In Nepal, we have 2 Tibetan women working in Art Refuge who have this to say for themselves:
K:
I was born in exile and brought up in the Tibetan government school where I primarily studied Tibetan language, Tibetan history and culture of Tibet, and secondarily studied English, mathematics, science and so forth like modern education. I grew up in the Tibetan refugee community settlement. While in school, I had an extreme intention to put my mean of study into serving my nation Tibet and subsequently, I got a job in this Art Refuge program. I took this as an opportunity to serve my nation and determined to help Tibetan in exile like this. I have been serving with Art Refuge program for almost seven years and experienced lots from that. Beside that, I am also interested in social work.
In 1959, after the Chinese revolution in Tibet, along with H.H the Dalai Lama, my parents and the entire relatives escaped from Tibet and lived in exile for 53 years. They all were semi-nomad in Tibet.
Y:
I completed my schooling from namgyal high school in kathmandu. In the
year 2001, i got this job as a teacher for those newly arrived
Tibetan children. i feel myself very fortunate to have such wonderful
job.
Till now, I experienced and learnt lots of knowledges; at the same time
I really like to be around small kids, specially those innocent face arrived
from Tibet.
Myself being brought up and educated in own Tibetan society by the grace
of H.H. the Dalai Lama. I think it is the best way to repay my gratitude
by
serving my people and country through good means.
My "MOTTO" is to dedicate my work for the cause of both moral
and academic development of Tibetan children who were deprived from basic
rights under Chinese rule.
We have 2 members
of staff in each Program in Dharamsala and Kathmandu. In Dharamsala we are
very fortunate to have the wonderful Ama Adhe.... |
Adhe Tapontsang was born in 1932 in Kham in eastern Tibet, where she spent a happy childhood. In 1948 she was married and had 2 children. After the Chinese arrival in Tibet in 1950 she worked with her husband to oppose the occupation. After her husband died in mysterious circumstances, she continued her fight but she was arrested in 1958 and spent the following 27 years in prison. When she was released, she left Tibet for India and now lives in Dharamsala, working in the Art Refuge Program with the newly arrived children, whom she adores.
In 1997 she wrote a book, with Joy Blakeslee, called Ama Adhe: The Voice That Remembers- the Heroic Story of a Woman's Fight to Free Tibet. Contact us for details (or if you wish to purchase this item).
We also have Lhamo, who came to India some years ago. She comes from a family of nomad/farmers and her job growing up was to care for the animals (yak, goats, sheep, and horses). She had a strong yearning for education and so left her family behind to travel across the Himalayas with a large group of Tibetans and subsequently was able to attend several years of school- her favorite subject apparently was English.
As she has been through many of the same problems and situations of the children coming into the Art Refuge Program, she is very well suited for this job.
"I can feel for the kids what problems they have. I feel very happy to be able to work here. What I am learning I can teach the kids."
She provides a language and sometimes cultural link between the volunteers and the children, as well as between the volunteers and Ama Adhe. It is a joy to watch her working with the children, helping them in so many ways.