Louisiana Himalayan association

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