This is a very special year for TCEF – we are celebrating our 20th anniversary of service to the Tibetan people. Looking back, I think we HAVE been able to make a difference for them. Knowing this gives immense satisfaction because the lives of refugees or stateless people can be so very difficult. I know this intimately because I’ve been one since I was two years old.
Even among the Tibetan refugee community, TCEF has always tried to reach out to the poorest of the poor. For children in this segment, without help, without intervention, the future really does not hold promise and there is almost no upward path for them. The chances are high that they will fall into the trap of drugs, despair and even crime. At best, they can hope to become road side hawkers – as indeed most Tibetan refugees in India are.
Our 20th Anniversary Newsletter that gives an over view of our work and achievements. As you can see, we’ve spent the majority of our resources trying to pull these children out of their hopelessness, by giving them a lifeline through education. We’ve been able to touch the lives of about 500 children. Our work and the immense kindness of the amazing collection of TCEF supporters is now finally making visible differences for them. Many of these children are now graduating school. Quite a few of them are moving to colleges-studying to become accountants, architects, teachers and nurses. These children are breaking the shackles of poverty and hopelessness. They are overcoming the circumstances of their birth. For these 500 children and hopefully many more in the years ahead, education is making the difference as we always knew it would.
