LHA has completed many projects and helped to establish others which are fully funded at this time. Whenever possible, programs are set up to avoid dependency and encourage sustainability. Click Completed or Self-Sufficient Projects for a summary. Some programs do depend on annual donations from our supporters.Funds raised each year determine the amount of assistance LHA is able to provide through these particular programs listed below. Every dollar is appreciated and 100% goes directly to those in need. (A dollar goes a long way in India!) To support any program, click Donate.

Ongoing Programs in Need of Funding

TIBETAN WOMEN’S SCHOLARSHIP FUND – NURSING DEGREES
Annual Goal of $21,000. (Three $7,000 scholarships)
More than one life is changed when a youth becomes educated and empowered, as employment and healthy modeling can help entire families and community systems. Many young Tibetan women are qualified and accepted into programs, but lack funding for tuition and room/board. The cost of a three-year degree in India averages only $7,000 including tuition, books, room/board; that's just over $2,000 a year per student! Our long term goal is to continue to support and grow this scholarship program, in order to have a lasting impact and provide opportunities for years to come. The interest from an endowment of $333,000 would fund three scholarships annually. This project was started in 2017 by a group of Tulane University School of Social Work students, in dedication to Neysa Fanwick, a TSSW alumni who passed away July 29, 2017. Neysa had come to India with the TSSW group in 2011, and was strongly moved by her Tibetan friends and their community. The 2017 TSSW group raised funds for the first three scholarships the following year. Dr. John Clark (clark@loyno.edu) of Loyola University followed by securing a donation of $21,000 the next year. Thus far 12 Tibetan women have completed full nursing degrees and are employed as Nurses thanks to this program. Neysa's TSSW classmates continue to promote the program and help with fund raising.

CLEAN WATER PROJECT
Annual Goal of $9,000
many areas in which we work have unclean, poor quality water supply systems coupled with poor and often overflowing sewage systems, a recipe for disease. this infrastructure problem is too big for lha to tackle so we looked at other routes and found a direct approach to provide clean water immediately. since 2013, along with lha charitable trust, we have now installed 35 water filtration systems in schools, monasteries and nunneries. johanna gartner and her team, the founder of this water program, led research prior to and after filter installations in schools assessing absentee rates and grade achievement levels. after the installation of the filter systems absentee rates were greatly reduced and grades were up! it was clear that water born illness was a big problem. lha charitable trust now develops and carries out hygiene education programs and continues to maintain these filtration systems. annual cost for maintenance and filter replacements of the 35 systems is about $9,000. the result of this clean water initiative is clean drinking water for more than 10,000 people every day. for more info, or to donate directly to this project click here.

PADMASAMBHAVA PUBLIC LIBRARY IN TSO PEMA
Annual Goal of $5,000
Tso Pema is a sacred pilgrimage spot for Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, and Christians. It’s located in the Himalayas of Northern India. Padmasambhava Public Library was established there by scholar Buchung Tenzin, who recognized that young people and pilgrims in Tso Pema needed a dedicated study space. Under the guidance and support from Lama Lena, he spearheaded the library development initiative and has managed it as a volunteer since its opening ceremony in 2016. The opening was blessed by the presence of His Holiness the Dalai Lama who donated an entire floor of Buddhist texts. LHA financially supports by paying the annual building rent the help keep the library open as an accessible space for studying, contemplating, and fostering a sense of empowerment and connection. For more info or to donate directly to this project click here.

PUBLIC HEALTH INITIATIVE - SEWAGE CONTROL 
Annual Goal of $9,000.
Currently, clogged and overflowing sewage systems leak into streets and neighborhoods due to underground clogged sewage drainpipes. The smell is horrible. This also jeopardizes public health, especially in lower-elevation areas, where the poorest, most vulnerable people live. Due to lack of remediation equipment, overflows can go unaddressed for weeks. Our goal is to purchase the proper equipment, and to develop local expertise for its operation, to flush these hazardous sewer drainage lines. For more info or to donate directly to this project click here.

TIBETAN SMILES DENTAL CARE PROGRAM
Annual Goal of $7,000.
Many of those we serve come from remote areas of the Himalayas where dental services are not available and diets are much healthier. Now in India, their diets often include processed sugar and other foods harmful to teeth. Lacking dental hygiene education and financial resources, they experience painful, serious and sometimes deadly dental problems. In 2011, Fran Phares, an LHA volunteer who taught English to a young Tibetan girl, Nima, noticed the pain behind Nima's smile. Nima had never visited a dentist and had no money, so Fran took her to a dentist, who removed the pain from behind the smile and saved her life. An uncared for root canal had become so bad that the infection spread into her Nima's nasal system and brought her to near death. LHA has since committed to providing a broad range of quality dental services to those in desperate need. This program keeps growing as we continue to discover more of those we serve in desperate need of dental care. Approximately one third of over 1,000 who were assessed, over a three-year period, by our LSU and Tulane Medical School teams needed dental care.  Thanks to continued support from Fran, the program’s founder, and other generous donors, we provide all these services free of charge, using local, qualified dentists. For more info or to donate directly to this project click here.

CLEAR VISION EYE CARE PROGRAM
Annual Goal of $3,000.
In LHA's classrooms, it is not uncommon to find a student struggling due to visual difficulty. Many need glasses. The cost of an eye exam, including transportation and a new pair of glasses, is roughly only $20. This program was started in 2009 by Loyola University student Aubrey Lynn, with the help of LHA volunteer Elana Rauda, from Calgary, Canada. Our annual goal is to get 100 pairs of glasses for Tibetans per year, and to fund eye surgeries and/or medications for those in crisis situations. It's amazing that only $20 can give someone the gift of clear vision! For more info or to donate directly to this project click here.

TIBETAN ELDER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (TEAP)
Annual Goal of $1,000.
An unfortunate fact of refugee life is that families become separated, often without any means of communication. The Central Tibetan Administration oversees Jampaling Elders’ home where over 200 Tibetan Elders live, they are well supported and cared for. Many more live out in the community on their own. Depending on annual donations to this program, LHA strives to assist elders who are living independently with whatever resources they may need.

GREEN ENERGY INITIATIVE - NEW WINDOWS FOR AHIMSA HOUSE
Annual Goal of $11,900.  
Ahimsa House, our Social Service building in Dharamsala, 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 skills training center and a vegan cafe/coffee shop. When it was built in 1985, energy efficient windows were not available or even heard of in the area. Since then, the old windows have greatly deteriorated and are in desperate need of replacement. New windows will help to keep the heat inside during the cold Himalayan Winters while saving energy and reducing costs. More energy saved means more funds to sustain Social Service projects! Nick Perls and Noah Segal, who originally volunteered with LHA on a Tulane Student Group Trip, are heading up this initiative. Five years ago they raised the funds and came back to Dharamsala to help install Solar Panels on the building. For more info or to donate directly to this project click here.

INTENSIVE ESL FOR ADVANCED-LEVEL MONKS AND NUNS
Annual Goal of $3,000.
In the Tibetan system, adept philosophy graduates (like Ph.D's in the West) are referred to as Geshes or Khenpos. Many speak English but not well enough to teach in English. We now offer an annual three-month, full-time, intensive ESL course to bring their English skills to a level which makes teaching in English possible. Our first course began in March 2020 at the Ahimsa House building with highly skilled ESL teachers. For more info or to donate directly to this project click here.

See Completed or Self-Sufficient Projects for a summary of finished projects and financially self-sufficient and sustainable ongoing programs.