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An elder of Dhondenling Old People Home, Kollegal.
Since 2015, the FPMT Social Services Fund has been offering support to hundreds of Tibetan elders residing in elderly homes throughout India. Tibetans have been living in exile since 1959 when Communist China invaded Tibet, forcing 100,000 Tibetans to flee to India, Nepal, Bhutan and eventually elsewhere around the world. Many of the Tibetan refugees in India and Nepal are now elderly and many are rendered destitute and in desperate need of care at this critical phase of life. Tibetan families traditionally provide for the elderly and sick among them. However, when a family itself is in deep poverty, or if the elderly individual is alone and without family support, help is needed.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche has encouraged us to not only address residents’ material needs such as food and shelter, but also their spiritual ones. With this in mind, we’ve also sponsored holy objects such as stupas and prayer wheels on the premises of some of these homes as well, encouraged the recitation of sutras and mantras, and provided grants to ensure the elders have adequate and appropriate space for Dharma practice and merit-making group activities.
In 2021 we sent US$286,887.28 to support seven elderly homes in India. Please join us in rejoicing that these grants were used in the following ways:
Elders of Jampaling Elder’s Home, Dharamsala.
Elderly Homes Supported in 2021
Jampaling Elder’s Home, Dharamsala, provides food, shelter and medical services to 156 residents. US$13,914 was offered for shortfall of their 2021 operating budget.
Lugsam Samduling Home for the Aged and Disabled, Bylakuppe, looks after 46 elderly individuals who are living in extremely modest conditions, many with health issues due to the advanced age. US$39,354.65 total was offered to this home to cover budget shortfall for 2021 and for an ambulance for the settlement’s hospital, Tsojhe Khangsar Hospital. This ambulance will be used by the people of two Tibetan Settlements and there are around 20,000 people, including Himalayan monks and nuns, residing in the various monasteries.
Sera Je monks consecrating new ambulance sponsored for Tsojhe Khangsar Hospital.
Elders of Dhondenling having morning prayer before breakfast.
Doeguling Home for Elderly and Disabled, located in the Doeguling Tibetan Refugee Settlement in Mundgod, cares for 103 elderly residents. US$41,745 was offered for food, medical expenses, and an investment into the corpus fund which contributes to the sustainability of the home.
Dhondenling Old People Home, Kollegal, is in one of the most remote and underdeveloped Tibetan settlements in southern India. The elderly home has a capacity for 32 elderly Tibetans residents. US$28,314.63 was offered to cover 70% of their annual operating budget and a separate grant from Buddha Union of Italy of US$48,628.87 was offered for the final costs of community hall that is being built.
Rabgayling Tibetan Family Welfare Association, Hunsur, has an elderly home serving 20 residents. US$25,813.33 was offered this year for their medical fund and recurring expenses.
Elders of Rabgayling Tibetan Family Welfare Association home in front of prayer wheels.
Chauntra Dhonden Old People’s Home, Bir. US$69,570 was offered this year for installation of new metal roofing sheets and repair and maintenance. This home home cares for 24 elders and the support was requested on behalf of the Tibetan government and this was our first year supporting this home.
Old People’s Home Odisha Phuntsokling Settlement, Orissa, is a home caring for 19 Tibetan elders. There are also five monasteries on this settlement as well as two primary schools, one middle school, and a nursery for babies. US$19,546.80 was offered for their annual budget which they desperately needed after losing their main sponsor of ten years. This is our first year supporting this home.
The Social Services Fund also provides charitable giving to children, the sick, and the very poor through a variety of grants every year.
Thank you to all the donors who make this most urgent and critical support for Tibetan elders possible.
All are welcome to support the Social Services Fund and help ensure we can offer direct support to the elderly.