About the School
Shechen Charity Orphan School is privately run charity home and primary school for orphans of Karze prefecture in east Tibet.
The purpose of the school is to provide traditional family living environment for orphans and to give them basic education alongside training in practical vocational skills. The school is based on ethical values and promotes Tibetan culture and tradition hand in hand with understanding and appreciation of the modern world. The founder and president of the school is Gangshar Rinpoche, a young Buddhist master from Shechen Monastery in Derge County. The school has been operating since 2006.
Education is of crucial importance to the development of human society. The most important is the practice of ethical way of thinking – how to be truly kind, how to benevolently help oneself and others. This must start with children. They will not only be able to benefit themselves and society, but they will also become the teachers in the future. When it comes to education, the orphans are particularly helpless. They don't have parents, no one they could rely on.
-- Gangshar Rinpoche, founder of the school
Location
The school is located near Dzogchen village in Dege County, Karze (ch. Ganzi) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in Sichuan province of China. This is the Kham area of Tibet where 800,000 Khampa Tibetans live. The school is situated at an altitude of 3800m.The nearest big cityis Chengdu, 800 km away. The way to get there takes at least two days and proceedsthrough dangerous mountain passes. Food needs to be brought from Karze 200 km away and firewood fromDerge over 5050 m high pass Chola.
How can you help?
This is a non-governmental endeavour and all funds for construction and running of the school need to be raised by ourselves. More than 1000 individuals from China and abroad contributed to the construction of the school, many of whom continue to support the school on the regular basis. The Government of Derge County and Karze Prefecture issued permission for the school, and provincial and central media reguraly report about our work.
Your regular support is still of crucial importance for the maintenance and development of the Shechen charity school for orphans, because it provides for good living conditions, education and health care. All forms of help -donations, regular monthly contributions, volunteer work, material help are still very warmly needed and welcomed with deep gratitude.
These children lack everything that we enjoy and cherish: warm home, caring family, material comforts, freedom of choice, opportunities to grow and develop. We can not afford to leave them out of our hearts. They deserve the best we can give them; together we can relief their misery and bring hope and joy in their lives.
We must act fast and need your help with creating good living and study environment for the children.
»All of you, who help the school are the same as I am – I never think I do more. We have the same heart and a common goal to help the school. I hope you will continue to help the school. On my part I will continue to try and give my best. In the name of children, the staff and in my name I thank from my heart to all of the friends of the Schechen charity school for orphans. I am very grateful for everything and I pray for you.«
-- Gangshar Rinpoche
