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 24th October to 11th
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)
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