Tibetan Kids' Education Fund

DEAR PROSPECTIVE DONORS:

In 2006, the Tara Café Project initiated a program to fund the education of children living in the nomadic encampments and rural villages of the rugged eastern Tibetan Plateau (Sichuan & Quinghai provinces, China). While Tibetan children from these nomadic, semi-nomadic or farming families may have the opportunity to attend a residential or day school, school fees for even one child are beyond the means of many Tibetan families living in China. The Tara Café Project helps impoverished families to send their children to school, to learn to read and write in Tibetan, and receive a basic education grounded in their own rich culture.

Currently, the Tara Café Project is sponsoring 20 Tibetan children to attend schools in and around a small town in the Amdo region of Tibet. For the cost of $400, a sponsored child can attend school for one year (two semesters) and receive a set of warm winter clothes and school supplies. Some children also receive room & board.

In 2009, in association with the Mary A. Tidlund Charitable Foundation, our program expanded – we sponsored the salary of one unpaid Tibetan school teacher, and provided a scholarship for a promising high school graduate to attend college. As well, we made one-time donations to three schools in need, in the communities of Mangra, Yonru and Chabcha, where funds went towards much needed capital expenses such as desks, chairs, kitchen supplies, basketball nets, books, and yak dung for heating. In 2010, we are continuing with our Tibetan Kids’ Education fund; as well, money will again be allocated for the salary of the Tibetan teacher, and for the provision of a scholarship for the second year of college to our student. Our local Tibetan facilitator receives a modest salary from the fund for their invaluable on-the-ground assistance; email and postal service is sporadic or non-existent at this time so we rely heavily on our local contacts.

DONATION DETAILS
The Tara Café Project is in partnership with the Mary A. Tidlund Charitable Foundation of Alberta, with 90% of all donations going directly to assisting Tibetan schools and students.  Cheques should be made out to “Mary A. Tidlund Charitable Foundation” with “The Tara Café Project” specified on the cheque’s memo line.  Donations can also be made through www.CanadaHelps.org  (enter "Tidlund Foundation" and specify "Tibet - Tara Cafe Project") or by contacting the Tidlund Foundation directly at http://www.tidlundfoundation.com  The Tidlund Foundation accepts donations through Visa and Mastercard, or through allocation of shares.

Cheques made out to the Mary A. Tidlund Charitable Foundation may be mailed to:

Mary A. Tidlund Charitable Foundation
P.O. Box 8125
Canmore, Alberta
Canada. T1W 2T8

Or
The Tara Café Project
P.O. Box 105
Banff, Alberta
Canada. T1L 1A2

For further, detailed information about our sponsored schools, the education of Tibetans in China, and the Tara Café Project and programs, please contact us at info@taracafeproject.ca for The Tara Café Project 2010 Newsletter.

Thanks for your support!  
Karen McDiarmid, M.Sc.
Director, The Tara Café Project