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40 Years of ROKPA
Come and join us!
No. 1 / March 2020 / Volume 40
CONTENTS
EDITORIAL 2
LOOKING BACK 3
THE FOUNDERS 4 – 5
ABOUT ROKPA 6 – 7
EDUCATION 8
PROJECTS 9 – 12
DO YOU REMEMBER? 13
THE JOURNEY CONTINUES 14
LOOKING AHEAD 15
BACK COVER 16
ROKPA INTERNATIONAL Executive Board
Lea Wyler (Co-Founder and President) / Peter Fanconi (Vice President) / Lama Yeshe Losal Rinpoche / Dorje Tarap / Gelong Thubten / Andreas Vollenweider
Imprint
Editorial team: Andrea Hefti / Corinna Biasiutti / Evelyne Plüss / Lea Wyler Graphic design: Renée Reust / Staša Lampret Copy editing: Claire Twigger Cover picture: © Lea Wyler Print run: 7,300 copies (German edition)
Dear ROKPA friends,
I was once an actress with little more than a wish to help this
one child. Today, 40 years later, I look around me, and besides
thousands of people who have a better life thanks to ROKPA, I
see offices, computers, photos, videos, project reports, the
ROKPA Times, the ROKPA Facebook page and so many other
things which I could not have even imagined back then. Above all
else, however, I see people who commit to ROKPA and who all
share the same wish: to help that one child. And for this I am
simply grateful.
Dr. Akong Tulku Rinpoche, my father and I laid the foundations
for the ROKPA path on March 27, 1980, the date on which
ROKPA was officially founded in Zürich. Since then, countless
people from all over the world have joined us: benefactors,
employees, volunteers, board members, friends and ambassa-
dors. Hundreds of our supporters made a commitment to
ROKPA in the past, or continue to do so today. In the mean-
time, they have become friends who carry and pass on the
ROKPA values.
ROKPA's story cannot be summarized in a single ROKPA Times
or even in ten editions, because it is shaped by a collection of
large and small, happy and sad stories and moments, as well as
deeply-felt emotions. What you hold in your hand is a small but
important part of the whole.
Both I and the entire ROKPA team would like to sincerely thank
you for your donations, your loyalty and your solidarity. I can’t
imagine what we would be without YOU! We would be de-
lighted if you continue on this path with us. Come with us and
let’s write the story of the next decade together!
Enjoy the read.
Yours,
Lea Wyler
Co-Founder and President of ROKPA INTERNATIONAL
Invitation to the Anniversary-Event on the 25th June, 2020
We would be delighted to celebrate ROKPA's 40th Birthday with
you. Would you like to join? Details can be found in the
accompanying letter.
Editorial
Pho
to:
© D
avid
Las
net
Printed on recycled paper manufactured in accordance with the rules of “The Blue Angel”.
In action on site.
Kathmandu, Nepal (around 1990)
A bed can be found in times of need.
Kathmandu, Nepal (1990)
Lending a helping hand: the first ROKPA children.
Kathmandu, Nepal (around 1990)
On the ground, without infrastructure:
food distribution in the early days before
the soup kitchen. Nepal (around 1990)
Inside a classroom.
Yushu, Tibet (1994)
A Tibetan nomadic family.
(1996)
Boxes used as wardrobes: a dormitory
in an orphanage. Tibet (around 1990)
Dr. Akong Rinpoche in Tibet.
(2005)
Grinding barley.
Tibet (around 1990)
Beginnings
Pho
tos:
© L
ea W
yler
, R
OK
PA
IN
TER
NAT
ION
AL
LOOKING BACK
3
Pho
to:
© L
ea W
yler
IN LOVING MEMORY Dr. Akong Tulku Rinpoche
The ROKPA Co-founder and President (1939 - 2013) dedicated
his whole life to those suffering from poverty and illness. Due to
the Tibetan uprising in China, he was forced to flee to India with a
group of 300 or so other Tibetans in 1959. Their escape lasted
ten months and was shaped by hunger, great hardship and mortal
danger. The group soon had nothing to eat and in their plight
resorted to cooking the leather of their shoes to at least find some
nourishment. Out of the group of 300 people, there were only 13
survivors. Touched by these terrible events, Akong Rinpoche
decided to help people suffering from poverty, illness, fear and
emotional distress. In 1967 together with Chögyam Trungpa
Rinpoche, he founded the first Tibetan Buddhist center in
Scotland.
He was involved in ROKPA projects for more than 30 years –
especially in the Tibetan areas of China, but also in Nepal and
Africa.
Who and what Akong Rinpoche was like can be best described by his own words:
Don’t think: I am “helping” people.
Think: I am "serving" people.
Above all learn to be compassionate because
knowledge is useless without compassion!
You are not helpless if you help others.
The best way to help yourself is lose yourself in the help for others.
Education is the key to inner freedom.
Serve your family, serve your enemies -
simply serve everyone. Don't care what others think of you. Just think
of one thing: to help, to serve and don't expect anything from
the other!
4
THE FOUNDERS
IN LOVING MEMORY Dr. Veit Wyler
Dr. Veit Wyler (1908 - 2002) was one of
the three Co-founders of ROKPA and one
of the most famous Jewish personalities
in Switzerland. Thanks to his pro-
nounced sense of justice, coupled with
his profession as a lawyer, he repeatedly
rescued and helped Jewish refugees
during the Second World War. He
worked hard for the inclusion and
acceptance of persecuted people. To his
daughter Lea, he said: "In a place where
no one is human, you try to be human."
After his death, his daughter and Akong
Rinpoche opened the "Veit Wyler
Education Fund", which still exists today.
Lea Wyler wrote at the time:
My father held education and learning in
very high regard throughout his life. For
as long as he had influence over his
daughters, he urged us not to spend a
day without learning, learning new
things, not stagnating – keeping the
mind active. "Stand on your own two
feet" was one of his mottos. When I
founded ROKPA with Dr. Akong Tulku
Rinpoche and my father in March 1980,
he was initially sceptical. (True to form
though, it didn’t stop him helping us!)
Over the years, that scepticism faded
away and his eyes would light up when I
told him about the establishment of a
new ROKPA school and the basic
education of orphans supported by
ROKPA or of children from the poorest
families. And at the age of 94 – when he
wasn’t interested in much else – the old
fire of learning glowed in him when he
heard that the first Tibetan school class
we had founded was now ready for
university. "How will you finance this?",
he asked me. And then – without telling
me – he ordered a larger amount to be
transferred from his account to ROKPA.
He was ROKPA’s greatest benefactor
– and still is, since I have never had to
draw a wage over the years (except for
expenses).
Now he is no longer here and I have to
stand on my own two feet with all the
ROKPA children. So it stands to reason
that I am establishing this fund in his
honor today.
AN INTERVIEW Lea Wyler
Lea Wyler founded ROKPA 40 years
ago, together with Dr. Akong Tulku
Rinpoche and her father.
What has driven you during the past 40
years?
The will to help as many people in the
world as possible. Because if you were
lucky enough to have been born in safe
Switzerland and also to have had wonder-
ful parents and enough to eat, then it is
not only your duty to help, but also an
honor to do something for others.
Do you have a hidden “superpower” that
helped you?
No, definitely no superpower! But I had
and continue to have exceptional role
models: Dr. Akong Tulku Rinpoche, who
provided help to anyone who asked him
and whose life was determined by the
well-being of others. And then my parents,
who taught me by example that I was not
in the world only for myself. On every birth-
day, from the age of three, we children had
to forgo a gift. The money was donated to
an aid organization (at that time, it was
30-50 % of all gifts). We thought that was
normal and the fact that I never behaved
by the book myself also arguably strengthe-
ned me.
How were you different?
Firstly, my mother was 42 when I was
born. Her life experience, love and wisdom
have enriched me enormously and taught
me a lot. Secondly, I was the only Jew in
my class. Other schoolchildren persecuted
and insulted me because of this, passed
me by on the way home from school and
threw stones at me. Thirdly, I am an
actress. Not the norm either. And so I was
actually a lifelong outsider and have always
been swimming against the current. I
always thought that was good because it
gave me a lot of surprises. And all these
events and experiences have made me
stronger.
Have you ever thought of going back to
acting?
Never. The moment I was first involved
in really helping someone was a defining
moment for me. Doing this is not a
profession for me, but a calling. The
children need a mother and so I became
one.
THE FOUNDERS
5
ROKPA’s vision
In the beginning, it was not about founding an aid organization, it was simply a desire to help
people. Forty years ago, Dr. Akong Tulku Rinpoche, Lea Wyler and Dr. Veit Wyler laid the
foundations for ROKPA. Everyone who has accompanied us on this path since then carries this
motivation and the values of ROKPA within them, as well as the conviction that greatness can
come out of small things. We believe that everyone can help someone, and that this is the way
out of poverty.
We care about helping
Our values
Respect for all
ROKPA helps people where help is needed. For us, all people are
the same, whether rich or poor, and regardless of religion, origin,
race and culture. When it comes to giving or receiving help,
nobody is more or less important.
Valuing indigenous knowledge
We have great respect for the way of life and knowledge of
local populations and our local partners. We respect people's
ability to survive in the most difficult of circumstances, and
bring modern knowledge to complement what is already there.
It is people themselves who can decisively improve their living
situation through the projects.
Helping people help themselves – Empowerment
The initiative for ROKPA projects always comes from the local
population: in this way, we can be sure that each project
addresses a specific need for aid. Those affected determine the
way in which the help is provided. Through this initiative, they
gain strength and belief in their ability to change their lives for
the better, both as an individual and as a group.
Education for heart and mind
For ROKPA, education is a holistic concept: in addition to
general knowledge, we attach particular importance to human
development and the promotion of social skills. We accompany
"our" students through their training and prepare them for an
independent and self-determined life. We also make sure that
girls and young women in particular are protected and sup-
ported.
You and we are a team
We do not see ourselves as a relief organization which simply
collects money. Your donations enable us to do our work and our
work in turn enables you to use your money wisely and
sustainably. Together, we create a cycle informed by a common
vision: to allow people in the world to live a little better.
Together, we make the impossible possible.
6
ABOUT ROKPA
FOUNDING UNTIL 1980
DEVELOPMENT 1980 – 1990
READY AND HELPING 1990 – 2000
STRENGTHS 2000 – 2010
NEW PATHS 2010 – 2020
Support, sustenance and nutrition for
people affected by poverty
Dr. Akong Tulku Rinpoche's first
visit to Tibet after his escape
Individual sponsorships for the
destitute in Nepal and India
Founding of ROKPA 27 March 1980
Openness, solidarity and tolerance
as cornerstones in the Wyler
family
Lea Wyler’s pilgrimage to Sikkim
(India) with
Dr. Akong Tulku Rinpoche
A deep connection to
Dr. Akong Tulku Rinpoche
develops
Sad loss of
Dr. Akong Tulku Rinpoche
Construction and
opening of the Akong
Rinpoche Memorial
Center in Nepal
Opening of the ROKPA
Hospitality School in Nepal
Earthquake in Nepal:
emergency aid and
reconstruction – ROKPA
helps
Inevitable withdrawal
from the Tibetan areas of
China
THE JOURNEY CONTINUES
The groundwork is laid for the next 40 years.
We need you!
Expansion of medical and
educational projects in
Zimbabwe
Construction of a school for craft
and agricultural professions in
Nepal
Development of
permaculture facilities in
South Africa
The journey continues – Come with us!
Development of
the first educational
projects in Tibet
First projects in
the cultural and
medical fields in
Tibet
Opening of the
ROKPA Soup
Kitchen in
Nepal
Admission of
the first 7 street
children in
Nepal
Opening of the
Yushu Orphanage
and Medical
School in Tibet
Opening of the
ROKPA
Children's Home
in Nepal for rent
The first social
business begins: a
women's workshop
in Nepal
Earthquake in
Yushu in Tibet –
ROKPA helps
Opening of the ROKPA
Guest House in Nepal
Construction of our
own Children's Home
in Nepal
Opening of clinics
and medical
practices in Tibet
Development of the first
projects in reforestation
and environmental
protection in Tibet
Start of the first
projects in Africa
HELPING WHERE HELP IS NEEDED
VALUING INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE
RESPECT FOR ALL
EDUCATION IS KEY
YOU AND WE ARE A TEAM
7
Pho
tos:
© L
ea W
yler
, Ta
l S
iano
THE WAY OUT OF POVERTY Education
Food, shelter, belonging – the basic needs
A child has to be healthy to learn. Children need basic medical
care, food, a roof over their heads, human warmth and the
sense of belonging to a "family". They should have the chance to
build their own life independently and thus find a place in
society. This is a difficult path, especially for the street children
in Nepal and Africa, who are stigmatized and rejected.
A holistic approach to education
As well as a traditional school education, it is important to us
to offer children an environment in which they feel safe and
comfortable. In this way, they learn to work through and
overcome traumatic experiences. We work almost exclusively
with local project employees who are close to those affected,
who know the culture and way of life, and who can therefore
provide children with the support they need.
Free basic education – not a given
In the 1990s, ROKPA began its first educational projects in the
Tibetan areas of China. While basic education was fee-paying at
the time, the state had been paying part of the school fees for
grades 1 to 9 for a few years. However, those who lived in
remote areas and could not afford transportation, accommodati-
on and school supplies were still excluded from primary school.
These costs were borne by ROKPA. In Nepal as well as in our
locations in Africa, state primary and secondary schools are
always fee-paying. Many families cannot afford these fees, which
is why ROKPA supports the education of children – from primary
school to vocational training. And after primary school, our work
is not yet done: wherever possible, we accompany the children
on their way to an independent professional life.
From basic education to vocational training
Vocational training has been an important issue for ROKPA
from the very beginning. For example, we promoted Thangka
painting and traditional carving in Tibet and later set up our
own vocational training courses in the hospitality and textile
sector in Nepal. We are currently in the process of building a
training center in Nepal for various craft and agricultural
professions. Vocational training remains our focus because we
are convinced that it is the way out of poverty.
8
EDUCATION
Pho
tos:
© A
ndre
a H
efti
HELPING WHERE HELP IS NEEDED Helping in the beginning
Tibetan areas of ChinaBetween 1990 and 2016, ROKPA carried
out projects in the fields of education,
medicine, the environment, food aid and
the preservation of Tibetan culture in four
provinces of this region. The work has
become increasingly difficult since the
loss of former President and Co-founder
Dr. Akong Tulku Rinpoche in 2013, so
that only a few projects in this region can
currently continue.
Total projects: around 460
It all started on the pilgrimage to Sikkim (India) in 1979/80: there, Lea Wyler met
countless people in need. Back in Switzerland, ROKPA was founded and then all
efforts were devoted to finding the first donors for the needy. The first sponsor-
ships in Nepal and India, and later in the Tibetan areas of China, came into being.
NepalDonations for individual beneficiaries are
not enough, more is needed: Akong
Rinpoche and Lea Wyler came to this
conclusion in the early 1990s. Around
that time, they met countless people in
need around the Stupa in Boudha,
Kathmandu. Starving, medically under-
served and scantily clad, they sat on the
cold floor. Lea Wyler wanted to do more,
help more – especially children who
need special protection, care and
education. This gave rise to the idea of
providing holistic support for street
children in the ROKPA Children's Home.
Total projects: around 30
AfricaAkong Tulku Rinpoche founded the first
Tibetan Buddhist center Samye Ling in
Scotland together with Chögyam Trungpa
Rinpoche in the 1960s. The ideas and
motivation to help people were deeply
rooted in many of the center's African
students and provided the impetus for
ROKPA's first projects in Africa.
Total projects: around 30
Before digitization: everything had to
be handwritten or typed with a
typewriter.
ROKPA has supported around 1,900 people
through individual sponsorships
in the past.
PROJECTS
9
Pho
tos:
© L
ea W
yler
, O
livie
r A
dam
, R
OK
PA
IN
TER
NAT
ION
AL
TIBETAN AREAS OF CHINA Yushu Orphanage
Kepcha Monastery for women
The orphanage in Qinghai Province,
China (Eastern Tibet) was founded in
1993 by Akong Tulku Rinpoche and built
by ROKPA. Here, children from the
poorest families were admitted and
trained in Tibetan medicine in addition
to schooling. A large number of people in
this region are poor, which is why they
often die from the consequences of work
accidents or illnesses without medical
care – hence the high number of
orphans. The students subsequently
trained at a university as doctors of
Tibetan medicine and today work in
remote areas which, without them,
would often have no doctors at all. After
the 2010 earthquake, the school was
taken over and continues to be run by
the Chinese government.
Monasteries in the Tibetan areas of
China are more than religious and
cultural centers: today they are probably
the only places where the precious
knowledge and language of the Tibetans
is preserved. They are also a social
safety net and often the only way to
learn to read and write. Kepcha is a very
special monastery for women, in a very
remote location at about 4,000m above
sea level and therefore without outside
influence. A unique meditation practice
has been preserved here and now
Kepcha is the only place in the world
where it can be found. The women come
from extremely poor families and stay
here under harsh living conditions. It is
difficult for them to meet their basic
needs. For years, ROKPA has been
supporting the preservation of this
ancient and wholesome culture and way
of life.
10
PROJECTS
Pho
tos:
© C
hris
toph
Däp
pen,
Lea
Wyl
er,
RO
KP
A I
NTE
RN
ATIO
NA
L
NEPAL Soup Kitchen
Children’s Home
Thirty years ago, the first soup kitchen
was created in Boudha, and with it the
first project in Nepal – right next to the
Stupa, Nepal’s famous landmark. It all
started here with the distribution of
food to beggars and people with
disabilities – without any infrastructure.
Today, local employees, volunteers and
local chefs give out around 600 hot
meals as well as clothes every day from
December to March. Basic medical care
is also offered in our outpatient clinic.
This is especially valuable for people
living in extreme poverty and unable to
afford such treatment. In an emergency,
patients are brought to hospitals. The
costs are covered by ROKPA.
It was in 1990 when Lea Wyler took in
the first seven Nepalese street children,
became their “mother” and placed them in
home schools. Six years later, a house
was rented in Boudha (Kathmandu) and
the ROKPA Children's Home opened with
space for 35 children. Finally, in 2005,
ROKPA’s own Children's Home opened its
doors. The Children’s Home provides a
safe space for around 65 children, where
they are lovingly cared for and receive an
education in humanity as well as know-
ledge. Here they grow up to be confident
people who never have to beg again. The
Home is run by former ROKPA children
who grew up there themselves and know
exactly what these children need.
PROJECTS
11
AFRICA Chitungwiza ROKPA Centre | Zimbabwe
Circle of Nourishment | South Africa
In this community centre in a suburb of
Harare, Zimbabwe, extremely poor
families are supported by various
initiatives, including a crèche for physi-
cally or mentally impaired children,
where the children are not only cared for
but also receive treatment. The parents
and caregivers often barely live above
subsistence level, since care of the
children means there is hardly any time
for work and the health costs are very
high. The centre also offers courses in
permaculture, where people learn how to
take care of themselves. In addition to
meditation and relaxation courses, there
has also been a medical contact point
since 2018 which offers free medical
advice and treatment.
This project supports destitute mothers
and their newborn babies at the Mow-
bray maternity hospital in Cape Town,
South Africa. This hospital is primarily
geared towards Cape Town’s poorer
population. In addition to poverty, many
of the expectant mothers suffer from
violence and misery and are undernou-
rished or malnourished, thereby endan-
gering not only themselves, but also
their unborn child. In the hospital, they
receive a “stork bundle” with food and
everything they need for after the birth:
wraps, diapers, clothes and hygiene
articles. ROKPA also pays for their
journey home using public transport, so
that mothers do not have to walk the
often long distance home. In addition to
food and hygiene articles, women also
receive moral support and care during
this demanding time.P
hoto
s: ©
Lea
Wyl
er,
Tal
Sia
no
12
PROJECTS
INTERVIEW WITH THE FIRST DONOR: ERNST OSTERTAG „This could be something personal“
ROKPA'S FIRST EMPLOYEE REMEMBERS Andrea Widmer
Mr. Ostertag, how did you hear about
ROKPA back then?
As a child, I was interested in Asian
culture – especially the philosophy and
religions of India. Then, at the age of 50,
I was in a Buddhist center because I had
had a deep interest in Buddhism for a
long time. One day I heard: "A lady is
coming who has founded an aid organiza-
tion for Tibetan refugees". At that
moment I knew that this could be
something personal. I was touched by the
personal component that Lea brought
– with the support of her father and Dr.
Akong Tulku Rinpoche: she was doing
everything on her own and she helped on
the ground – exactly where help was
I started at ROKPA in 1991. Almost every
Sunday I commuted to Benglen, where
Lea Wyler was living at the time. Lea
dictated letters that I typed on an old
typewriter at home. For almost two years
I worked as a volunteer for ROKPA, in
addition to my 80 % job. Sponsors were
soon sought for the first street children in
Nepal. In May 1993, I became the first
paid secretary at ROKPA. We then moved
to the office on Neptunstrasse, where I
worked with Lea Wyler and a few
volunteers. I remember not wanting to
travel to Nepal – I found that I could do a
lot more in the office than I could on site.
Röbi Rapp, who was a volunteer, and also
Lea Wyler's father, were and are very
special to me. Since Lea was frequently
abroad, we were often on our own. I
could get advice from Veit Wyler – he was
always ready to listen.
needed. Finally, on February 4, 1990, I
took on the sponsorship of ROKPA's
second sponsored child: a ten-year-old
boy whose uncle was a Lama and who
wanted to become a Lama himself.
Why ROKPA and not another charity?
ROKPA is there on the ground and tackles
problems pedagogically by teaching people
a skill or a new technique so that they
themselves are able to improve their
situation. I was also attracted by the
opportunities for personal contact with the
donation recipients.
In your opinion, what is the most impor-
tant thing if you want to help someone?
To build up trust. One shouldn't force
Western thinking and actions on people
there. You have to start at the bottom, sit
in the dirt with them. The children have no
parents, no home – maybe their only
possession is a box. They have lost all
trust. And then you have to recognize that
behind this stone – in this horrible dirty,
messy, lousy street environment – there is
a human being.
Ernst Ostertag (90) and his partner Röbi Rapp (deceased in 2018) were ROKPA’s
first benefactors. We interviewed Mr. Ostertag and talked to him about that time.
Pho
tos:
© A
ndre
a H
efti
, A
ndre
a W
idm
erDO YOU REMEMBER?
13
BIDUR
I want to help others, like ROKPA helped me.
DRONI
I can make diagnoses – without a machine.
Bidur, what has happened to you since
ROKPA?
I worked as an electrician and as a golf
caddy. From 2014 I worked as a security
Bidur was the first
child ROKPA
admitted to the
Children's Home in
1990. It was the
greatest moment
in his life, he says.
Droni grew up in
a small remote
village in Eastern
Tibet. After her
parents died very
early, she spent
part of her
childhood with her relatives. Instead of
going to school, she had to work from
early in the morning until late at night:
looking after yaks, sheep and goats;
milking and cleaning the yard. Until she
was admitted to the Yushu Orphanage,
she did not know what a school was.
Droni, what is your situation today?
I studied medicine and work in a clinic for
Tibetan medicine. I am married and have
two sons. We live in Eastern Tibet.
What do you like most about your job as a
Tibetan doctor?
I can make diagnoses without the need
for a machine.
What are your memorable moments from
your ROKPA time?
Firstly, I was able to go to school in the
Yushu Orphanage thanks to ROKPA. And
I had the opportunity to continue my
education in the West and to find paid
work back home. As a poor nomadic
child, one cannot even dare to dream
about such things – I am very happy that
ROKPA gave me such a great
opportunity. I deeply appreciate this
support.
If you could change one thing in the world,
what would it be?
I wish Akong Rinpoche had had a longer
life. And that poor people would become
rich and get an education.
What has been your biggest lesson so
far?
If you have a good heart, it is not only
good for others, but also for yourself.
And that I became a Tibetan doctor:
People are getting wealthier these days,
but health is going downhill. Many
people suffer from diseases – and I can
help them. Ultimately, I am also grateful
that I've learned three languages:
Tibetan, Chinese and English.
worker in Malaysia for two years. I
returned to Kathmandu in 2016 because
I was treated poorly in Malaysia. I have
been working as a caddy in a golf club
since then. I married my girlfriend and
we have a two-year old son.
What are your memorable moments
from your ROKPA time?
There were many special moments.
When Mummy Lea picked me up from
the streets of Boudha and I went to
school, that was surely one of them.
What stood out to me was also that I
was suddenly surrounded by many
brothers and sisters. And that I got food
and could go to school.
If you could change one thing in the
world, what would it be?
I would like to help others, the way ROKPA
helped me.
What do you wish for your son?
I would like my son to get an education,
to help others and to be a good person.
We accompany many of the ROKPA children and adolescents throughout their lives. Two former ROKPA children talk about how the
journey continued for them. They are representative of all the children we have supported in the past and continue to support today.
Pho
tos:
© L
ea W
yler
, R
ober
t B
ösch
, R
OK
PA
IN
TER
NAT
ION
AL,
Tal
Sia
no
14
THE JOURNEY CONTINUES
A tire and a ball – everything you need to play.
Nursery school in Tirisano, South Africa.
An employee of the Women's Workshop in
Kathmandu, Nepal, is making a Togetherband. The
Togetherband is the symbol of the 17 Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs).
Games and fun are also part of the lessons.
Pre-school in Chikukwa, Zimbabwe.
In addition to the cultivation of rice, this area in Kathmandu,
Nepal, will soon be used for the construction of a training center
for various craft and agricultural professions.
Looking ahead to the future with confidence –
even if living conditions hardly allow it.
Home visit to Chikukwa, Zimbabwe.
Teamwork in the kitchen of the Hospitality School in
Kathmandu, Nepal. Here, we offer one-year training
courses in the hospitality industry.
The Future
15
LOOKING AHEAD
„Only the impossible is worth doing.“
Dr. Akong Tulku Rinpoche
Pho
to:
© L
ea W
yler
How you can donate:
Credit Suisse (Schweiz) AG:
IBAN:
CH73 0483 5045 5090 1100 1
BIC/SWIFT: CRESCHZZ80A
Postkonto: 80-19029-5
Or find the account information for
your country on www.rokpa.org
Project No. 8100:
For education
Project No. 8750:
For food/living costs
Project No. 8150:
For medical care
Project No. 8000:
For urgent ROKPA Projects
We are deeply grateful for your
generous support.
In Switzerland all donations to ROKPA are tax-free.
SMS donations:
GO ROKPA + amount
(up to CHF 99) to number
488.
(Eg: GO ROKPA 30)
ROKPA INTERNATIONAL | Böcklinstrasse 27 | 8032 Zurich | Switzerland | Telephone +41 44 262 68 88
[email protected] | www.rokpa.org | facebook.com/ROKPA.org | instagram.com/rokpa_international