantaged families.  To help sustain these essential services, the FPMT Social Services Fund has awarded US$27,203 toward LOP’s annual operating needs in 2026. This support will help ensure that some of Mongolia’s most vulnerable community members continue to receive nourishment, care, friendship, and hope throughout the year.

PCT’s free medical camp

For more than a decade, Patient Care Trust (PCT) has been a lifeline for Tibetan refugees and vulnerable Himalayan communities, ensuring that those facing serious illness can access high-quality specialized healthcare regardless of their financial circumstances. Working in partnership with some of India’s leading government hospitals, PCT helps patients overcome the barriers of poverty, distance, language, and complex medical systems with compassion and practical support. In 2025, PCT reached a remarkable milestone by assisting 10,506 patients through a range of healthcare initiatives. These included 4,832 free ophthalmology outpatient consultations, 2,698 patients treated through free medical camps in Mundgod, 2,064 Tibetan schoolchildren receiving free vision care in Himachal Pradesh, 567 people screened through community eye care surveys, and 345 patients receiving ongoing monthly medical assistance. Building on a new three-year partnership with AIIMS Delhi, PCT has also expanded its capacity to provide care through its Majnu-ka-Tilla center and a network of Delhi government dispensaries, laying the foundation to reach up to 20,000 patients annually in the coming years. In 2026, PCT will continue expanding its services through its strengthened partnership with AIIMS Delhi and ongoing outreach to underserved communities. To support this vital work, the FPMT Social Services Fund has awarded US$10,000 toward PCT’s annual operating needs. This contribution will help ensure that thousands more patients receive care they deserve.

THCT’s cardiac outreach: CPR training session for monks

The Tibetan Heart Charitable Trust (THCT) continues to bring lifesaving cardiac care and preventive health education to Tibetan and Himalayan communities across India and Nepal, ensuring that distance and financial hardship do not prevent people from receiving essential healthcare. Through free cardiac screening camps, health awareness programs, and compassionate patient support, THCT is helping communities detect heart disease early, build healthy habits, and respond confidently to medical emergencies.  In 2025, THCT organized cardiac outreach camps across eight regions, providing more than 2,000 health screenings for more than 920 participants and delivering 12 heart health awareness sessions. The Foundation Home in Hubli also provided accommodation for more than 80 patients undergoing treatment, ensuring that vulnerable patients and their families had a safe place to stay during difficult times. Beyond cardiac services, the Trust provided support for patients requiring oncology, orthopedic, neurosurgical, pulmonary, and other specialized treatments, embodying its commitment to holistic patient care.  In 2026, THCT plans to expand its outreach through additional cardiac screening camps, preventive health education, and CPR and Basic Life Support training across Tibetan settlements in India and Nepal. To help sustain this vital work, the FPMT Social Services Fund has awarded US$2,500 toward THCT’s annual operating needs.

Outside the completed orphanage building

The Integrated Indigenous Tribal Children’s Ministry of India (IITCMI) is dedicated to giving orphaned and homeless children from indigenous and tribal communities in Manipur a safe place to call home. More than simply constructing a building, the organization is creating a nurturing environment where vulnerable children can grow with security, education, healthcare, and hope for a brighter future. The orphanage project, made possible through the generosity of Lama Zopa Rinpoche and the Social Services Fund, is now nearing completion. In 2025, additional funding supported the construction of the kitchen, dining hall, electrical wiring, lighting, and other essential fittings, bringing the shelter significantly closer to opening its doors. The project now has its core infrastructure, accommodation facilities, and safety measures in place, with approximately 85% of the construction completed.  As the project enters its final stage, the greatest need is no longer the building itself but transforming it into a true home. Essential furnishings – including beds, blankets, cupboards, storage racks, and other basic household items – are still needed to ensure every child has a comfortable and safe place to live. To help complete this final phase, the FPMT Social Services Fund has awarded US$7,000 toward IITCMI’s 2026 needs. This support will help furnish the orphanage and bring the project across the finish line, enabling orphaned and homeless children to move into a permanent home where they can experience safety, care, and the opportunity to build a brighter future.

REWA participants cleaning the Rajpur Tibetan Old People’s Home as part of a community service initiative

REWA Tibetan Youth Center continued to provide rehabilitation, vocational training, and life-skills support to Tibetan youth and young adults affected by addiction and social challenges in Northern India. During the first half of the year, 19 participants enrolled in the program and 14 successfully graduated, gaining practical skills to support their long-term recovery and independence. REWA’s holistic approach combines addiction recovery with education and vocational development. Participants received training in Basic English, computer skills, sewing, guitar-making, and life skills, alongside daily physical wellness activities designed to build confidence, discipline, and healthy routines. The Center further expanded its impact through substance abuse awareness programs in Tibetan schools and military training institutions, mental health workshops for young entrepreneurs, and community service initiatives that inspired participants to contribute meaningfully to society. Several former participants continue to demonstrate the long-term impact of REWA’s work. Graduates who once struggled with addiction are now maintaining sobriety, supporting their families through employment, and mentoring others on the path to recovery. Some have even joined the REWA staff team, using their lived experience to guide and inspire current participants. In 2026, with the support of a US$5,000 grant from the FPMT Social Services Fund, the REWA Tibetan Youth Center strengthens its ongoing initiatives to empower young people and provide the skills, guidance, and support needed to build healthier, more stable, and fulfilling futures. 

Thank you!

Every consultation, warm meal, rehabilitation session, medical outreach, safe shelter, and act of kindness described in this report was made possible through the compassion and generosity of those who support the FPMT Social Services Fund. Together, these projects are relieving suffering, protecting lives, restoring dignity, and creating hope for thousands of people who might otherwise be left without support.

We warmly invite you to rejoice in the generosity of all the sponsors whose kindness made these grants possible, in particular Unione Buddhista Italiana (U.B.I.), whose support enabled us to offer assistance to three of the projects described above, and in the dedicated staff, volunteers, and beneficiaries whose efforts brought these compassionate activities to life. May every act of generosity and service continue to flourish, bringing ever greater benefit, healing, and happiness to countless beings!

If you would like to be part of this meaningful work, please consider supporting the FPMT Social Services Fund. Together, we can continue to extend our reach and uplift even more lives in the years to come.

The FPMT Social Services Fund. established to support Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s Vast Visions for the FPMT organization, focuses efforts primarily in India, Nepal, Tibet and Mongolia. Funds help children, the elderly, sick, and very poor.

Nyima Khandu Tamang, a student at Sagarmatha School, proudly celebrates being the first-place winner at the Annual Academic Examination for Upper Kindergarten, April 2026.

Education remains one of the most powerful ways to transform lives, preserve culture, and create lasting opportunities for future generations. In 2026, the FPMT Social Services Fund (SSF) continued its commitment to supporting vulnerable students in some of the most remote and underserved regions of India and Nepal. Through partnerships with community‑run schools, monastic institutions, and early childhood initiatives, the SSF helped ensure access to quality education, daily care, nutrition, and stable learning environments rooted in compassion and ethical values. Across eight schools and educational initiatives supported in 2026, the impact of this work can be seen in diverse communities and learning environments. By the end of 2026, US$212,976 will have been offered from the Social Services Fund, reaching hundreds of children, monastic students, and educators.

Sagarmatha Secondary School | Rolwaling Sangag Choling Monastery School | Shree Sangka Dechholing Gonpa School | Sambhota Tibetan School CVP | Gaden Jangtse Monastic College | Ngari Institute of Buddhist Dialectics | Maitreya School |  TDL Baby Room | 
How to Help

In 2026, Sagarmatha Secondary School, situated in Chailsa, Nepal, continued to thrive as a place of learning, care, and achievement. The school currently serves more than 300 students, supported by a team of 16 teachers and two staff members.

One of the year’s proudest moments was the school’s success at the 6th President Running Shield Inter-School Sports Event, where their students secured third position among 14 schools, winning 11 gold, 9 silver, and 7 bronze medals. Their performance reflected strong discipline, teamwork, and perseverance, celebrated through a felicitation program supported by Ward No. 7 and the local municipality.

Alongside sports, students actively participated in a wide range of extra-curricular activities, including chess, language, singing, quizzes, and creative competitions for younger children. These efforts were recognized in a joyful prize distribution program before the winter break. During the winter, a Winter Jacket Distribution Program ensured that students, teachers, and staff stayed warm and healthy. The jackets were generously sponsored through Dr. Detlev Gueck and Kopan Monastery, whose continued compassion makes a real difference in students’ daily lives.

In 2026 the Social Services Fund has committed US$50,000 to cover the school’s annual operating costs. This vital support ensures continuity of education for children in this remote Himalayan region, safeguarding access to free learning materials, qualified teachers, and a nurturing school environment.

The Rolwaling Sangag Choling Monastery School, nestled in the Rolwaling valley in Nepal, serves as a lifeline for local Sherpa children. This community-run, free school for 30 eager students is the only educational institution in the area, offering a warm and conducive environment where learning can thrive.

Students from Rolwaling School exploring the beautiful Pokhara on their pilgrimage journey to Lumbini,
January 2026.

Throughout the year, students were supported with regular food rations, school supplies, and clothing, ensuring consistent learning conditions. One senior student successfully completed primary education in Rolwaling and proceeded to further monastic studies in India, reflecting the school’s role in creating long‑term educational pathways.

Beyond academics, the school contributed actively to community well‑being. Initiatives in 2025 included yak protection activities, vocational training programs for women, leadership in local religious and cultural ceremonies, and participation in broader development efforts such as a clean drinking water project and progress toward a new health post building benefiting hundreds of villagers. Students also took part in an educational pilgrimage to Lumbini, strengthening cultural and spiritual learning.

The Social Services Fund has offered US$27,661 toward the annual operating costs for 2026, helping cover key expenses such as staff salaries, food supplies, educational materials, and daily operations. This support contributes to the school’s ability to continue serving children and families in the Rolwaling Valley with stability and care.

Shree Sangka Dechholing Gonpa School in Taplejung, Eastern Nepal, continues to offer a balanced education that integrates modern learning with moral values under the guidance of Kopan Monastery. Serving 172 students and supported by 16 dedicated teachers, the school provides an environment that encourages academic achievement alongside compassion, responsibility, and personal growth.

Shree Sangka Dechholing Gonpa School.

Students consistently demonstrate strong academic performance, including top district rankings in the SEE examinations, while also excelling in extracurricular life. Achievements in inter‑school football, quiz competitions, and cultural performances, together with regular sports activities, science exhibitions, motivational talks, and community service programs, help cultivate confidence, leadership, and teamwork. Well‑maintained facilities – including classrooms, laboratories, hostel accommodation, and a large sports ground – further support students’ learning and development.

For 2026, the  Social Services Fund has offered US$38,730 toward the school’s annual operating costs. This vital contribution supports teachers’ salaries and core operational needs, helping ensure continuity of quality education for students in this remote region.

Sambhota Tibetan School CVP Bylakuppe is located in the Tibetan Dickey Larsoe Settlement in Bylakuppe, Karnataka. Established in 1971, the school initially functioned as a branch of the Central School for Tibetans, Bylakuppe, becoming an independent unit in 1974 and receiving CBSE affiliation in 1991.

Students at Sambhota Tibetan School in Bylakuppe explore the history of Panchen Lama, April 2026.

In May 2018, the school was formally taken over by the Sambhota Tibetan Schools Society under the Central Tibetan Administration. Currently, it operates as a secondary school (Classes I-X) with three affiliated pre‑primary branch schools within nearby Tibetan settlements. Instruction is primarily in Tibetan at the primary level and English from middle school onward.

Sambhota Tibetan School in Bylakuppe currently serves 132 students, and for 2026, the Social Services Fund has offered US$5,275 in support of the school’s lunchtime meal program.

The Gaden Jangtse Monastic College, re-established in 1969 in Mundgod, South India, continues to uphold its commitment to academic rigor, spiritual grounding, and institutional continuity.

The ceremony marking the official start of the 26th Administration of Gaden Jangtse Monastery, April 2026.

The school currently supports approximately 500 monk students and employs 13 salaried teachers. Earlier in 2026, teachers at the school were honored with an audience with His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, offering deep encouragement and inspiration, while the whole school community came together to offer prayers for the swift return of Lama Zopa Rinpoche. Alongside these spiritual activities, leadership continuity was ensured through the formal handover to a newly elected principal, and preparations for the academic session progressed with the purchase of textbooks and essential learning materials.

Behind the scenes, consistent support has ensured the smooth functioning of daily operations, including the regular payment of teachers’ salaries, which remains fundamental to educational quality and stability. For 2026, the Social Services Fund has offered US$31,378 to cover the school’s teacher salaries, sustaining the educators whose dedication lies at the heart of the school’s mission.

The Ngari Institute of Buddhist Dialectics in Ladakh, India, continues to be a place where education, ethics, and compassionate care come together for young people from remote and underserved communities. Guided by the vision of integrating ancient Tibetan wisdom with modern education, the Institute supports students not only academically, but also through daily care.

Students at Ngari Institute are honoring the third anniversary of Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s parinirvana with heartfelt prayers, April 2026.

Following the winter break, students returned to campus with renewed energy and commitment. The Institute reported strong results in the 2025 government board examinations, with senior students progressing to institutions such as Delhi University, Mysore University, and the Dalai Lama Institute for Higher Education. In addition, three students successfully passed the CBSE Class 10 Board Examination at TCV School, Ladakh.

In the 2025-2026 academic year, six additional students were enrolled. Currently, the Institute supports 72 students, alongside 23 staff members, as well as 15 monk students, all living and learning within the Institute community.

At the heart of this work is the assurance that every student has access to basic daily needs. For 2026, the Social Services Fund offered US$28,264 to cover all food costs for the Institute’s students and staff.

The Maitreya Universal Education School in Bodhgaya, India, continues to provide free, value‑based education to children from some of the most underserved communities in the region. With nearly 280 students enrolled, many from extremely poor families, the school remains committed to nurturing both academic learning and emotional well‑being through a compassionate, child‑centered approach.

Children from Maitreya School on a fun bus trip.

A distinctive feature of Maitreya School is the deep integration of the 16 Guidelines into daily teaching. In recent years, this approach has been strengthened through teacher training, trauma‑informed classroom practices, and hands‑on learning activities that help children feel safe, supported, and engaged. Younger students, who make up about half of the school population, have shown especially encouraging progress in social‑emotional development, confidence, and curiosity.

Important milestones were achieved in 2025, including the school’s expansion to Class 9, the launch of Saturday Teacher Training sessions, and the introduction of meditation and yoga to support students’ mental wellbeing. The opening of a new library significantly enriched learning resources and contributed to measurable improvements in reading, writing, attendance, and overall student engagement. The addition of a morning snack program further strengthened learning by addressing hunger, helping students remain focused and responsive throughout the school day.

In support of this vital work, the  Social Services Fund offered US$29,400 toward the annual operating costs of Maitreya School for 2026. This contribution plays a key role in sustaining daily school operations and ensuring continuity of education for hundreds of children whose families would otherwise be unable to access quality schooling.

The TDL Baby Room in the Dickey Larsoe Tibetan Settlement, Bylakuppe, India, was established to meet a long‑standing need for safe, reliable early childhood care within the community. Created to support working parents – many of whom rely on daily wage labor or farming – the Baby Room provides a secure and nurturing environment where very young children can be cared for during the day while their parents pursue their livelihoods. From its beginning, the program has focused not only on supervision, but also on early socialisation, basic hygiene, nutrition, and age‑appropriate learning through play.

Sikyong Penpa Tsering visits Dickey Larsoe Tibetan Settlement in February 2025 (Photo courtesy of CTA)

Over time, the Baby Room expanded to operate across two locations, one within the main Dickey Larsoe settlement and another in the more remote Chowkur camp, where access to childcare and transportation is extremely limited. For families in Chowkur, the Baby Room has become especially essential; without it, parents are often forced to bring toddlers to fields or construction sites, putting children at risk and reducing household income. Today, the program serves 10 infants and toddlers, providing them with consistent care during the most critical stage of early development.

The Social Services Fund offered US$2,268 toward the TDL Baby Room Salary and Nutrition initiative, providing stability for the entire year. This support covers the annual salaries of two professional Ayas (professional caregivers), ensures that all enrolled children receive a healthy midday meal. Through this initiative, care and compassion reach children at the very start of life, helping families remain resilient and giving the youngest members of the Dickey Larsoe and Chowkur community a strong, supported beginning.

The schools and initiatives supported in 2026 reflect a shared dedication to serving those with the least access to opportunity – children in remote Himalayan villages, Tibetan refugee communities, under‑resourced rural neighborhoods, and monastic centers preserving ancient wisdom traditions. Across all eight projects, the support enabled essential outcomes: teachers’ salaries were secured, nutritious meals were provided, learning materials were supplied, and students were able to study in environments of safety, dignity, and care.

How to Help

We welcome any support to the Social Services Fund, which offers education to those who are truly vulnerable and in need in India and Nepal. We’re so grateful to everyone who helps make these grants possible each year!

The Social Services Fund, established to support Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s Vast Visions for the FPMT organization, focuses efforts primarily in India, Nepal, Tibet and Mongolia. Funds help children, the elderly, sick, and very poor.

Example of the prototype of the Bodhgaya Maitreya statue. Photo by Ven.Roger Kunsang

One of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s Vast Visions is to build 1,000 statues of Maitreya Buddha around the world. Two such projects are currently underway: one in Kushinagar, one in Bodhgaya.

Maitreya Buddha Project in Kushinagar, overseen by the Maitreya Project Trust, originated around 1999. The site adjoins the Parinirvana Temple, the place where Shakyamuni Buddha passed into Parinirvana, as well as the Ramabhar Stupa. After years of complexity involving fragmented land, the project now centers on a contiguous 3-acre site, with renewed momentum from a partnership with the International Buddhist Confederation, supported by His Eminence Kyabje Yongzin Ling Rinpoche.

In addition we are building a Maitreya Statue in Bodhgaya, the project is being developed in close conjunction with the Dalai Lama Trust and is situated on land in Bodhgaya that was originally offered by Lama Zopa Rinpoche to His Holiness the fourteenth Dalai Lama in 2020.

Kushinigar  |  Bodhgaya

Maitreya Buddha Project in Kushinagar: A Clear Path Forward

Director of the Maitreya Buddha Project Kushinagar, Virginia Roche, with His Eminence Kyabje Yongzin Ling Rinpoche in Kushinagar. Photo by Maitreya Project in Kushinagar.

We are pleased to share an update on the Maitreya Buddha Project Kushinagar, bringing together its rich history and the latest insights that show its direction and the meaningful path ahead.

The project originated around 1999 when the Uttar Pradesh government repeatedly proposed Kushinagar as the site for the Maitreya statue through His Holiness the fourteenth Dalai Lama. This offer was made three times, and on the third occasion His Holiness presented the proposal to Lama Zopa Rinpoche. Rinpoche responded that he would follow whatever His Holiness decided, after which a traditional divination mo was conducted at the Great Mahabodhi Stupa in Bodhgaya, with several high lamas present. The outcome of this process established Kushinagar as the appropriate location for the Maitreya Project, providing it with strong spiritual and symbolic importance, as it is situated on the sacred ground where Shakyamuni Buddha manifested the passing into Parinirvana. 

Despite this auspicious beginning, the initiative faced major practical obstacles over the following decades. The central challenge has been the nature of the land originally offered by the UP government, which consisted of numerous small, privately owned plots held by farmers whose livelihoods depended on them. This resulted in ongoing difficulty in consolidating an adjoining site suitable for large-scale development. Significant portions of the land are also located within regulated no-construction zones because of the site’s proximity to two Buddhist monuments: the Ramabhar Stupa and the Mahaparinirvana Temple. Administrative discontinuities within government agencies, regulatory constraints, broader political dynamics, and changing internal financial realities further compounded these challenges, resulting in prolonged delays and ultimately preventing the realization of the original large-scale vision.

However, over the years, substantial foundational work has already been conducted on the ground. This includes the completion of land fencing and a project office, the construction of a meditation center, and the building of three guest accommodations. Facilities have also been established to support large gatherings, including bathing rooms and toilets for over 100 visitors. In addition, around 15,000 trees have been planted across the site, contributing to long-term environmental sustainability, and vehicles have been procured to support its operations. The most recent update provides important clarity on the situation after some years of stagnation. It confirms that the project does hold valid legal documentation for its land rights, but that the land remains fragmented, which continues to limit development of the original master plan envisioned for a much larger 280-acre (113 hectares) site. At the same time, there has been noticeable progress in rebuilding institutional support. In 2025, engagement with the International Buddhist Confederation (IBC) – a global umbrella body headquartered in New Delhi that unites over 320 Buddhist organizations, monasteries, and federations across 39 countries – led to the establishment of a formal memorandum of understanding defining roles and responsibilities. This partnership, supported by His Eminence Kyabje Yongzin Ling Rinpoche, greatly enhances the project’s ability to engage effectively with the UP government going forward. 

Maitreya Buddha Project Kushinagar Meditation Center. Photo by Maitreya Buddha Project Kushinagar

The Maitreya Buddha Project Kushinagar occupies a uniquely auspicious location between two of the most sacred pilgrimage sites in the Buddhist world associated with the present Buddha, Shakyamuni Buddha. To one side lies the Ramabhar Stupa, traditionally revered as the cremation site where the Holy Body of Shakyamuni Buddha was cremated following His Mahaparinirvana more than 2,500 years ago. To the other side stands the Mahaparinirvana Temple, which enshrines the reclining Buddha statue marking the place where Shakyamuni Buddha entered Mahaparinirvana. For Buddhists of every tradition, the opportunity to pay respect to the prophesied future Buddha, Maitreya, in a location between the Ramabhar Stupa and the Mahaparinirvana Temple – both associated with Shakyamuni Buddha – carries profound devotional significance.

The project is now centered on a clearly defined, contiguous 3-acre site (1.2 hectares) near the existing project office. At the heart of the current plan is a purposeful vision: a Maitreya Buddha stone statue whose scale reflects both available resources and regulatory realities, there is also a growing intention to create a space that supports learning and community engagement, ensuring that the project serves both spiritual purposes and the wider community. Pilgrims and visitors will have the opportunity to pay homage, engage in study and contemplation, participate in teachings and meditation, and cultivate the causes of wisdom, compassion, and inner peace. In many ways, this represents a natural maturation of the Maitreya Buddha Project Kushinagar, which is now moving forward in a manner that is realistic, sustainable, and faithful to its founding aspiration: to establish an enduring center of spiritual inspiration and benefit in one of the most sacred places in the Buddhist world. It is no longer defined by its original scale, but by its ability to take shape authentically and sustainably within what is possible today – offering a clear and hopeful path forward after many years of complexity.

Maitreya Statue, Bodhgaya: A Sacred Site Takes Shape

Example of the prototype of the Bodhgaya Maitreya statue by night. Photo by Ven.Roger Kunsang

We are excited to provide an update on the long-term plan to build a Maitreya statue in Bodhgaya, which, after many years of complexity and delay, has now reached a pivotal and encouraging stage.

For a long time, the project has faced significant obstacles, making it difficult to establish a clear and viable direction despite the strength of its original vision. However, recent developments have created a meaningful breakthrough that now allows the project to move forward on a practical and realistic basis. The project is being developed in close conjunction with the Dalai Lama Trust and is situated on land in Bodhgaya that was originally offered by Lama Zopa Rinpoche to His Holiness the fourteenth Dalai Lama in 2020. This land, covering approximately 30 acres (12.14 hectares), is currently being developed for a major initiative led by the Dalai Lama Centre for Tibetan and Indian Ancient Wisdom (DCTIAW). 

DCTIAW site plan showing the open, unutilized area (in white) designated for the Maitreya Project in Bodhgaya.

As of May 2026, construction of the Centre has already progressed beyond the halfway mark and continues steadily across multiple components. Work is actively underway on staff housing and the girls’ hostel. Across all areas, construction remains on track despite varying weather conditions, with each phase bringing the project closer to fulfilling the vision of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, deeply inspired by ancient Indian wisdom. Within this broader development, the Maitreya statue in Bodhgaya is now taking shape in coordination with the Trust. While much of the land – around 20 acres – is in active use, a remaining portion has been identified as suitable for the Maitreya statue project. During a recent visit in February 2026 in Bodhgaya, Ven. Roger Kunsang met with Samdhong Rinpoche and the Centre’s Chancellor Geshe Tashi Tsering, and together with representatives of the Dalai Lama Trust, these discussions helped clarify a specific location for the development. This area lies outside the main university construction zone and has separate access, making it especially appropriate for the project. 

The current concept envisions a sandstone Maitreya statue, designed to harmonize with the surrounding environment and endure for generations. The statue will be constructed above a foundation that includes a gompa housing sacred objects collected by Lama Zopa Rinpoche, including life-sized statues of the Twenty-One Taras and the Sixteen Arhats made in Tibet. The surrounding land will be developed into a peaceful environment with gardens, trees, and landscaped areas to support pilgrimage, contemplation, and community use. Preparation for implementation is already well underway. A qualified vendor has been identified to construct the statue in sandstone, and architects along with a dedicated project team are in place. The projected timeline suggests that, once approvals and site plans are confirmed, the statue itself could take approximately 24 to 30 months to complete. The next steps emphasize continued coordination with the Dalai Lama Trust. Upon receiving a detailed digital site plan, work will proceed on design development, regulatory approvals, and submission of plans to His Holiness the Dalai Lama for final approval, in accordance with the conditions of the land agreement. 

This renewed momentum reflects Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s Vast Vision to bring lasting benefit to sentient beings. Although the journey has been long and complex, the current developments in Bodhgaya signal that this aspiration is now steadily moving toward realization. With a defined site, an active partnership, and a committed implementation plan, the Maitreya statue in Bodhgaya is evolving into a place of continued spiritual significance, service, and inspiration for generations to come.   

We invite you to rejoice in the progress made on both of these powerful Maitreya projects! 

“Maitreya Buddha is the embodiment of each buddha’s loving kindness, and the symbol of all the bodhisattvas’ loving kindness for all sentient beings.” Lama Zopa Rinpoche

If you would like to contribute to the building of holy objects around the world, you are welcome to offer any amount to the Holy Objects Fund which contributes to the creation of stupas, prayer wheels, and statues.  

Foundation for the Preservation of Mahayana Tradition (FPMT), is a Tibetan Buddhist organization dedicated to the transmission of the Mahayana Buddhist tradition and values worldwide through teaching, meditation and community service.

In 2024, the FPMT Community Grants Fund (CGF) was launched as a new evolution of the much‑loved International Merit Box Project, which for more than 21 years provided grants to local FPMT centers, projects, services, study groups, and Dharma initiatives around the world. This new fund continues that meaningful legacy, offering vital support to projects that bring the Dharma to life in communities across the globe.

Each year, during January and February, the FPMT International Office invites grant applications for a wide range of activities aligned with the FPMT mission and Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s Vast Visions. In 2026, the CGF awarded US$11,800 in grants to eight inspiring Dharma projects and activities, reflecting the diversity, creativity, and compassion of the global FPMT mandala.

Thubten Norbu Ling  | Liberation Prison Project | FPMT Mongolia |Tekchen Choeling | Jamyang | North America Regional Office

Thubten Norbu Ling (USA)

Ksitigharba statue installed at Thubten Norbu Ling Centre.

This year the CGF offered a grant of US$700 to Thubten Norbu Ling Buddhist Centre in Santa Fe, USA, in support of the Path of Wisdom and Compassion Project. This contribution will help advance the creation of an accessible and welcoming environment by supporting the construction of a circumambulation path, the installation of the Ksitigharba statue and pedestal, and the enhancement of the garden with benches, landscaping, and memorial wind chimes. This project brings the compassionate presence of the great bodhisattva Ksitigharba to the center, creating a lasting source of blessings and healing for all, and a meaningful expression of FPMT’s vision to offer rich opportunities for practice and accumulation of merit.

Liberation Prison Project (USA)      

Edovo deployment in the USA

 US$2,500 in support was offered through the CGF to the Liberation Prison Project’s Edovo Deployment and Hosting initiative. This grant will help fund the deployment, publishing, and hosting of FPMT Dharma offerings on the Edovo learning platform, ensuring sustained access for incarcerated individuals across the United States. Through this support, a total of 50 FPMT courses, books, and content items will be made available to people in correctional facilities. These resources include Buddhist Meditation 101, Buddhism in a Nutshell, Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive e-books, Wisdom Publications e-books, and FPMT e-books, along with additional study and practice materials. By making these teachings accessible via Edovo, the Liberation Prison Project continues its mission to bring the transformative power of the Dharma to every incarcerated American, creating meaningful opportunities for learning, reflection, meditation, and inner growth behind prison walls.

FPMT Mongolia

Participants of the Mahayana Children’s Program with FPMT Mongolia’s resident teachers,
Geshe Thubten Soepa and Ven. Thubten Gyalmo, alongside Ven. Roger Kunsang who was visiting.

FPMT Mongolia’s  project “Strengthening Universal Education in Mongolia” was supported by a grant of US$2,000 from the CGF. This grant provides additional resources to strengthen and expand both the Mahayana Children’s Program and 16 Guidelines activities, key pillars of FPMT Mongolia’s work in promoting Universal Education for Wisdom and Compassion. The grant will support classroom upgrades for the Mahayana Children’s Program, including seating, mats, rugs, and learning materials that help create a warm, engaging, and supportive environment for children aged 6–15. It will also contribute to the expansion of 16 Guidelines activities through the translation and review of 16G materials into Mongolian, support for outreach and training activities, and the development of high-quality resources for use by teachers, parents, and community partners.

Through this support, FPMT Mongolia continues to nurture children, families, and adults by combining Buddhist values, life skills, and ethical education. The project carries forward the vast vision of Lama Zopa Rinpoche to benefit beings through education rooted in wisdom and compassion.

21 Taras Thangka Display poster, with the event set to launch on May 16, 2026

Tara Institute (Australia)

This year, the CGF offered a grant of US$1,000 to Tara Institute in Australia in support of the Twenty-One Taras Thangka Display as part of the Victorian VESAK celebrations. This grant contributes toward the specialized truck hire required to safely transport and install the magnificent 15‑meter‑high Twenty-One Taras thangka, ensuring that this holy object could be displayed in its full form at Melbourne Town Hall on May 16, 2026.

Originally presented to Tara Institute by Lama Zopa Rinpoche, the Twenty-One Taras thangka was offered with the wish that it be seen by as many people as possible, creating vast benefit and positive imprints. Participating for the third consecutive year in the Victorian VESAK celebrations, Tara Institute will made this extraordinary thangka accessible to thousands of visitors from diverse backgrounds, encouraging reflection, compassion, and interfaith appreciation through this powerful visual teaching.

Tekchen Choeling, Buddhist Center (Spain)

We are pleased to share that the CGF has offered US$1,700 to Tekchen Chöeling Buddhist Center in Ontinyent, Spain, in support of creating a new entrance for the center’s new location, including a glass door and glass storefront. This new entrance is a key part of the center’s broader renovation project and is intended to make the Dharma center more visible, accessible, and welcoming to the wider community.

Rendering of the center’s new glass door and storefront

In 2024, Tekchen Chöeling took a significant step forward by purchasing a new property to relocate its activities. This move is part of the center’s Strategic Plan for Greater Reach, a long-term effort to increase visibility, accessibility, and community engagement. The new venue includes two spacious commercial units and a central urban garden, offering the potential for a vibrant and welcoming Dharma center in the heart of the city.

The 2026 grant reinforces a crucial and symbolically meaningful element of the renovation – the entrance through which people will quite literally enter the Dharma. By helping to create an inviting storefront at street level, this support contributes to Tekchen Chöeling’s ongoing efforts to bring the Buddha’s teachings to more people and to establish a strong, accessible presence in Ontinyent for years to come.

Jamyang Buddhist Centre (London, UK)

The Kindness Café at Jamyang London.

The CGF offered US$1,100 in support of The Kindness Café at Jamyang London Buddhist Centre, a community and social services hub rooted in compassion, inclusion, and connection. This grant contributes to the development of a welcoming space where individuals from diverse backgrounds can come together to build wellbeing, resilience, and meaningful relationships.

The Kindness Café offers a range of peer‑led and community‑focused activities, including bereavement support and Death Café dialogues, listening spaces for developing communication and nonviolent listening skills, creative and skill‑sharing workshops, community walks, Climate Café discussions, and school and local outreach coordination. Through these initiatives, the Kindness Café addresses social isolation, grief, and emotional wellbeing while embodying Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s vision of engaged compassion and FPMT’s commitment to bringing Mahayana values into everyday life.

FPMT North American Regional Office

This year, the CGF offered US $1,800 in support of the ongoing North American Regional Teacher Tour Program. This program builds a sustainable system that expands geographic access to qualified FPMT teachers, strengthens regional coordination, and increases educational equity by making authentic Dharma teachings available to centers of all sizes across North America.

In addition, the Fund has offered US$1,000 to support the development of regional fundraising infrastructure for FPMT North America. This initiative focuses on building shared fundraising capacity for all 28 North American centers, projects, services, and study groups through the creation of standardized donor communication templates, shared campaign toolkits, training for center leaders and volunteers, and ongoing consultative support. By strengthening fundraising skills and coordination at the regional level, this project supports long-term financial sustainability and helps ensure that Dharma study, practice, and retreat opportunities can continue to flourish.

Community Support Around the World

The projects supported through the 2026 Community Grants Fund demonstrate how even modest grants can have a profound impact – helping centers expand access to teachings, nurture community, support social good, and create conditions for study, practice, and retreat in many different settings around the world.

This year, we also awarded 17 additional grants totaling $63,034 through the various FPMT Charitable Projects — we’ll be sharing updates on each of these soon. In addition, through our Annual Designated Grants, awarded each year to schools, elder homes, health initiatives, and Sangha support, we offered an incredible $672,543, bringing the total we granted through our charitable giving to nearly US$750,000.

As we reflect on these inspiring initiatives, we also look ahead with hope and aspiration. Our wish is to continue growing the FPMT Community Grants Fund, so that in future years we can offer more grants, reach more FPMT communities, and support an even wider range of Dharma activities. This is only possible because of the kindness and generosity of donors and supporters who make these grants a reality. On behalf of all who benefit, we extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who has helped sustain this precious fund and make these offerings of Dharma possible!

Please read more about the FPMT Community Grants Fund and detailed information about the grant application process for FPMT projects and activities. 

Saka Dawa (May 31, 2026) is one of the most powerful days of the year for creating merit and engaging in practice. The world needs our prayers at this time, and this is a precious opportunity to offer extensive practices and dedicate the merit to all beings.

The actions of all the Buddhas manifest in the aspect of Tara, to grant the wishes of sentient beings, so it is very important for us to pray to Tara — if we pray to her with great sincerity and faith, relying on her completely, she can definitely help eliminate hindrances. 

Lama Zopa Rinpoche

With this in our hearts, we have arranged extensive prayers throughout the day on Saka Dawa, including:

• Three recitations of the 100,000 Praises to the Twenty-One Taras – one recitation undertaken by over 4,000 sangha of Sera Je and Sera Mey Monastery
• The recitation of the Guhyasamaja Root Tantra
• 1,000 Offerings to Buddha Namgyalma 
• Recitations of Jampal Tshen Jo (Chanting the Names of Manjushri) 
• Offerings will be made to all the sangha undertaking these practices and to all of Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s gurus.
• The stupas of Boudhanath and Swayambhunath in Nepal will be freshly painted, and their pinnacle umbrellas replaced and a new set of robes will be offered to the Buddha statue at the Mahabodhi temple in Bodhgaya.

We warmly invite anyone who wishes to share in the merit created by offering any amount toward the pujas: 

Make an Offering

This is the 31st consecutive year the FPMT Puja Fund has arranged extensive pujas and prayers — offered monthly and on every Buddha Day — on behalf of the entire FPMT organization. Rinpoche expressed his wish that these pujas continue forever, or for as long as the monasteries and nunneries exist.

Rinpoche explained that all the merit created from these pujas is also your merit. While these prayers are taking place on Saka Dawa, you are invited to rejoice, reflect on the practices being done, and dedicate the merits toward your own realizations and the enlightenment of all sentient beings. 

This is the “best business,” according to Rinpoche, and the best way to create the most extensive merit. 

All the sangha undertaking these prayers are dedicating all of the merit generated for the swift return of our most precious guru, Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche; for the success of all the centers and projects of the FPMT organization; all the students, volunteers, and benefactors, and especially for all of the kind donors of the Puja Fund. 

All these prayers are happening on Saka Dawa day and merit created on that day is multiplied 300 million times, as it commemorates Shakyamuni Buddha’s three major life events.

The Puja Fund was established by Lama Zopa Rinpoche to provide resources for continuous pujas dedicated to the long life of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and to the success of all the FPMT centers, projects, services, students, benefactors and those serving the organization in any way. You can learn more about the Puja Fund, or FPMT’s other extensive charitable activity. 

Students at Gaden Jangtse School.

We wanted to highlight from this year’s Annual Review, the extensive work undertaken in 2025 through FPMT’s Charitable Projects continued to bring compassion into action by benefiting beings in profoundly meaningful ways.

In 2025, US$2,708,905 was offered to a wide range of initiatives, including care for monks and nuns, education for children and young monastics, healthcare and essential aid for the elderly and disadvantaged, animal liberation, the creation of holy objects, and the sponsorship of prayers and practices for the peace and happiness of all beings.

Guided by the compassionate vision of Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche, these projects transform generosity into tangible benefits: alleviating suffering, preserving the Buddhadharma, and creating vast merit for sentient beings worldwide.

Please take a moment to rejoice in what we have accomplished together in 2025:

• Support was offered to eight schools across Nepal and India, reaching over 1,400 children and young monastics in some of the most remote and underserved communities in the world. By covering nutritious meals, teacher salaries, learning materials, boarding facilities, and values-based education rooted in Buddhist principles. Of the eight schools supported, four are directly connected to FPMT, either situated at an FPMT center or linked to Kopan Monastery, so these grants also shoulder expenses that would otherwise fall to Kopan.
• Nine elderly care homes received grants helping 273 elders with food, accommodation, medical care, and facility improvements for some of the most vulnerable members in the community. This work continues to reflect the compassion of Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche, and this year’s support was offered in honor of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama’s 90th birthday, who has been a lifelong source of refuge for all these Tibetan elders.

Phuntsokling elderly home resident with local children.

• Essential support was offered to seven essential health initiatives in India, Nepal, and Mongolia, reaching nearly 44,000 individuals — children, the elderly, the sick, and the extremely poor. From mobile clinics in remote villages to soup kitchens in Mongolia. This work embodied the Buddhist commitment to alleviating suffering wherever it is found. Two of them were based at FPMT centers, allowing the Social Services Fund to support these vital projects.
• The Community Grants Fund awarded grants to nine FPMT Dharma projects worldwide. From retreat centers in Vermont and California to study groups in Romania and Spain, these grants reflect our commitment to keeping Dharma accessible within our FPMT family around the world, offering direct and tangible support.
• Supporting monks and nuns is at the heart of FPMT’s mission — without the Sangha, the Buddhadharma cannot be preserved and passed on and in 2025 twelve grants were offered reaching over 1,500 monastics across different traditions and regions, ensuring that Sangha could live, study, and practice with stability and dignity. Four of the twelve grants went directly to FPMT Sangha communities, reflecting the organization’s commitment to caring for our own monastics. The year’s most extraordinary milestone was the completion of the Gyudmed Food Fund endowment a US$2.1 million endowment for Gyudmed Tantric Monastery, that ensures sustainable food support for over 600 monks in perpetuity.
• Throughout the year prayers and practices were performed by ordained Sangha on the most powerful days of the Buddhist calendar, when merits are magnified, for the healing, success, and removal of obstacles for all beings — especially those within the FPMT organization and our kind donors.
• Lama Zopa Rinpoche held a profound wish for FPMT to build as many holy objects as possible around the world — so that countless beings can purify negative karma and generate merit, reflecting this supported ten projects supporting holy objects. Five of these projects were at FPMT centers, directly supporting the wider FPMT community.

Stupa of Complete Victory at Kopan Monastery progress, chaSeptember 2025. Photo by Tenzin Tsultrim.

• Supporting our lamas is a core priority for FPMT, through contributions to Long life Pujas for His Holiness the Dalai Lama, fulfilling the offerings that Lama Zopa Rinpoche wished to make to all his Gurus and for the swift return of Lama Zopa Rinpoche we supported pujas and sacred objects dedicated to Rinpoche’s swift return.
• We offered direct support to preserve and share the profound teachings of the Mahayana tradition – nearly all the grants went directly to FPMT projects and centers. These contributions supported scholarships, translation, publication, teacher development, and multimedia initiatives, making the Dharma accessible for people of all cultures and generations.
• Reflecting Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s vision of loving-kindness and compassion for all living beings, animals were rescued from suffering and offered the opportunity to receive imprints of the Dharma through blessings, hearing mantras or going around holy objects. In 2025, we supported four FPMT center initiatives spanning Washington State, Mongolia, Nepal, and France.

Please take a moment to rejoice in these meaningful activities benefitting all beings and thank you to all the support enabling these meaningful activities.

Please read FPMT International Office’s 2025 Annual Review and enjoy our extensive photo gallery.

Please learn more about all of our FPMT Charitable Projects that are working to build a more compassionate world.

Losar offerings in Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s room, Kopan Monastery. Photo Ven.Sangpo Sherpa

During these Fifteen Days of Miracles (February 18-March 3), any merit created is magnified 100 million times. On behalf of the entire organization, the FPMT Puja Fund has arranged and sponsored a vast number of pujas and prayers, including the recitation of the entire Kangyur, Guhyasamaja Root Tantra, Ksitigharba Sutra, the One Thousand Set of Offerings to Namgyalma practice, Migtrupa puja, and Extensive Medicine Buddha puja.

In addition, a new set of robes will be offered to the Buddha statue in the Mahabodhi temple in Bodhgaya. The stupas of Boudhanath and Swambyunath in Nepal will be freshly painted, and new umbrellas will be offered to the pinnacles.

The 4,000 monks of Sera Lachi will receive an offering of tea and bread and 100 INR on behalf of FPMT, during one of the days of their Monlam.

Each puja is being offered by ordained Sangha, who are all disciples of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, with strong motivation and dedication for the entire FPMT organization and for the swift return of our most precious and kind Lama Zopa Rinpoche.

Recitation of the Kangyur

The nuns of Khachoe Ghakyil Ling Nunnery are kindly reciting the entire Kangyur over two days. The Kangyur is more than one hundred volumes of the direct teachings of Shakyamuni Buddha. Please take a moment to listen to their recitations.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche has explained the unbelievable merits in making it possible to read these holy scriptures by the Sangha members. The benefits, explained in The Condensed Jewel Quality explain that the merit created by reading the Kangyur are infinitely greater than  – building a stupa of the sorrowless state, making the stupa from the seven jewels, making as many stupas as to fill many thousands of ten million worlds equaling the number of sand grains in the River Ganges, and infinite sentient being making offerings to these stupas three times a day for eons.

Rinpoche also explained how important it is to have the Kangyur recited at the beginning of every year for the success of the FPMT organization, all the students, volunteers, and benefactors, to create merit for the upcoming year, and so the organization can be of most benefit to all beings.

Gyudmed monks reciting Guhyasamaja root text.

Guhyasamaja Root Tantra Recitation

The tantric monks of Gyudmed Tantric Monastery recited the most precious Guhyasamaja Root Tantra.

The Guhyasamaja tantra is praised in Oral Teachings of Manjushri where it says that the presence of the very heart of the doctrine depends upon this tantra being in existence: At the time its meaning enters the ears, at that place the precious doctrine of the Buddha is said to abide there also. When its transmission is cut, the doctrine of the Buddha will cease.

It is so important to have this root tantra recited; we hope you will enjoy hearing a few moments of it:

Extensive Medicine Buddha Puja

At Gaden Jangtse Monastic College, South India, many of the Sangha will offer the Extensive Medicine Buddha puja and Druk Chuma in Lhamo Khang.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche has explained that the Medicine Buddha encompasses all the buddhas. This means that when we practice the seven-limb prayer and make offerings with the seven limbs, we receive the same merit as we would if we had made offerings to all the buddhas. Similarly, when we recite the mantra of Medicine Buddha, we collect unbelievable merit just as when we offer the seven-limb practice to Medicine Buddha. Please take a moment to rejoice in the puja and listen to their prayers.

One Thousand Sets of Offerings to Namgyalma

At Gyuto Monastery, Dharamsala, India, the Sangha are offering One Thousand sets of offerings to Namgyalma and Drugchuma – the Offering of Sixty-Four Parts 

Namgyalma is a deity for long life and purification. The mantra has infinite benefits; it is so powerful. It is said that for anyone who hears this mantra, this will be the last time that person is born in the womb. If animals hear it, they will not be reborn in the lower realms.

Please enjoy this video of the puja and the amazing extensive offerings:

Ksitigharba Sutra Recitation 

Khachoe Ghakyil Ling Nunnery also recited the Ksitigharba Sutra.

Rinpoche advised that prayers to Ksitigharba are much more powerful than those made to other bodhisattvas, “This dharani mantra is the best one to do for any problems in any situation. Even reciting four or five times, just a few times, is very powerful. [The sutra] talks about so much power, how important the bodhisattva is; even reciting or just thinking of the name of the bodhisattva is very, very powerful.”

This recitation, following the advice of Lama Zopa Rinpoche, is done monthly and is specifically dedicated “to avert harm from the elements (fire, water, wind, and earth) such as tornados, hurricanes, heavy rain, storms, floods, earthquakes, fires; as well as disasters that destroy crops; disasters that destroy entire towns and cities within one hour; disasters that cause so many billions of dollars of damage and so much money has to be spent to rebuild the towns; disasters where so many hundreds and thousands of people die or lose their homes, have no food or clean water; disasters where so many animals and insects are killed and harmed.”  

Migtrugpa Puja

Migtrugpa puja will also be offered by some Sangha in Gaden Monastery. Migtrugpa is very powerful in degenerate times in purifying negative karma, particularly the negative karma of having broken vows, such as the eight Mahayana precepts, lay vows, or the vows of nuns and monks.

The Precious Lamp: A Ritual of Making Offerings to and Purifying the Remains of a Special Being

Senior Lama Gyupa monks offer a special puja in front of the holy body relic of Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche. The practice is based on Solitary Hero Yamantaka and The Precious Lamp: A Ritual of Making Offerings to and Purifying the Remains of a Special Being, based on Bhagavän Vajrasattva. This puja has been happening every single morning for nearly three years.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s Ksitigarbha image that he carried with him everywhere.

Rejoice and Remember

The merit that is created from all these pujas is also your merit. So, you can dedicate all these merits to having realizations and to achieving enlightenment

During each puja mentioned above, FPMT is making a small money offering to each of the kind Sangha offering the prayers, as well as tea and breakfast. Rinpoche has said that there is nothing compared to making offerings to the Sangha of these monasteries, because they are all disciples of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and other gurus. Offering tea to one disciple is better than making an offering to all the Buddhas.

Rinpoche has said that even just by remembering that these pujas are happening, rejoicing in the activities, and dedicating the merits—This is the best business and the best way to create the most extensive merit, and these pujas are dedicated for anybody who needs these prayers.

All of these prayers are dedicated for the health and long life of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the swift return of our incomparably kind Lama Zopa Rinpoche; the entire FPMT organization; all those working in FPMT, the kind supporters, all the benefactors, donors of the puja fund, volunteers; anybody who needs these prayers; anyone who is experiencing any kind of obstacles or difficulties; and for peace in the world—for all of the wars, famine, disease, economic problems, torture, the dangers of fire, water, air, earthquakes and tsunamis to be pacified immediately, to pacify all the problems in the world; and for perfect peace and happiness to prevail in our hearts and in the hearts of all sentient beings of this world.

Lama Zopa Rinpoche established the Puja Fund to provide resources for continuous pujas dedicated to the long life of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and to the success of all the FPMT centers, projects, services, students, benefactors and those serving the organization in any way. You can learn more about the Puja Fund, or FPMT’s other extensive charitable activity. 

His Holiness the Dalai Lama arriving at the final session of the annual Winter Jang Debate at Drepung Monastery, January 18, 2026. Photo by Tenzin Choejor/OHHDL; courtesy of dalailama.com

As a tremendous blessing to all of the monks participating, His Holiness the Dalai Lama attended the annual Winter Jang Debate, held this year at Drepung Monastery, South India. Two-thousand monks participated from over twenty monasteries.

This annual debate dates back to the time of Lama Tsongkhapa and was continued each year until 1959. In 1981 the present and former abbots of the three great monasteries met to revive this debate. However, due to costs the monasteries were only able to sponsor about 200 monks to attend. Seeing the incredible importance of this tradition of bringing together the best scholars to hone their understanding of the Buddha’s highest teachings, Lama Zopa Rinpoche, through the Lama Tsongkhapa Teachers Fund, became the primary sponsor for this debate over twenty years ago. Read more about the history of the Winter Jang Debate. 

Sera Jey Monastery recently released a paper, written by the monks, about the history of this powerful tradition and the schedule and activities during the program: 

The schedule during winter debate starts at 8.45 a.m. and goes each day to 10.30 p.m., but often the debates last well past midnight. There is prayers, a teaching and six debate sessions throughout the day.

The sangha attending the Jang Gun Choe includes monks from Sera, Ganden, Drepung, Tashi Lhunpo, Gyumed, Gyuto, Zongchoe, Rato, Sedgyu, and Namgyal monasteries, as well as monks from other non-sectarian monasteries in India, Nepal, and Bhutan. In total, thousands of monks gather for this Winter Debate Program.

The main subject studied during this session is logic (Pramāṇa). The study is based primarily on the works of the great Indian master Dharmakīrti, such as:

• • Tsema Namdrel (Pramāṇavārttika (Commentary on Valid Cognition)
  • Tsema Namnye, Pramāṇasamuccaya (Compendium of Valid Cognition)
  • Rigthik, Tattvasaṅgraha (Essence of Logic)

In addition, the works of Master Dignāga, especially Pramāṇasamuccaya and its commentaries, are studied. Important Indian and Tibetan commentaries are also included, such as:

• • Tharlam Sal-byed (Illumination of the Path to Liberation) by Gyaltsab Rinpoche
  • Tika Chen Rigpai Gyatso (Great Commentary, Ocean of Reasoning) by Khedrup Je
  • Tsadma Deden Yikyi Munsel (Dispelling the Darkness of the Mind on the Seven Pramāṇa Treatises)
  • Tsadma Riggyen (Ornament of Logic) by Gyalwa Gendun Drub

The letter also includes a gracious thank you to FPMT for the years of sponsorship:

We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude for the generous financial support that has been continuously provided over many years to promote and strengthen monastic education, including the Winter Debate Program. This support has been of great benefit to the study centers and the monastic community.

We also continually offer prayers and take refuge during our assemblies, sincerely wishing that all the activities of the FPMT may proceed smoothly and without any obstacles.

Please read their full paper. 

His Holiness the Dalai Lama attending a debate presentation at Drepung Monastery, January 4, 2026. Photo by Zamling Norbu/OHHDL; courtesy of dalailama.com

Many photos of this year’s Winter Jang Debate including His Holiness the Dalai Lama are available to view. 

Please join us in rejoicing in this tremendous blessing of His Holiness’s presence to all participants of the Winter Debate program!

The Lama Tsongkhapa Teachers Fund supports the annual Gelugpa exam and monks and nuns to attend the annual winter debate among many other activities.