Educating Tibetan Bon Children and Youth

June, 2011

The students at the Children’s Welfare Center (CWC) at Yungdrung Bon Monastic Centre (YBMC) in Dolanji, India are currently on holiday for the summer months.  Many of the students are Bon children from Nepal.  All of these students are very poor and many are orphans or semi-orphans. They would have no chance to attend school in their native villages.  Fortunately, they are granted the opportunity to attend the CWC, where they are provided housing and an education.  The following is the biography of one Bon student who has attended the CWC for many years.  He learned English while attending school:

I am Nyima Sangpo.  I was born on the 3^rd of May, 1992 in a small village named Maga gaon in Dolpa, Nepal.  I am the fourth child of my parents.  I have two sisters, an older brother and one younger brother.  My father’s occupation is a farmer and there is no other source of income. 

When I was four or five years old, I was willing to attend school, but due to the condition of my family’s finances, I did not get the chance to attend school.  Two years later, when I was seven years old, I was admitted to a primary school.  At that time, I attended school without shoes and daily school needs like pencils and notebooks, because they are difficult to buy. 

When I was eight years old, my father was struck by dysentery near my village.  There was no hospital or medical facility available nearby.  With the help of a villager, my father attended the closest hospital by walking for three days.  Luckily, my father’s life was spared.  But, due to his illness, I was not able to go to school for nearly one year.

When I was nine years old in November, my father heard news about studying in India.  He heard that they planned to bring six students, and six students were chosen by Shusa Nyima , who was the selector.  My father spoke to him and I was finally accepted to attend.  There were more problems as we had no money for the journey to India.  Sometime later, my father had some land and offered it to Dr. Nyima.

During my departure, my mother told me that, “We only gave birth but we can’t make your future bright.”  It made me sad and some tears fell from my eyes.  This was my first journey on a bus.  I was surprised to see so many things I had not seen before.  After a week, we reached Dholanj Mnri Monastary.  I was so happy to see all of the students of Dolanji Children’s Welfare Center. and especially His Holiness, the Abbott,, who is my second life given father.  In February 2001, I was admitted to school.  During first class, I scored a 96.5% and got first position due to the kindness of His Holiness and the staff members.  Now I am in class and gain colorful knowledge.  This is my biography to date.