proposal-for-maitreya -home
TRANSCRIPT
INTERNATIONAL MAITREYA FOUNDATION H. No.153A Sector-8 Dwarka, New Delhi, India
Email: [email protected] Phone: +91 11 25365830 www.maitreyafoundation.org
PROPOSAL FOR
A PERMANENT HOME
FOR ORPHAN
TIBETAN REFUGEE
CHILDREN.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. History of the project
3. Why we need a Home
4. A support letter from H.H The 14th Dalai Lama
5. A support letter from His Eminence Gaden Tri Rinpoche
6. A Brief history of Ven 8th Dakpa Rinpochey
7. Area Rate Estimate
8. Home Model
9. Contact and location details for the project
INTRODUCTION
The International Maitreya Foundation was founded in 1997. The Foundation is a non-profit welfare and service oriented organization. , From its inception the Foundation has been blessed and received seed money from His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama.
For the past five decades, the Tibetans have struggled to preserve their identity in a strange land, yet despite these difficulties, a social, economic and political network has been built. This structure is now bearing fruit however there are still many difficulties such as illiteracy, unemployment, the disabled, orphaned, elderly and many needy who have not been able to fully integrate into the above network.
The Foundation helps and supports Tibetans according to their degree of need or disability. Many live with their families and want to remain there.and it makes no sense to take those out of such familiar surroundings. These refugees receive support, professional assistance and care from the Foundation. We try to provide the basic necessities of the life.
However, others, especially needy and orphaned children, need a home, as well as loving care and specialized training. We therefore started fund raising to support the New Delhi home for needy and orphaned Tibetan Children and hope to provide a home for more needy children into the future.
Our mission is to provide a loving environment, where the children can develop life skills, leading to self-sufficiency. We strive to educate the children in their Tibetan heritage, culture & language and at the same time help them to be integrated into modern society.
Currently there are 22 Children (8 boys and 14 girls) in the orphanage undergoing an educational program in a reputed school located in New Delhi. They also receive medical care, nutritious meals and learn Tibetan culture and language with 24-hour care by our four permanent staff.
Maitreya is also sponsoring 12 students who are being educated in other Tibetan schools and 5 senior people, in different Tibetan settlements, who are receiving basic needs.
We have a Soya Cow project in Maitreya Home to promote vegetarianism in Tibetan society. Soya products are high in protein and low cost. The Soya Cow project receives technical support from the American Soybean Association in co-operation with Child Haven International, Canada.
Forward by
Mr. Konchok Yangphel (Mr.)
General Secretary.
HISTORY OF THE PROJECT
IN 1997 after passing his degree in Buddhist Philosophy from Drepung Loseling monastery, the Ven. 8th Dakpa Rinpochey, at 30 years of age, wanted to put into practice the teaching of the Lord Buddha by trying to help all sentient beings, particularly those in most difficulty.
After visiting various Tibetan refugee settlements in India, he was deeply touched by the situation of many children affected by physical, mental or economic problems. Meeting the parents in total distress, unable to foresee any future for their children, gave him the urge to act in a way that would help them.
His first action was to meet with his spiritual hierarchy, His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama and His Eminence the Gaden Tri Rinpoche, and ask for their advice. Both were very supportive and enthusiastic and His Holiness offered 100,000 Rs to initiate the project.
Secondly he decided to go to western countries to see if he could find some help, both financial and technical. He visited many handicap centers and orphanages in France, Switzerland and Germany, meeting with ʻHandicap internationalʼ, ʻSwiss Foundation for Disabled Childrenʼ, and finally realized he had to first see what he could do himself in India.
He created a foundation called “the International Maitreya Foundation” and registrated it under the India Society Act of 1860 in 1997.
He had list of 50 applicants in need educational and basic human support from the Maitreya Foundation and he started with a very small, rented house in Dwarka on the outskirts of Delhi, registered 5 orphan children, then slowly increased the number to 15 and now 23.
The orphan children in Maitreya home are all registered and attending a reputed Indian public school called Shiksha Bharati Public School at Dwarka and there is 4 volunteer staff, 12 sponsored children and 5 sponsored old people.
At the same time, Rinpoche met Jigme Wangdak who was the representative of H.H. the Dalai Lama in Japan and he introduced him to Madam Bonnie Cappuccino, the director of “International Child Haven” Canada, who has been sponsoring the project since 1998.
Meanwhile Rinpoche worked with the World Health Organization (WHO) for rehabilitation of drug addicted youths in Tibetan society and received high appreciation from the Department of Health, Central Tibetan administration of H.H the Dalai Lama.
Maitreya Foundation only accepts those who fall under the following criterea:
1) Orphan children with no-one to care for them
2) Semi orphans from very poor backgrounds
3) Children whose parents can offer little for their future in which case the Foundation helps to find sponsors for education
4) Old aged people who have no near and dear ones to take care of them, Maitreya Foundation provides both financial and moral support to them.
Forward By Stephane Place Member of I.M.F
Why we need a Home for the children.
By experience, it is very difficult to get enough space for so many children and even with enough space; landlords are unwilling to rent their properties to someone with so many children who we all know can be noisy and at times mischievous.
The second problem is that, for the all round development of children we need open space where they have freedom to play both indoor & outdoor games which is not possible in a rented house.
The third problem arises from the difficulty of moving 30 to 40 members when rental property leases expire.
The fourth is that the Maitreya Foundation wants to accept more needy children but without a permanent home we do not have the confidence to accept other applicants on the waiting list.
The fifth is that we have to pay huge money for rent that could be better spent funding more needy children.
Therefore we have decided to purchase land and build the home at Dwarka where land is cheaper than central Delhi and with more open space, is less polluted and therefore healthier for the children.
The children are already familiar with Dwarka and we do not want to change their school so they can continue their studies in the same school.
Dwarka is our first choice for the above reasons, however we would certainly be happy to consider another nearby location in Delhi.
Dwarka
Forwarded by Dakpa Rinpochen President & Founder
OFFICE OF HIS HOLINESS THE DALAI LAMA
ENGLISH TRANSLATION
Just as I have repeatedly encouraged the Sangha members Ven. Dakpa Rinpoche has kept my
suggestions in his heart and is now planning to start a centre in the vicinity of Mungod Tibetan
settlement to take care of the infirm and old people and also to provide suitable education to the
young Tibetans in the community. The centre plans to seek financial assistance for the education and
the maintenance of children from the poor families. The centre also plans to work to increase
awareness about environment and to protect it.
I welcome this voluntary work that comes from a sense of social responsibility. As a token of my
appreciation of such beneficial activities I am contributing one hundred thousand rupees for the work
of the centre. It is my hope that everyone, Tibetan as well as others, who care others, will provide
their support and assistance for this good work.
Shakya Bhikshu Dalai Lama 25th July 1997
Theckchen Choeling Mcleod Ganj 176219, Dharamsala, Himachal Pradesh, India
Tel: (1892)21343/21879 Fax: (0182)21813
Gaden Tri Rinpoche Lobsang Nyima
THE SPIRITUAL HEAD OF GELUG ORDER OF TIBETAN BUDDHISM
DRE LOSELING TSAWA KHANGTSEN
P.O TIBETAN COLONY, MUNDGOD.
NORTH KANARA KARNATAKA-581411
INDIA PHONE: (08301) 45679
I am extremely happy to know that the International Maitreya Foundation is now planning to build a
handicap centre to take care of those poor and unattended handicapped people in the Tibetan refugee
settlements scattered all over India.
I appreciate and thank personally Ven. Dakpa Rinpoche for giving an in depth consideration to the
plight of the handicapped people in Tibetan refugee community and taking up the project henceforth.
I heartily welcome this humanitarian work. It is worth mentioning here that this project for the
Tibetan refugee handicapped people is one of the first of its kind in entire Tibetan refugee community
ever started.
It is my hope that the well-wisher from every corner of the world would come forward to extend their
support and assistance for this noble project.
The 100th Gaden Thri Rinpoche
Head of the Gelugpa tradition. 7th July 1998
A Brief history of Ven. 8th Dakpa Rinpochen
His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama recognized Dhondup Sonam, a 13-year-old boy, as the reincarnation of the Ven. 7th Dakpa Rinpoche of Markham Lhura Monastery in 1978. His predecessors were the spiritual head of Lhura Monastery in Eastern Tibet, affiliated to the great Drepung Monastery (the biggest monastery in Tibet). Lhura Monastery is the biggest monastery in Markham country and it has 18 branches that include all the four schools of Tibetan Buddhism.
Since the Chinese invasion of Tibet in 1959 there was no possibility for him to join that monastery in Tibet. Therefore he joined the Drepung Loseling monastery in South India and studied Buddhist philosophy there for 26 years. He completed his Doctorate Degree final exams in 1996 and pursued another year in a Tantric Monastery in Eastern India.
His predecessors had all covered a particular destiny for helping poor and needy beings. In particular the 1st Dakpa Rinpoche, who was recognized for having helped to the point of giving his life away and saved numerous inhabitants of Lhasa from a deadly epidemic disease. In another incidence prior to the deadly epidemic, when there came a calamitous drought in Lhasa and central Tibet, his predecessor succeeded in bringing rain to the affected area by performing religious rites and meditation as per H.H the 7th Dalai Lama and Tibet Govt. instruction. Hence, in honor of the achievement, His Holiness conferred upon him the rank of Drepung Tsokchen Tulku, (the higher reincarnation of Drepung Monastery) and named him Dakpa Rinpoche by which he is known to this day. His predecessors have offered many sacrifices, the above two deeds have been taken from the historical biography by his Eminence Dultsen Lama Rinpoche who was the Abbot of Lhura Monastery and an accomplished master in sutra, tantra and Tibetan history.
“Since my childhood, I remembered H.H the 14th Dalai Lama emphasizing the need for practical work for the welfare of others, rather than just speaking about it. It is a matter of immense joy to hear about entire welfare activities being carried out by many organizations all over the world and individuals who represent examples of selflessness, who always struggle and live for the welfare and happiness of others. Following my predecessors, I have been strongly motivated to engage in charity work”, Rinpochey says.
Forwarded by Ngawang Kelsang Tutor in Lose ling Monastery Karnataka State South India
Area rate estimate for proposed International Maitreya Foundation at Dwarka, New Delhi.
Item Quantity Rate (Rs.) Rate(US$) Total(Rs.) Total(US$)
1 Dormitory (Girls) 24 sqmt 25000 555.6 600000.00 13,334.40
2 Dormitory(Boys) 24 sqmt Do Do 600000.00 13,334.40
3 Lounge 18 sqmt Do Do 450000.00 10,000.80
4 Toilets 10 sqmt Do Do 250000.00 5,556.00
5 Verandah 12 sqmt Do Do 300000.00 6,667.20
6 Kitchen 9 sqmt Do Do 225000.00 5,000.40
7 Dinning hall 24 sqmt Do Do 600000.00 13,334.40
8 Office 11 sqmt Do Do 275000.00 6,111.60
9 Living room 18 sqmt Do Do 450000.00 10,000.80
10 Balcony/ terrace 8 sqmt Do Do 200000.00 4,444.80
11 Prayer hall 32 sqmt Do Do 800000.00 17,779.20
12 Stairwell 10 sqmt Do Do 250000.00 5,556.00
Total 200 sqmt Do Do 5000000.00 111,120.00
Note. *Measurement: Square meter *Exchange: 1US Dollar = 45 Indian Rs. *Rate: 1 Square meter area cost Rs.25000.00
Contact details for project
Contact Person Contact Number Contact Address/Email
Bonnie and Fred Cappuccino 613 527 2829
CHILD HAVEN INTERNATIONAL, 19014 7th Concession, Maxville, ON, K0C 1TO, Canada
Dakpa Rinpochen +9111 25365830
+91 9873997780
H.No.153(A) \ Sector-8 Dwarka New Delhi-110075
Konchok Yangphel +91 9871987250 [email protected]
Sophie Alice Coles & Robin Mudie
+615033933
+61 2 99070682
90 Bangaroo Street North Balgowlah NSW Australia 2093
Location:
15 miniutes from Domestic airport by taxi
20 minutes from International airport by taxi
1 Hour from New Delhi railway station by Metro
1 Hour from Connaught Place by Metro