The Tibet Fund
 Annual Report 2003

The Tibet Fund is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping Tibetans and supporting and strengthening Tibetan communities in exile through programs in health, education, economic and community development. Since its founding in 1981, with the guidance of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the Tibet Fund has grown into the principle fund raising organization for the Tibetan people, both in exile and inside Tibet.

MISSION:

The Tibet Fund’s primary mission is the preservation of the distinct cultural, religious and national identity of the Tibetan people. It advances this mission by coordinating international assistance on behalf of the Tibetan people and the administration of grants for projects that:

  • Support and strengthen the Tibetan refugee community in India and Nepal.

  • Offer scholarships and cultural exchange programs to Tibetan students.

  • Support health, education and small economic development projects inside Tibet.

  • Foster the growth of other organizations designed to address the identified needs of the Tibetan people.

    • ACTIVITIES IN 2003:

    1. Humanitarian Assistance Grant to Tibetan Refugees:

    Since 1991, the Tibet Fund has administered the congressionally mandated Humanitarian Assistance (HA) grant awarded by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration. This grant aims to support and improve living conditions for Tibetans in exile in India and Nepal. The 2003 HA grant for $ 2 million was approved for the major areas of:

    a) Assistance to new refugees $ 750,000
       
    b) Health care $ 598,000
       
    c) Education programs $ 616,000
       
    d) Administrative & Audit Costs $ 36,000
       

    Total:  

    		$2,000,000
    		   


    a) Assistance to new refugees:

    In 2003, $750,000 from the HA grant supported three reception centers for new refugees from Tibet at the strategic locations of Kathmandu, Delhi and Dharamsala. The Centers provide new refugees with first aid, emergency medical attention, counseling, immunizations, food and shelter for a few days to rest and recuperate, and arrange for their rehabilitation in Tibetan settlements in India. Young children are usually sent to the Tibetan Children’s Village, monks and nuns are sent to monasteries according to their choice of religious tradition, and young adults are sent to the Transit School.

    b) Health Care:

    An amount of $598,000 from the HA grant was provided for the Department of Health in Dharamsala to support health services for Tibetans in exile. Services include provision of TB screening, prevention and care, maternal and child health services, immunizations, provision of essential drugs, and in some cases, provision of cash to medical facilities in the settlements to purchase essential medication, such as penicillin, and other supplies.

    c) Education:

    Another amount of $616,000 from the HA grant was provided for educational program support to the Department of Education, the Tibetan Children’s Village in Dharamsala and the Tibetan Homes Foundation at Mussoorie for the education of Tibetan children.

    HA funding also goes to support two schools designated for new refugees, the Tibetan Children’s Village in Bir and the Transit School at Sogar. Apart from providing education towards durable livelihood skills, these two schools serve as an extension of the reception centers. Together, they have produced over 3,000 graduates in the past five years.

    		 

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