The Friends of the Noe Tibetan Children's Home: BUS AND FLOODS, 2010

Monday, 29 November 2010

BUS AND FLOODS, 2010

You will have read about the floods in Pakistan in the autumn of 2010. There was also extensive flooding across much of the western Himalayas in northern India, but not as bad as in Pakistan.

Herbertpur, where the Noe Tibetan Children's Home is located, has a fast flowing river nearby. This rose and burst its banks and flooded the town. A wall in the school which Pema founded, and of which she is headmistress, was knocked down, and there was other damage. Fortunately, the children's home building was not affected. Mr Mega is now trying to get the school repaired.

Meanwhile, we are raising funds to pay for a new school bus. This is essential in order to transport various children who live in distant villages to the school - or they generally cannot get to school. The Friends of the Noe Tibetan Children Home does not normally support the school, but it is doing so in this case via a special appeal. The bus will also be used sometimes for Home outings. The school bus will cost about £10,600. All donations are most welcome. Please follow this link for donating via http://www.virginmoneygiving.co.uk/ [search on 'Find a charity' with the term 'Noe'].

SUMMARY: The Home, Pema and Mega

The UK charity

We are a small UK charity which supports the Noe Tibetan Childen's Home (see above), run by Pema and Mega. The money we raise pays for the children’s food, clothing, toiletries and school costs as well as rent and fuel for the house itself. The home relies entiely on us for its funds.

The UK charity has no running costs except bank and miscellaneous charges. The charity has been going since 1980, and was registered in 1982. We are funded by a group of loyal and generous individual sponsors and various one-off donations.

Sponsorship and Donations

More support is always gratefully received - and you can be sure that over 90% of your donation goes direct to the children's Home in India.

If you want to learn more, or to find out about regular sponsorship, please email Mark Hudson at mjfhudson@gmail.com.

If you are interested in making a one-off donation, you can do this via the Virginmoneygiving website, which makes the whole process secure and easy. Virginmoneygiving also collects UK tax paid on your donation and sends this to us - thus making each pound go that much further.

Go to www.virginmoneygiving.co.uk, and search on 'Noe' in the 'Find a Charity' space, to make a one-off donation.

Life in the Home

In general, Pema´s aim is that the children should be given a secure, happy background, with a strong sense of duty and the same opportunities as the local Hindu children. Their material circumstances should be neither worse nor better than their neighbours. The home itself is clean but modest with very few amenities or luxuries such as toys.

The children speak Tibetan at home, English and Hindi at the school. They are not brought up as Christians but live a life in which Buddhist, Christian and local Hindu festivals are celebrated and in which prayer is an integral part of existence.

As many visitors to the Home testify, the atmosphere in which the children are brought up is busy and happy. The typical school day starts at 5.30 am when, after washing and making beds, everyone does their “house jobs”. Breakfast at 7 am is followed by school, from 8 am to 12, with homework or extra tuition from 3.30 to 4.30 pm. Games at 4.30 are followed by a cold bath at the well. The day ends with supper at 7.

In the summer holidays, the children are usually taken by Pema up to the mountains, for a short holiday and to escape the heat. It is also good for the children´s health, with TB and other diseases rife, even today. There are also occasional large picnics and other entertainments.

LINKS

http://www.virginmoneygiving.co.uk/

The Friends of the Noe Tibetan Children's Home's easy donation page. Search under 'Noe' or 'Noe Tibetan' in the 'Find a charity' space. This is great for campaigns, one-off and regular donations, as you can pay electronically and via credit card, and tax is reclaimed for the charity by the organisation which runs the website.

http://www.tibet-foundation.org/
Charity devoted to creating greater awareness of Tibetan culture and needs

http://www.freetibet.org/
Campaigning organisaton

http://www.dalailama.com/
The Dalai Lama's website

http://www.charity-commission.gov.uk
Our details on the UK Charity Commission website. Type in 'Friends of the Noe' to find our charity, or the charity number 285748.

http://www.rainbowdevelopmentinafrica.org/
Charity helping farmers in Mauritania, run by Peter Hudson and chaired by Mark Hudson