Tenzin Kuchok - Tibetan Living Communities
When I ended my engagement, I feared that I would never have the chance to be a parent. At that point, this little girl showed up in my life. A woman I worked with was involved in Tibetan Living Communities, a non-profit organization to help displaced Tibetan Refugees in India get education services. Tenzin Kunchok was only 10 years old and was also diagnosed with seizure disorder. Not only did the small amount of my contribution help with her education, but it also helped pay for her much needed medical attention and medication.
For the past ten years, Tenzin and I have been exchanging letters, pictures and even a video. I sent her a disposible video camera and she used it take footage of her home, school and life in India. She returned the camera back to me so that I could get it developed and see her in motion. When I saw her video, I couldn’t hold back the tears seeing her smiling face and parents offering of prayers and gratitude. When I left the corporate world and started my own business money was tight. I sent her whatever I could and she was extremely grateful.
Tenzin is now 20 years old and living in Dharmasala. See her in the picture above with her father on one of her visits back to the village. I continue to support her continuing education at a Tibetan Dance school where she is training to be a dance instructor. She has a career and a future that may not have happened without my help. The minimum investment is only $250 per year to sponsor a child. You get to choose the children and some are ophans that do not have any other chance for education except for donations from others. The average salary of a Tibetan refugee is about $350 per year. So, you can imagine the impact of $250 could have on that family and their child.
There are many scams out there to sponsor a child where you send the money and never hear from the children. I can tell you that this is a genuine organization that His Holiness the Dalai Lama is very involved with in India.
Whenever I feel as though I am not making a difference in the world, I go to my mailbox and see a letter from Tenzin. Immediately, I remember that just a little giving can go a long way. If you want to make a donation to a worthy cause and get so much more in return, I recommend this fabulous organization. It will fill your heart and live with you forever. You can find out more about Tibetan Living Communities at their website. Their offices are based in Napa, California and all donations are tax-deductible.
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