Dharamshala: -The spiritual leader of Tibet His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the Central Tibetan Administration offered their sincere condolences over the passing away of Mrs Imtraut Wäger, better known as 'Ama Wäger' for her tireless efforts to help Tibetan people and their cause.
Dharamshala: -The spiritual leader of Tibet His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the Central Tibetan Administration offered their sincere condolences over the passing away of Mrs Imtraut Wäger, better known as 'Ama Wäger' for her tireless efforts to help Tibetan people and their cause.
Ama Wäger, who was a long-time Tibet supporter and also well known for her social activism, especially concerning education for the poor and needy Tibetan children in exile.
In a letter to the family of the Wäger Family in Munich, Germany, the spiritual leader of Tibet His Holiness the Dalai Lama expressed his sadness at the passing away of Ama Wäger and offered his condolences to members of her family, friends and colleagues.
"Among the many who have provided generous assistance to Tibetans, both young and old, in exile, Ama Wäger was perhaps unique. Not only was she generous herself, also directing the support of many other individuals in Germany to where it was most needed, but she personally visited those she helped in different Tibetan settlements and schools in India and Nepal," His Holiness stated in his condolence message.
"In her passing away, Tibetans have lost a friend who, until her last breath, kept the well-being of needy Tibetans close to her heart," His Holiness said in the condolence message, adding: "He will remember Ama in his prayers."
“The Central Tibetan Administration is deeply saddened by the passing away of Mrs Wäger, who is fondly known by Tibetans as Ama Wäger,” Tibetan political leader Dr Lobsang Sangay said in his condolence letter to the Wäger’s family.
“With her demise, Tibetans lost a true friend who had worked tirelessly throughout her life for the education of the poor and needy Tibetan children and assisted in welfare projects in India and Nepal,” Sikyong added.
“Ama Wäger’s humanitarian work has played a pivotal role in the sustenance of the Tibetan community in exile. She was truly a beacon of light that changed many lives for the better. Ama Wäger’s legacies will be remembered by Tibetans in the generations to come. Tibetans will remain forever indebted to her generosity. Her humanitarian work has played a pivotal role in the sustenance of the Tibetan community in exile," he added.
Expressing its deep sadness over the passing away of Mrs Wäger, the Department of Education of the Central Tibetan Administration said "her legacy will be remembered in the hearts of Tibetans all over the world."
Mrs Wäger, fondly called by Tibetans as Ama (mother) Wager la, breathed her last at the age of 95 in Munich on 2 Oct.
“It is very sad to learn that Ama Wäger la passed away on 2nd October midnight. On behalf of all Tibetan children, we express our deepest sorrow at the demise of our beloved Ama Wäger la,” the Department of Education (DoE) wrote in a letter to Deutsche Tibethilfe e.V.( German Aid to Tibetans).
She had served as chairperson of German Aid to Tibetans since 1983, which has led an outstanding mission for the education and welfare of Tibetans in exile.
“She has made an outstanding contribution for the education of Tibetan children and dedicated her entire life for our community. With her initiative and support we have been able to educate many Tibetan children in exile," DoE said, adding: "Her work will be remembered in the hearts of many Tibetan children all over the world. We are proud to say that many of the beneficiaries are serving our community in various fields.”
“She has been an extraordinary woman lovingly called Ama la by Tibetans. We extend our sincere condolences to her family, relatives and friends,” the condolence message noted.
Born in East Prussia in 1919, Mr Wäger became a refugee during the Second World War. “Always put the others first was her father’s motto, and it was to define her entire life. In every difficult situation she has faced, Wäger has always trusted her inner voice. When she travelled to India for the first time in 1975, the distress of the Tibetan refugees evoked memories of her own escape and she immediately resolved to help them," Franz Binder, a German journalist and author, wrote in the biography of Mrs Wäger titled “Amala: My Life for Tibet”.
Franz stated: "She threw herself into raising funds and ran Deutsche Tibethilfe (German Aid to Tibetans) from her small two-bedroom apartment in Munich. In 2003, the Dalai Lama visited her personally. Her whole life story is proof of what one single person can achieve,” Franz Binder, a German journalist and author, wrote in the biography of Mrs Wäger titled “Amala: My Life for Tibet”.
Franz said what he most admired about Mrs Wäger was her philosophy that it was better to help a single child than to complain endlessly about what is wrong with the world.
“The life of Ama Wäger, as I lovingly call her, illustrates how one engaged individual can make a great difference in terms of improving society… Her endeavour has always touched me deeply and my conversations with her have always been hugely illuminating,” His Holiness the Dalai Lama said in the biography.
In 2006, His Holiness the Dalai Lama conferred her with the International Campaign for Tibet’s Light of Truth award for her “outstanding contribution to public understanding of Tibet and its current plight”.
On 31 May 2003, His Holiness the Dalai Lama visited the home/office of Mrs Wäger to convey his appreciation for the wonderful humanitarian work of the organisation in helping Tibetans in exile.
