Louisiana Himalayan association

Tashi Delek! (Hello in Tibetan)

We are raising funds to support the Louisiana Himalaya Association Clear Vision Program! Sponsored by you, this program provides eye exams and glasses to Tibetan refugees who cannot afford these services. A donation of $20 covers the cost of the examination and the glasses for one person. Any donation helps, the more we raise, the more Tibetan refugees with clear vision!

During our time in India we traveled to the Himalayas where we visited Dharamsala, which is the current home of the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan government in exile. There we volunteered with the Louisiana Himalaya Association (LHA), helping and learning from Tibetan refugees.

LHA is a grassroots social work organization founded in New Orleans in 1997, with a counterpart in Dharamsala. It hosts a variety of programs to support the Tibetan refugee diaspora. LHA is 100% volunteer based, meaning all of the money that you donate goes directly to Tibetans in need.

During our time volunteering we were fortunate to meet and become friends with many Tibetan refugees, learning about their culture and hearing their stories. Kindness and compassion seem innate, and the Tibetans radiate joy and optimism despite exile from their home. Many of our Tibetan friends have not seen their families or home since childhood.

They were forced to leave their families and home in hopes of a safe future. In groups they daringly hiked over the Himalayas, some passes over 19.000 feet, to freedom in India. This journey to freedom, still happening today, takes up to a month with much of the walking done at night in freezing temperatures to avoid Chinese troops. While some make it over, unfortunately many have died while others have been caught by troops and put into labor camps where they are often severely tortured even today.

Some background - Tibet was invaded by China in 1950. By 1959, over a million innocent Tibetans had been killed by Chinese troops while thousands were forced into labor/torture camps. The fifteen year old Dalai Lama, followed by thousands of Tibetans, were forced to flee to save their lives. Those left behind have been faced by harsh punitive measures and bans on Tibetan culture and language in an act of cultural genocide.

This exodus from Tibet has been ongoing since that time. Oppression and extreme human rights violations in Tibet have continued up until today. There was a sharp deterioration due to the global attention that China received for hosting the 2008 Olympics and the subsequent uprising in Tibet. Now whole families are prosecuted if a member tries to flee. Also border security has tightened, resulting in a steep decline in successful escapes. The resulting situation is so hopeless that certain Tibetan activists have turned to self immolation in a desperate attempt to draw Western attention and aid to their cause.

We are very passionate about helping this wonderful group of humans who have suffered deep injustices throughout their lives. Many Tibetan refugees have never been able to get their eyes checked, and therefore don’t know they need glasses. When people receive the proper prescription for the first time they are amazed at the details in each leaf, and they are relieved of never ending vision headaches. We ask that you contribute whatever you are able, as well as to share this go fund me. Please also share what is going on in Tibet to those who are unaware.

BIG THANKS for taking the time to read this! Please feel free to reach out with any questions to Fabiana or Spencer, and we will do our best to answer!

Below are some resources at your disposal if you wish to further educate yourself on the reality of Tibet today.

LHA’s website - Volunteer Info and more ...

Tashi Delek!

We are raising funds to help support LHA's Tibetan Smiles Dental Program! The Louisiana Himalaya Association (LHA) was founded in 1997 and has been providing free dental services for Tibetan Refugees in India since 2011.

Dear friends and supporters of LHA and the APOCOLYPSE BALL,

The Louisiana Himalaya Association (LHA) is a New Orleans-based non-profit organization that works with Tibetan refugees in the Himalayas of Northern India to increase access to clean water, healthy food, medical services and education.

We all know that clean water is critical to living a healthy life. For the Tibetan refugee communities, we work with, access to clean drinking water is often difficult to afford. That is why, in 2013, the LHA Clean Water Project was initiated. Since then LHA has installed 35 water filtration systems in schools, monasteries and community centers. The LHA Clean Water Project provides clean drinking water to more than 15,000 people every day. To sustain the project, LHA carrys out water hygiene education programs, maintains all the equipment and replaces all the filters annually

For every $100 we raise with the APOCOLYPSE BALL, we are able to provide 200 people with clean drinking water for an entire year!

To help support this project, the Apocolypse Krewe of New Orleans is hosting their 23nd annual Mardi Gras Costume Ball.

Family, friends, colleagues, and Louisiana Himalaya Association (LHA) supporters and volunteers,

We have once again teamed up with LHA for another Green Energy Project to help out our Tibetan refugee friends in Dharamsala, India. This time it's Energy Efficient Windows for their Social Service Building.

As many of our friends and family know, we have been very fortunate to volunteer twice with the Tibetan Refugee community in Northern India, and it has been one of the most influential experiences of our lives. The first time was with our Tulane student group then we returned solo to work on the Solar Project. In exchange for our volunteer service, we've learned so much from our Tibetan friends about the importance of compassion, the power of resiliency, and the value of relationship.

The first and successful project we accomplished with LHA was raising funds and installing Solar Panels on Ahimsa House (the Social Service building in Dharamsala, India which was purchased by LHA and donated to its Tibetan run sister organization, Lha Charitable Trust). LHA is a New Orleans based organization that has provided Social Services with the Tibetan refugee community since 1997. It was co-founded by our former Tulane professor, Neil Guidry and his Tibetan friend Jampa Tsering. LHA and Lha Charitbable Trust now host a variety of programs to support Tibetan refugees and Himalayan communities of Northern India.

The panels from our first project now provide a constant efficient energy source which is vital for this location where power outages occur daily. The solar power also saves on energy costs, helping the organization to be more self-sufficient. Since the panels were installed, the Tibetan staff have followed our lead and have now set up water catchment to further their efficiency. Besides all this, the building now serves as a green model that other organizations and businesses in the area are following. Thanks to the momentum created by our Solar Project, LHA has become a true clean energy leader in the Himalayan community.

Ahimsa House was built about forty years back. It's a strong and sturdy four-story building with classrooms, offices and volunteer accommodation on the upper floors. The ground floor houses a cafe which helps to support the organization. When it was built energy efficient windows were not available or even heard of in the area. As seen in the photos here, the old windows have greatly deteriorated and are in desperate need of replacement.

These new windows will help to keep the heat inside during the cold Himalayan Winters while saving energy and reducing energy bills to the organization.

More energy saved means more funds to sustain LHA's social service projects, including:

- Language and Computer Classes

- Water Filtration Systems - Providing clean drinking water to over 10,000 people daily

- Environmental Projects

- Elder Assistance

- Medical, Dental, and Eye Care Programs

- Student Trips (Tulane, Loyola, and More)

We invite you to join us in this effort

LHA is unique in that 100% of your donation goes directly to those in need. LHA has no overhead expenses; even the office space and properties used in New Orleans are all donated by the LHA Board and/or Team. LHA is totally volunteer staffed and none of the volunteers have any type of expense account; everyone donates their own time, travel expenses, meals, etc. LHA is a 501-c3 non-profit organization which means all donations are tax deductible and will generate maximum Good Karma!

History and Current Situation in Tibet

Some background - Tibet was invaded by China in 1950. By 1959, over a million innocent Tibetans had been killed by Chinese troops while thousands were forced into labor/torture camps. The fifteen year old Dalai Lama, followed by thousands of Tibetans, were forced to flee to save their lives. Those left behind have been faced by harsh punitive measures and bans on Tibetan culture and language in an act of cultural genocide.

This exodus from Tibet has been ongoing since that time. Oppression and extreme human rights violations in Tibet have continued up until today. There was a sharp deterioration due to the global attention that China received for hosting the 2008 Olympics and the subsequent uprising in Tibet. Now whole families are prosecuted if a member tries to flee. Also border security has tightened, resulting in a steep decline in successful escapes. The resulting situation is so hopeless that certain Tibetan activists have turned to self immolation in a desperate attempt to draw Western attention and aid to their cause.

We are very passionate about helping this wonderful group of humans who have suffered deep injustices throughout their lives. We ask that you contribute whatever you are able, as well as to share this go fund me. Please also share what is going on in Tibet to those who are unaware.

BIG THANKS for taking the time to read this, please pass it on with your social media and to anyone you feel may be interested !

Sincerely,

Noah, Nick, and the rest of LHA

If you have any questions about this project please feel free to contact us anytime.

Below are some resources if you wish to know more about LHA and/or Tibet.

LHA’s website - Volunteer Info and more ...

Family, friends, colleagues and LHA supporters:

Tashi Delek!

We are raising funds to help support LHA's Tibetan Smiles Dental Program! The Louisiana Himalaya Association (LHA) was founded in 1997 and has been providing free dental services for Tibetan Refugees in India since 2011.

As part of the fundraising effort we are hosting a fundraising event called the Joie De Dent Festival, meaning "the Joy of Teeth"! It's a healing arts and camping retreat festival held at the Lafayette LHA Center which is only a couple blocks for downtown Lafayette. It happens April 26-30 in conjunction with Lafayette's Festival International. For more about the Joie De Dent Festival go to bit.ly/JoiedeDents

Many of those served by LHA come from remote areas of the Himalayas where dental services are not available. Lacking dental hygiene education and financial resources, many individuals experience painful and /or health-threatening dental problems. LHA has been committed to providing a broad range of quality dental services to those in need and to using local, qualified dentists who reside and work in these communities of the Himalayas of Northern India.

We are asking for your financial support to help keep these free dental services available. Only $10 fills a cavity and $20 can provide a general dental checkup and cleaning. $70 can provide a life-saving root canal which would cost up to $2000 in the US. Every dollar goes a long way in India. 107 people received dental care from the proceeds of our 2022 Tibetan Smiles fundraiser which brought in $2700.

100% of your donation will go directly to LHA's Tibetan Smiles Dental Program. There are no overhead expenses or managerial costs, as LHA is a volunteer staffed organization where all volunteers cover their own travel and related expenses (no expense accounts).

Your donations, big or small, will have an immediate, long-lasting impact.

Thank you for your generosity!

Dear friends and supporters of LHA and the APOCOLYPSE BALL,

Dear family and friends, 

We write to you from the Himalayas of Northern India as we take part in an immersive international learning experience. During our stay in Dharamsala, we have had the opportunity to meet, interact with, and learn from the Tibetan community. Dharamshala is home to the Dalai Lama and the largest community of exiled Tibetan Refugees.


When many of us think of Tibet, we think of the country that was forcibly occupied in the 1950s; however, as Tibetans seek refuge in India, they are faced with language/cultural barriers and also often lack the financial resources needed to maintain good health. In a new environment with minimal resources, many Tibetan refugees endure unnecessary suffering and some even die due to lack of funds and/or confusion about personal and community medical care.    

Since becoming aware of the identified difficulties of Tibetan refugees, we have partnered with the New Orleans-based Tibet Aid organization Louisiana Himalaya Association (LHA) (www.lhainfo.org) and its Indian counterpart Lha Charitable Trust (www.lhasocialwork.org), a fully Tibetan run and operated social service NGO which provides a wide array of programs throughout this community. 
 
 One important part of Tibetan culture is supporting the Tibetan monks that serve and promote spiritual wellbeing within the community.  Two dear friends of Lha Charitable Trust, Khenpo Kunsang Ten and Lama Tsering Phuntsok, are Tibetan monks who have played key roles over the last two decades in connecting multiple volunteer groups with the Tibetan refugee community in Dharamsala. As Khenpo Kunsang and Lama Tsering have dedicated their lives to promoting the wellbeing of others, we wish to do the same and help their monastery in a time of need. 

Lama Tsering Phuntsok (above) and Khenpo Kunsang Ten (below) 

Annual volunteer groups working with LHA provide medical, dental, and eye care screenings to Tibetan refugees. Dr. Rebecca Byrne, faculty at Tulane Medical School, leads a volunteer group each summer. On average, they provide health assessments to approximately 200 Tibetan refugees. About 75% of those assessed are referred to local healthcare providers for further medical, dental, and/or eye care treatments. These services are all paid for with funds generated by the volunteer group and other generous LHA supporters.

Before our arrival, a group of nurses organized by Dallas Lawry, RN volunteering with LHA developed an idea to start a medical clinic within the monastery Khenpo Kunsang and Lama Tsering call home: the Palyul Chorkhorling Monastery. The group raised enough funds to complete all the construction costs. Following the nurse group, a volunteer group of MDs organized by Dr. Chris Blaise and Dr. Jonathon Nussdorf of Oschner Hospital in New Orleans provided training to the two Tibetan monks who will oversee the clinic. 

Medical clinic room before (above) and after (below) renovations

Now, our group is working to raise money for the furnishings and medical equipment needed to supply and maintain the medical clinic!

Please see below for a list of the supplies and the approximate cost for each:
Also, below is a sketch of the medical clinic's floor plan.
Please help by making a general donation or a donation covering a particular item on the supply list! 100% of your donation will go directly to this project - there are no administrative or managerial fees.

We deeply appreciate your support for our efforts. Your donation, big or small, will make a huge difference in someone’s life. Every dollar goes a long way in India!

Also, if you'd like to get involved with Louisiana Himalaya Association in New Orleans or participate by joining one of the 2020 volunteer groups to India, please contact Neil Guidry at [email redacted]. 

Thank you from all of us for your generosity, 

Amanda Lally
Kasra Khalili
Rachel Walls
Adrian White
Allison Reho

About the Scholarship Fund

Tibetans who have made the treacherous escape by foot over the Himalayas to India seeking asylum face huge resettlement issues. For twenty years the Louisiana Himalaya Association has helped them to find housing, healthcare, employment, education and more. And Tibetans have much to offer in return. For more than 2,000 years, Tibetan culture has been developing ways of coming to know the human mind and spirit—a tradition that can help us confront a modern world facing enormous challenges.

More than just one student is affected when a youth becomes educated and empowered, as employment and healthy modeling can help entire families and communities. Many Tibetan women seek a degree in nursing, since jobs are available and nursing degrees are easily transferred abroad or to Tibet. Many are qualified and accepted into programs, but lack funding for tuition, room, and board. The cost of a three-year nursing degree in India is only $6,000, including tuition, books, room, and board. That's just $2,000 a year per student! Our long-term goal is to continue to support and grow this scholarship program, and to have a lasting impact and provide opportunities for years to come.

This project was started in 2017 by a group of Tulane University social work students, in honor of Neysa Fanwick, a Tulane School of Social Work alumna who passed away on July 29, 2017. Neysa had come to India in 2011 and was greatly moved by her Tibetan friends and their community.  A highly successful campaign quickly funded the first three scholarships.  Professor John Clark of Loyola University, with great admiration for the LHA and its work, accepted the invitation to coordinate the ongoing scholarship campaign. Please contact him if you can in any way help with this important project. 

The Louisiana Himalaya Association

The Louisiana Himalaya Association is a 501c3 nonprofit social work organization that is dedicated to improving the lives of Tibetan refugees, and to making ancient Tibetan wisdom traditions available to the world. LHA is completely volunteer-staffed and volunteers cover their own expenses. From the New Orleans office space to accounting and legal services, all resources and work hours are donated by our Board of Directors and other members of the LHA team, rendering LHA 100% free of overhead expenses. 100% of donations to LHA go directly to the actual social service projects for which they are donated. LHA has worked with the Tibetan community since 1997. LHA works with a variety of schools and organizations, including Tulane and Loyola Universities, Ochsner Medical Center, and the Louisiana Mississippi Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (LMHPCO), in addition to other local, national and international groups, to host Tibetan scholars and organize cultural events. These schools and other organizations send groups to India each year who volunteer for social service activities and learn directly from the Tibetan people. Please see the LHA website at http://www.lhainfo.org/india.html for further information on its work and that of the Lha Charitable Trust in Dharamsala, India.

Image: Tibetan Women Student Leaders at the Third Tibetan Students' Leadership Workshop in Dharamsala (June 18-23, 2018)