ELST NEWSLETTER AUTUMN 2004

In a new initiative this year, ELST has provided financial and practical help to individuals and to small groups of Cambridge university volunteers. The projects, which took place during the long vacation, have included :-

Installing solar panels in a monastery in Nepal as part of an Engineers without Borders project
2 teaching placements at Men-Tsee-Khang Medical and Astrological Institute in Dharamsala - teaching English to Tibetans
Teaching at a school in Nepal

The feedback from the projects has been very positive with both Cambridge students and Tibetans benefiting enormously from the experience. With this in mind, ELST is proposing to offer a similar scheme next year. Some feedback :

"My volunteer placement at the MTK was a truly unique experience, and one that I would recommend to anyone who wants to help others. I consider it a great privilege that I was part of this experience."
"I hope the above report conveys a small degree of the enormous enthusiasm I have for the country and its people, which with CU-HELST’s help I was able to experience in such a unique and insightful way."

Some of the students who received project support will be talking about their experiences at the ELST presentation on the 27th October.

WORKSHOP 2005 SUMMER RECONNAISSANCE TRIPS

A team of 3 from the workshop 2005 volunteer team visited North India during the long vacation this year. They visited possible venues for workshop 2005 including Norbulingka Institute, Dharamsala; College for Higher Tibetan Studies, Sarah and the Songtsen Library, Dehra Dun. Another team of 2 visited South India. The visited possible venues for workshop 2005 including, Ecumenical Christian Centre, Bangalore; SOS Children's Village School, Bylakuppe and Sera May Monastery and guest house.

Whilst in India, in addition to researching possible venues for the workshop, the teams researched and discussed other issues including possible themes for the workshop, participant selection and increasing female participation. On the basis of this valuable work, the volunteer team will begin finalising Workshop 2005 arrangements. Members of both teams will be talking about their trips at the ELST presentation on the 27th October.

FUNDRAISING

Having successfully received support from the Cambridge University Active Community Fund, the workshop volunteer team have applied to other donors, colleges and trusts.

ELST is very grateful for the further pledges received. At the moment, we have a fundraising task of around Ł7000.

Some examples of how money is spent on workshops include :

One return flight to India Ł500.
“A Workshop Week” Ł112.
Visa Ł30.
Average travel cost reimbursed to Tibetan participants Ł23.
Oxford English Dictionary (published in India) for a Tibetan participant Ł5.

Your compassion helps to illuminate the peaceful example being given to the world by the Tibetans in India.

Amended 9/05