Varada Effort find new means in raising funds

It is hard to always asking for money from our friends with the limited connection we have, even the circle is increasing slowly day by day. So Varada Effort decided to try selling products from various regions (mainly from the Himalaya region) to not only help us in raising funds but also helping the folks in the mountain area where life is harsh. At the same time, we are introducing some exotic products to our people here. Hopefully we can start a social enterprise here or somewhere in this world to continue our effort in helping the needies.

So this July, with the permission of Tibetan Buddhist Centre in Singapore, during the Monlam Chemo in PMT, we have a small table selling tsampa bowls, Ladakhi hand crafted prayer tables and also a small range of oil mix with apricot oil from Ladakh for soothing the skin from sun and heat here.

With the amount we made, (even the crowd was not great) we deducted the costs and we split the profit into 3 ways: $100/- for TBC who graciously given us this space

                              $150/-for Ngari Institute in Ladakh for their help in procuring the products for us

                              Balance will be the seed capital for VE' s future sale

Our humble stall

Tsampa bowls

Prayer table 1

 

The apricot oil mix

Prayer table 2

 Then in late August, we are fortunate enough to have another small stall in Dharamasala during the Asia Teaching by His Holiness. This time we were selling semi-precious stone malas from India, saffron flowers from the Himalaya and also daily freshly made granola bars of chocolate, caramel and fruit taste by an Italian cehf residing in Dharamasala! According to the feedback the granola bars were fantastic in taste!!

We were very lucky as the crowd was big and we were able to raise the amounts that we have wanted.

 Also we do have our dear friends Ming Wen, Lee Nguan and Fangqi who have donated a base amount for TCV and some amount for the Buddhist Dialectics College before the sales. This really was like a booster shot to us! So together with those people who also have not only purchased from our stall but donated generously we managed to give the following amounts to the following 4 non profit organisations and people:-  

US$350 to Dalai Lama Trust to help those brilliant and needy students plus to defray some of their daily expenses

US$370 plus S$100 to TBC to help supplement some of the costs in organizing the yearly teaching

75,000rs to TCV as the Pocket Money Fund for their yearly winter program. This amount will enable 150 children to go out to the community to mix with them by either just simply having a holiday with a difference or helping in the local environment projects.

83,471rs to 23 students (monks, nuns and a few laypersons) from the Buddhist Dialectics who have completed their 7 years study in Prajnaparamita by the end of the year. They will be going onto a 2 months pilgrimage trip in Nepal and India. Hopefully with this amount they can have some better food in their journey if not helping them a little in their spare money as they are all not working people and have no source of income.

We like to say a big thank you to all, especially those friends from Singapore who had come for the teaching and the monks from the Buddhist Dialectics, who had spent their free time helping us with the stall. Also to Pauline who not only contributed her creations for the sale.

Without all of you, it would not have been a success!! Thank you again!

Helpers arranging our goods

The saffron flowers and fruit bars

Look at the crowd!

People are checking the products!

Busy counting money! Heeeee!