OUR CURRENT
PROJECTS
ANIMAL
WELFARE in the Indian Subcontinent
INDIA: In 2004
The TARA
project initiated research into a pilot animal birth control
project for the Tibetan community living in exile in Karnataka
state, South India, centred on the dog population of one largest
monastic communities there, Sera Monastery.
In due course this project was adopted by
Vets Beyond Borders (in partnership with
Tibetan
Volunteers for Animals), and was
successfully completed in the first half of
2009.
TTPA
assisted on various aspects of
the pilot, with one of our board members
acting as the project co-ordinator.
Utilising
a pilot report and proposal written in a large part by TTPA, the
project is now set to become a permanent program with the
generous backing from
Fondation Brigitte Bardot.
NEPAL
has one of the most fragile environments on the planet. Local
organisation, AnimalNepal introduces innovative schemes
for welfare program and community awareness/education campaigns
to put an end to suffering of both domestic and wild animals.
See
www.animalnepal.org.np
The TARA project has supported
Animal Nepal since its inception in
2003
in a number of ways,
including assisting with securing
major funding (from
Humane Society
International
and Fondation
Brigitte Bardot), advising on the organisation and writing
of MOUs with funders and proposals,
research projects,
and publicity. We also support the projects of its affiliated
organisations in the
Animal Welfare Network Nepal
(AWNN).
We also put
together the latest Animal Nepal newsletter -
download the PDF here (540kb).
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WELFARE &
cultural preservation
NEPAL:
The Manjushri Dechen Buddhist Institute,
Nepal was
established in 1996 by the revered Tibetan master,
Dhubthop Rinpoche, in the small
town of Pharping, about an hour's drive south of Kathmandu,
Nepal.
An attractive
three-storey building comprising both classrooms and
accommodation, it sits on the side of hills overlooking the lush
fields of the Kathmandu Valley. The inspiring views from the
school buildings–and from the area in general–make Pharping a
very desirable place from which to gain an intimate experience
of Tibetan culture and religion. Pharping is also where the
famous
self-eminating image of Tara is
located.
The Manjushri
Dechen Buddhist Institute houses around 30 boys between the ages
of approximately six to 17 years. They learn a number of usual
subjects plus Buddhist logic, Tibetan language, Nepali and
English. The boys are currently monks and come from remote
Tibetan enclaves of Nepal. Their families cannot afford
education so the children are sponsored at the school by the
generous donations of benefactors. Apart from this source of
income the boys tend gardens from which they obtain some of
their food.
Expressions
of interest from people who wish to make a donation to the
education and upkeep of the boys is very welcome and greatly
appreciated. Donors may make special requests for how their
donation is used.
The TARA
project organises cultural exchange visits by
individuals, groups and schools from the West to the Manjushri
Dechen Institute.
Individuals
or groups may also make day trips to the school or to its home
Monastery in Kathmandu on Manjushri Hill near Swayambu Stupa
(Monkey Temple) where they may take (prearranged) teachings or
sit in on traditional ritual at regular
pujas or prayer
sessions.
Go to the
Contact link to ask us for more details on this or other ways of
adding an intimate and unique experience of the Himalaya to your
visit to Nepal.
