rokpa times october 2012
DESCRIPTION
Our magazine, the "ROKPA Times", appears several times per year and reports in detail on current and planned ROKPA projects in Tibet, Nepal, Zimbabwe and South Africa.TRANSCRIPT
No.2 / October 2012 / Issue 32
ROKPA TIMES
Our new plot of land in Kathmandu
lea Wyler
CONTENTS
lea Wyler 2
NEPAL
Our new land in Kathmandu 3
NEPAL | ROKPA SWiTZERLAND
Bijay – from street kid to manager 6
enthusiasm for our ROKpa Kids 6
i Am ROKPA
ROKpa KID / Commitment /
Co-workers 7
Cover and Back illustration: Santesh and
his sister were admitted to the Children's
Home at the same time. Before they had
been beaten and abused, today they are
well fed, happy and going to school.
Impressum
Text editor: ROKPA Communications
Image editors: Corinna Biasutti /Thomas Stettler
All photographs and texts: © ROKPA INTERNATIONAL
Print run: 8.500 copies
Printed on FSC paper
ROKPA INTERNATIONAL has beenZEWO certified since 2004.
Dear Friends of ROKPA, Ladies and Gentlemen,
When you read these lines I will be travelling in Tibet – as I do
for several months each year. Here I met up with our ROKpa
co-founder and president, Dr. akong Tulku Rinpoche. as we do
every year, we will be visiting our aid projects to make sure that
your donations are being put to best use and used in a sustaina-
ble way. although our staff is irreproachable, it is useful and
necessary to check up on things personally. This enables us to
communicate directly with the beneficiaries, motivate our helpers
even more, and adjust the support provided by ROKpa if and
where needed.
after my visit to Tibet I am planning a detour to Kathmandu,
where I hope to initiate the project ‘extension of the ROKpa
Children’s Home and Guest House’.
For this reason, our new plot of land in Kathmandu is the main
topic of issue 2/2012 of the ROKpa Times. You will learn about
the importance of this piece of land to ROKpa's development. It
connects the Children’s Home with the Guest House. We are
about to take a big step forward and we need your support if we
want to stay on firm ground. We have finally purchased the land
– we have been waiting 10 years for this opportunity. almost no
land is left for sale in Boudha, even less land is available close to
our Children's Home, and a plot that directly connects the
Children’s Home to the Guest House is more than we could have
hoped for! This was a unique opportunity which we could not let
pass. But now is the time to raise the money to finance this
stroke of good luck and for this we need your generous help.
You might be getting tired of me always asking for donations!
Will it never end? and of course the answer to that question is
no. as long as a single person, a single child, is still suffering on
this earth, does not have enough to eat and has no opportunity
for education, I and you will continue as partners - working to
make this world just a little better.
as a great Tibetan master once said ‘The reason for having is
being able to give.’
and we also have about another request for you. I also am
enclosing a letter containing a survey on ROKpa. We would like
to know what you expect from us. We would like to know in
which form you would like to continue receiving the ROKpa
Times.
We are asking you for your email address, as this will enable
us to communicate with you much more economically in future.
Thank you so much for your valuable contribution.
Vice President of ROKPA INTERNATIONALVice President of ROKPA INTERNATIONAL
3
Nepal
Our new land in Kathmandu ROKPA was able to buy 660 square
meters of land in the Boudha district.
This enables us to combine the
Children’s Home with the Guest House,
and to improve the infrastructure
considerably.
lea Wyler about the new land: “We have
been lucky to have been offered the land
in Boudha. Here it has become increasin-
gly difficult to acquire property in a
central location, let alone one that would
combine our two most pivotal projects.
But this acquisition was a chance that we
could not let pass. The previous owner
needed money quickly, in order to buy a
larger piece of land elsewhere. He sold us
the property at a price which was
considerably lower than is customary in
this area. We are very happy, because
now we can optimize our ROKpa infra-
structure, just as we have always wished
for. However, if we do not manage to
refinance this land quickly with donations,
we might have to sell it again, as sad as
this would be for myself and everybody
involved. With the new land we are
enlarging our most important projects in
Nepal and safeguarding them for the
future.
We will be able to help more people,
many more children in a much better way.
and last but not least we will generate
additional means for our charity.
ROKPA's main aim: Education
The education and professional preparation of children is one of the main aims of the
ROKpa charity. according to the principle "helping people help themselves" the children
are prepared for an independent and self-reliant future. Both the ROKpa Children’s
Home and the Guest House play a major role in this fundamental concept.
The acquisition of land and the resulting possibilities for the extension of the two
houses are of utmost importance for ROKpa.
As soon as the land had been bought,
the ROKPA children and adolescents began
to tidy up the area with great enthusiasm.
Now it is ready for construction.
The Swiss ambassador Thomas Gass
visited ROKPA, the children gave him
a heartfelt welcome.
Our plans for the new landCafé-Restaurant
We are planning to expand the Café
into a proper restaurant. It is situated in
immediate proximity to the famous
Boudha Stupa, the visit of which is a
must for a Kathmandu tourist. The visitors
will feel wonderfully comfortable in our
green oasis. For us there is a double
benefit: We will increase our revenues,
which will flow back into our projects and
also will be able to start a training
programme in gastronomy for our students,
including cooking, service, buffet and
back-office.
This benefits: ROKPA guests, trainees
and tourists.
Clothes-depot
We will create a permanent distribution
center for clothes which we collect and
give out to the needy. For this important
task we do not yet have a permanent
address. Now the logistics will become
much simpler.
This benefits: the needy of Kathmandu
Playground for the children
The small courtyard of the Children’s
Home is too small for the 55 ROKpa Kids
and balls flying around are often dan-
gerous to the little ones. In the future we
will provide a playground and sports field
for the children.
This benefits: The ROKPA children
Connection the Children's Home and the Guest House
Up to now a small path across private
ground led from the Children’s Home to
the Guest House. This access can be
denied at any time. In the future, guests
and co-workers can go over our own land
to the Women's Workshop and the Shop.
We hope that through this they will learn
more about ROKpa and our local charita-
ble activities. In addition, revenues should
increase.
This benefits: The ROKPA children,
ROKPA guests, ROKPA workers
Women's workshop and Shop
Both the Women's Workshop and the
Shop will be extended, more women will
be employed and the range of goods
increased.
This benefits: women, ROKPA guests,
tourists
SECHEN MONASTRY
ROKPA Guest House
Offi
ces,
Sho
p &
Wor
ksho
p
NEW LAND
Garden
Courtyard
Courtyard
MainEntrance
MainEntrance
Veranda
Veranda
ROKPA
Children’s Home
Restaurant
4
Nepal
SECHEN MONASTRY
ROKPA Guest House
Offi
ces,
Sho
p &
Wor
ksho
p
NEW LAND
Garden
Courtyard
Courtyard
MainEntrance
MainEntrance
Veranda
Veranda
ROKPA
Children’s Home
Restaurant
Shop
Courtyard
Foot
path
MainEntrance
MainEntrance
ROKPA Children’s Home
CounterStore
Workshop
Shop
StoreKitchen
Dining Area
WC
WC
ROKPA Guest House
problem with financing:
The purchase of the property, a unique
opportunity for ROKpa, has been funded
with donations that are not targeted
towards a specific project. This amount is
now missing in this years budget and if it
cannot be refinanced quickly, ROKpa will
be forced to sell the land again.
For donations please insert Project
Number 5570.
price Increase in Nepal since 2008
Transport school children + 67%
gas + 40%
rice + 64%
Kerosine (for Soup Kitchen) + 47%
sugar + 38%
flour + 44%
milk + 56%
tea + 25%
salt + 70%
soap + 44%
oil + 59%
beef + 57%
chicken + 68%
daal + 36%
bread + 64%
This table shows the rather dramatic price
development in Nepal, which has also
severely affected ROKpa.
The cost explosion is also reflected in the
prices of land, which have increased
dramatically in the densely populated
Kathmandu. Our local experts are of the
opinion that the acquisition of property
happened to comparatively very favour-
able conditions.
5
Bijay – from street child to ROKpa Children’s Home Manager
enthusiasm for our ROKpa Kids
Today, Bijay is 30 years old. He is
proud to be part of the management of
the Children's Home and to still be a
member of the ROKPA family. He is
looking forward to the new children's
playground, made possible through
the purchase of the new land.
ROKPA TimES: Bijay, when did you first
meet Mummy Lea in Kathmandu?
Bijay: In 1990, my mother died. My
father had left us long before that. My
grandfather threw me out of the house. I
was just 8 years old and was living on the
streets. at that time, I saw Mummy for
the first time, in the Soup Kitchen. She
took children in and I heard that they
were able to go to school. That was what
I wanted too, and after two to three
months I was selected. I received 16
years of education from ROKpa. In 2006,
I obtained my Bachelor's degree in
Business administration and found a first
job as a bookkeeper. In 2010, I returned
to ROKpa und started my job in the
Children's Home.
ROKPA TimES: What exactly is your job
in the Children's Home?
Bijay: We are three people to manage
the Children's Home, the Guest House
and the Women's Workshop. We
organize everything that comes up and
mainly work in the office. every one of
us has a main duty. as far as I am
concerned, I am mainly responsible for
the Children's home.
ROKPA TimES: What is the significance
of the new plot of land between the
Children’s Home and the Guest House
for you?
Bijay: The space in front of the Children's
Home is limited for the 55 children. There
is only a small basketball court. There is
not much space to run around, to play, to
do sports. With the new plot of land, this
is much better. This plot of land is
important for our future in Kathmandu.
lea Wyler and "andreas Vollenweider & the ROKpa Kids" went on tour through Switzer-
land performing infront of enthusiastic audiences (premiere in Zurich, then Schaffhausen,
Winterthur, Bern, Stans, Basel, Boswil and Zug). Through a dance theater, the former
street children portrayed their difficult childhood that - before joining ROKpa - they had
spent in courtyards, in the streets or in garbage dumps - and their blossoming develop-
ment now, in view of their secure future. Whoever has experienced this knows why
donating brings happiness and why donations made to ROKpa really go to where they
are most useful.
The Facebook comment on our tour:
„We saw an incredibly moving perfor-
mance, which almost made me cry.
One can hardly imagine that there is so
much suffering hidden behind these
wonderful and laughing faces."
ROKpa Kids on DVD
The premiere in Zurich was filmed and the resulting recording donated to us by the
producers. The production of a DVD, however, costs money. Sufficient orders will allow
us to order its production and as soon as this is available, you will receive this special
edition from us. For CHF 25 plus postage we will send you your copy of the DVD:
The DVD would also make for a wonderful Christmas present for those you love!
make sure to place your order for one or several DVD's via the ordering form
enclosed or via E-mail to [email protected].
Nepal | ROKpa SWITZeRlaND
6
7
Important note This 2/2012 edition of the ROKpa Times
includes a questionnaire. We kindly ask
you to fill it out. Knowing what you expect
from us enables us to work more efficiently
and also more cost-effective. You can also
use this form to order ROKpa articles such
as a calendar or the tour DVD, which we
will start to produce as soon as we have
enough orders. We can also have textile
products made in our Women's Workshop,
for yourself or as a present to give away.
We are looking forward to your ideas and
suggestions! please visit our website www.
rokpa.org and click on ROKpa shop.
Those participating in the questionnaire
or placing an order automatically take
part in a lottery drawing and might win
this textile painting. It will be custom-
made. a wonderful painter of the Nepalese
Matili style, a former lepra patient, and a
friend of lea Wyler, will draw it for you
personally. This picture will bring you good
luck, as he says!
„My parents were alcoholics. One day, I ran away from
home because I could no longer bear their quarrels,
and because they were beating me often.
I was living as a wild child in the streets of Kathman-
du and went begging - at least, I never stole anything.
But early as at the age of seven, I was working as a
dish washer in a hotel. Then I fell seriously ill and
another street child told me to go to the ROKpa Soup
Kitchen. In 1995, I came into contact with ROKpa for
the first time. at that time, Mummy lea took care of
me, and from then on, I lived in the Children's Home
with all the other children in the big, friendly ROKpa
family and went to school.
I had finally found a home, and I never wanted to go
back to the streets. I had reached a wonderful place,
I was given love, food, a roof over my head and an
education. at the age of 15, I started to write poems.
Today, I am 23 years old and I have recently obtained
a Bachelor's degree in Social Work. I have been on the
ROKpa tour four times already, and on this tour now,
I have been Mummy's assistant. Now I want to
become a musician. But I also want to give something
back to ROKpa, and work for ROKpa. after all,
ROKpa is my family now, even though I still have my
parents. I don't see them more than once a year.“
I am a child of the ROKpa family ...
„There was a time, when I did not see much point in
my life, my job, my family and my home. at that
time, lea asked me whether I wanted to take care of
the coordination for a small UK ROKpa organization.
This was a task that quickly arose my interest. at that
time, we had only 80 donors, interested in supporting
Tibetans. When I was still working, I had only little
time for this additional job, but after my retirement, I
had more time. It has always been my wish to do my
best, and this meant to make full use of my abilities
and to learn from others. and it also meant realizing
where my limits are.“
I work for ROKpa...
„In the confirmation classes, we discussed practicing
acts of charity. I wanted to rouse sympathy for
children, who have nothing, and no chance to live in
dignity. The confirmands were to express their
solidarity by an action on their own. The first thing we
did was sell home-made chocolates on a cold and
wet market in December, for the benefit of ROKpa.
Until March, the adolescents collected money by
selling cakes, through sponsored runs, by babysitting
and playing carneval music. at a festive meeting they
were able to hand over a sum of CHF 2500 to
ROKpa! There was great joy and happiness! May
these young people be a role model for more such
acts of charity.“
I work for ROKpa...
sMaila
Victoria Long
Britta Hess
I aM ROKpa
luck, as he says!
7
You can make a donation to this account:
Credit Suisse: IBaN CH73 0483 5045 5090 1100 1, account 455090-11-1
Clearing Nummer 4835
postfinance: IBaN CH54 0900 0000 8001 9029 5, account CHF 80-19029-5
We need your help!
In Switzerland, donations to ROKPA are exempt from tax. ROKPA has been ZEWO certified since 2004.
ROKPA iNTERNATiONAL | Böcklinstrasse 27 | 8032 Zurich | Switzerland
phone +41 44 2626888 | Fax +41 44 2626889 | [email protected] | www.rokpa.org
Helping where help is needed: sustainably, for over 30 years.ROKPA
Every single year, many children and youths in Tibet and Nepal – currently
almost 10,000 – receive an education thanks to ROKPA.
55 children live in the ROKpa Children’s Home in Kathmandu. In the Workshop
we offer vocational training to mothers in need: we prepare them for a life of
independence, without having to rely on others. We have already achieved a lot
with your money and with more donations we will be able to achieve even more.
On your behalf!
The bigger boy is Rajendra. Three years ago he was scared and lost – this year
he is one of the stars of the ROKPA tour through Europe. The smaller boy is called
Santesh, then and today: see cover.
SmS donation
of up to CHF 99.–
ROKPA XX
(amount, numbers only) to
488.
Example for donation of
CHF 20.–:
Rokpa 20 to 488