A Learning Trip for Lhakpa Dondup la from VTC

End of October till Mid November was a very exciting period for VE as well as the director of VTC Mr. Lhakpa. After much talk and correspondence at long last we succeeded in bringing him over for a fact finding trip.

He was shown some of the successful models of educational and vocational training systems and social enterprises in helping those who are disadvantaged or not performing well academically. Some of these organizations including ITE West, Metta School, Helping Hands, Recipe, Shop 4 Social, Edes Spa, just to name a few. He also visited the local foodcourt, wet markets, supermarkets so that comparisons could be made in terms of business models.
Our fellow trainers cum dharma brothers and sister; Billy, Ching Wi and Siauw Chong had also given him much needed information regarding lifeskill, inter-personal skill and management skills. He had the privilege to visit the kitchen of a Peranakan restaurant-Blue Ginger and was on a half day attachment with an Italian restaurant-Pasta Brava.

The weekends were busy cooking up a storm for those who have "bought" a Tibetan lunch or dinner from us in order to raise fund for his trip here. About 50+ people were served and went through the "culture sessions" where they learnt about various kinds of Tibetan food, as to when and how to consume them. A good time had by all with lots of interest shown after understanding their students' plight on seeing a 15 mins video of the school itself.

We managed to have a balance of nearly S$1,400 after paying for Mr. Lhakpa's airfare and his staying allowance through the intake of the meals and various donations. TBC has generously offered to pay for Lhakpa's airfare and the rest of the money together with other individuals' donation will go to the general upgrading of the students' facilities in VTC itself.

Hopefully, after this trip we are able to follow up with more exchanges of students, more volunteers who are willing to go to train their staff and students in different areas and also possible training opportunities for their students outside India in the next years.

Some highlights of Lhakpa's visit:-

1) Getting started:-

Rita giving him the schedule, ezlink card and phone so that he will be able to get around.

2) Real work got started:-

An overall view given by Fee before our tour of ITE West begins

3) Some learning and discussions with various people:-

Some wise words by Mr. Chia Shi Sheung from Helping Hands on management skills and business models.

Sharing session at Buddhist Mission by Mr. Benny Liow on how to apply Buddhist teaching to everyday life. 

Some tips from our expert Billy on how to handle youth relationship.

4) Sharing sessions and eating sessions:-

Demonstrating how to eat Guthuk which traditionally served on the eve of Lorsar at TBC

 Sharing the life of Tibetans in exile with the Yap family

 Introducing VTC to the lunch participants in Norbu Choling 

5) Some of the Tibetan food that we rarely see:-

"Bobby" a Tibetan version of spring roll.

  "Tin Rhue", a royal dish made of egg omelette with beef filling and re-steam with glass noodle in the centre.

 A food of love....muffins baked by the students of VTC Selakui.

 Heart shaped Kapse that you get to eat during Lorsar.

  5) Some lighter moments:-

This is something interesting that we do not get to eat in India, so it is worth the picture taking. 

This bar is very interesting in the set up we must copy that one day.

6) The final accounts:-

We would like to thank all participants, helpers and most of all, the generous donors who have made this event possible. Please do carry on to support us for all our future endeavours! Once again a big thank you and hope you will join us in our "Effort" next year.

With the surplus money that we have given to VTC these are the items which the school has acquired for the welfare of the students. Hopefully they have many happy hours playing on these instruments.

REPORT ON THE PROJECT COMPLETION

With the kind and generous help of Varada Effort during the Singapore trip of the Director of Tibetan SOS Vocational Training Centre from 24^th October to 11^th November, 2013 a fund was raised of IR 71315/- (Rupees: Seventy One Thousand Three Hundred Fifteen Only) excluding Rs.28200/- (Twenty Eight Thousand Two Hundred Only) for Director’s airfare. This fund was approved to purchase Musical Instruments for the students of Tibetan SOS Vocational Training Centre Dehradun. It was aimed as it was felt wise to impart the students with the life skills of musical instrument along with the professional skill that they are learning from the centre. It was also aimed to utilize the free time that the students are having after the class till the evening activities.

So it was framed that the musical instruments of both western and Tibetan Traditional to purchase to impart the students with both skills.

So the quotation was collected and by brain storming with experts and professionals, it was decided to purchase 10 Western Guitar and 10 Tibetan Traditional Guitar (Dranyen). Out of this 10, 2 will be used for the performance purpose and 8 for the practice. The optional class for the practice is implemented with an instructor after the class and the enrollment of the students was really encouraging as more than 50 students have registered at the opening! The minimal entry fee will be collected from the candidate to bear the maintenance expenses and also to teach the ethic value!Centre really hope for a very positive result from this effort and would enhance the knowledge of Tibetan Youth with life skill like this which they can benefited them for a life time. It is also aimed to impart the preservation of our tradition through the music!

Accounts detail about the expenditure:

S.No	Particular	Rate	Quantity	Amount	Remarks
1	Hobner Acoustic with bag	2511.00	8	20088.00	Excluding VAT
2	Ashton Guitar with bag and pickup	4405.00	2	8810.00	Excluding VAT
3	Set of Guitar String	105.70	10	1057.00	Excluding VAT
4	Belt for Guitar	100.00	2	200.00
	13.5% VAT			4071.00
5	Dranyen Peyser  ( Tibetan Guitar)	3150.00	8	25200.00	10% discount
6	Dranyen Chungpa (Tibetan Guitar)	4950.00	2	9900.00	10% discount
7	Guitar Stand	175.00	10	1750.00	6nos receivable
8	Guitar String	120.00	2	240.00	Including VAT
TOTAL AMOUNT				71316.00

(Total Rupees:  Seventy One Thousand Three Hundred Sixteen Only)  

 

 

 

 

 

                    

  

September Lifeskill Workshop for the staff of Kunphen and Yongling Creche

Amidst the busy schedule of attending HHDL's teaching in September, our volunteer Ruoqi was very kind to agree on giving a session to the near 20 staff in these two organisations. She was assisted by some of her helpful colleagues who did not mind sitting in to facilitate the session even it was a holiday for them.
It was an unexpected kind of experience for the attendees as Tibetans are not used to such frank revelation of inner feelings in the public. More concrete understanding of their needs was gathered at the end of the session. We now have a clearer and firmer idea about what will be the suitable trainers to be sent to Dharamsala in the future in order to better assist them in areas they are lack in

 

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