Grant amount: £4,500
Lodrik Welfare Fund was established to support the now elderly ex-freedom fighters of Tibet and their families. The freedom fighters were part of a secret guerrilla movement, Loe-Drik-Tsuk, primarily formed to help fight against Chinese occupation.
In 1974, respecting advice from the Dalai Lama, these freedom fighters peacefully surrendered their weapons and resettled mainly in Nepal. The Lodrik Welfare Fund now works to support them and their families who live in settlements and scattered communities across Nepal and India. They help to provide anything from food and shelter to medical costs and blankets, ensuring these brave Tibetans can live with dignity, independence and peace.
During 2015, Tibet Relief Fund was able to provide funds for the emergency medical treatment of 35 Tibetans, all living within the Lodrik communities in Nepal, as well as a grant to provide stipends to elders in need. Treatments ranged from dentist appointments and eye operations to heart surgery and hip replacements. These are the stories of just a handful of those who benefited from your generous support!
Kunga Chime
Kunga is 83 years old and lives in Paljorling Settlement. Kunga is the one of the healthiest and most active elders in the community and goes for a morning walk each and every day. On one of his more recent walks he slipped and broke his hand. Lodrik Welfare Fund, using the grant from Tibet Relief Fund, was able to pay for the surgery he needed and for his stay in hospital too. Now we’re told he is back to his early morning walks around the temple!
Sherap Tenzin
Sherap is 67 years old and living in Jampaling Settlement. Sherap had been suffering with deteriorating eyesight for a while so he went along to a medical check-up programme held inside the settlement. The doctor recommended that Sherap should undergo eye surgery and Lodrik Welfare Fund made sure he was able to have the operation he needed. The surgery was a success and his vision has since returned to normal. Now Sherap can help to look after his family and their home again.
Tender
Tender is an ex-freedom fighter living in Tashi Gang Tibetan Settlement and is 81 years old. Tender had been taking Tibetan Ayurvedic medicine every day for many years to help with his breathing problems. Recently he was finding it increasingly difficult to breathe and was admitted into hospital where he was diagnosed with a respiratory infection. Lodrik Welfare Fund was right there to make sure he received all of the treatment he needed thanks to a grant from Tibet Relief Fund’s Medical Emergency Fund.
Tsering Choezom
Tsering lives in Jampaling Settlement and earns a small wage as a community health clinic worker. Walking home from work one evening, Tsering was bitten by a poisonous snake and was immediately taken to hospital for treatment. Lodrik Welfare Fund was able to make sure she received all of the treatment she needed to make a full recovery. Now Tsering has returned to work and her busy schedule of looking after other people.
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