Dharamshala — Tong-Len School (Tong-Len Charitable Trust) today celebrated the 20th anniversary of its foundation. Tong-Len School's founder, Tibetan monk Lobsang Jamyang, said that over the past 20 years, the charity had helped more than 23,000 children and poor people, who used to beg on the streets, to gain access to education and provide free healthcare service to the poor in the slums of Dharamshala.
The ceremony took place at Tong-Len School, Sarah Village, near Dharamshala, HP, India, on November 19, 2024. The chief guest was the Governor of Himachal Pradesh, Shiv Pratap Shukla, and other guests included staff from the Dalai Lama Trust, officials from the Central Tibetan Administration and others. Family members of students from the Tong-len School and residents of the Dharamshala area joined in the celebration.
Tong-len School students performed a play about how Lobsang Jamyang, a Tibetan refugee monk, was moved by the plight of young Indian children he saw begging in the streets of Mcleod Ganj and scavenging in rubbish bins. He found that they were living in terrible conditions in a slum, with no access to drinking water, sanitation or education, and he wanted to help them even though he had nothing and was a refugee.
Jamyang shared his concerns and his vision to help these children go to school with a few other Tibetan refugees and Western volunteers who helped him establish the charity in 2004. The name Tong-Len comes from the Tibetan words meaning ‘give’ and ‘take’, the idea being that through compassion one shares in the suffering and pain of others whilst simultaneously giving out love and kindness. His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the Dalai Lama Trust have supported the Tong-len School since its foundation and continue to support it financially.
The Governor of Himachal Pradesh, Shiv Pratap Shukla, said that the students and alumni, who are now doctors, engineers, hotel managers, journalists and artists, were weeping with gratitude on the stage, which shows how the Tong-Len Charitable Trust has helped them get out of the slums and into education, which has changed their lives forever. The governor also praised the Tibetan monk Jamyang, who has dedicated his life to the welfare of poor children.
Tong-Len School's founder, Tibetan monk Lobsang Jamyang, said that over the past 20 years, the charity had helped more than 23,000 children and poor people, who used to beg on the streets, to gain access to education and provided free healthcare service to the poor people in the slums of Dharamshala and other areas.
Jamyang said, “Today, we are celebrating our 20th anniversary, past 20 years, we helped thousands of poor people including children, who were begging in the streets and provide them education, now they are becoming doctors, engineers, hotel managers, journalists and artists, and we also could help poor people in the slum areas, who have no access to drinking water, sanitation or education.”
“All of this has been made possible thanks to His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the Dalai Lama Trust and the generous sponsors from around the world. I would therefore like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to His Holiness, the Dalai Lama Trust and the sponsors for their support and cooperation," he added.
When he asked how many students in the school currently, he replied that there are 300 students studying in the school and 200 students in the craft factory. There are also 15 to 20 students who are going to college. There are more than 500 students in total.
According to the Tong-Len Charitable, Its prime focus has been in supporting the educational needs of the children from poor communities in the India. It has established its own school and provides hostel accommodation. It also engages in health work. The founder and Director of Tong-Len Charitable Trust, Therchin Gyaltsen (Jamyang), had a vision to help destitute Indian children, seen begging in the streets and scavenging in the rubbish dumps, gain access to education.
