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, 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 2011, we are continuing with our Tibetan Kids’ Education fund; as well, money will be allocated for the provision of a scholarship for the third 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.

For the 2012 school, we are continuing with our Tibetan Kids’ Education fund, assisting 21 children in total. Our college student finishes his third and last year at the end of 2011, and our young business school student in Dharamsala has completed his one year program in Dehra Dun. 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 during these difficult times in the Tibetan regions of China, including Amdo, so we rely heavily on our local contacts.

DONATION DETAILS
The Tara Café Project is pleased to send 100% of your donations to our sponsored children and our liaison worker in Tibet. PLEASE NOTE: We no longer issue tax receipts, in order to save the 15% administrative costs we were incurring through using the services of another organization.

Donations of $400.00 (for sponsorship of one child) or in any amount, small or large, can be made by cheque. Please make payable to "The Tara Cafe Project," and mail to:

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

Or donate online via Acceptance Mark :

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 2012 Newsletter.

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