Information
Where does Lha Charitable Trust work:
Click map to enlarge
Lha Charitable Trust
Dharamsala H.P , India
Who we are
Lha Charitable Trust is a 12AA non-profit organization based in Dharamsala, India. Founded in 1997 and registered with the state government of Himachal Pradesh as a charitable trust in 2005, Lha is one of the first organizations established with a primary focus on Tibetan social work. Lha is managed by Tibetan refugees who draw their expertise from the experience of living in exile, and is supported by volunteers and generous donors from around the world. Seeking to generate an atmosphere of harmony and cooperation, Lha’s services are open to Tibetan refugees as well as to the local Indian population and people from the surrounding Himalayan region. Each Year Lha has over 600 volunteers from some 32 different countries and organizes cultural exchange programs for a number of university and high school groups.
Purpose: Lha intends to help the Tibetan people survive and prosper in their new home and to preserve their profoundly unique culture. In addition, Lha offers volunteers and students from around the world opportunities to engage in meaningful community service and social work.
OBJECTIVES:
1. To provide a meaningful variety of social services to Tibetan refugees as well as to the local Indian population and people from the Himalayan region.
2. To provide Tibetan refugees with education and health services, as well as the skills and assistance needed to build a new life in exile.
3. To facilitate meaningful mutual learning and cultural exchange experiences between Tibetans, volunteers, and groups of students who visit from countries around the world.
4. To create awareness about the Tibetan refugee situation and preserve the endangered Tibetan culture.
Lha offers different orientation opportunities for interested volunteers and groups who would like assistance upon arrival in India and also has an open door policy to volunteers who just show up! It is FREE to volunteer with Lha.
What we do
Lha provides services to up to 300 Tibetan Refugees daily. These services include but are not limited to Language classes, Computer classes, Vocational Training, Health and Environmental education, Clean Water projects,distribution of books, medicine and clothing, as well as free nutritional meals to those more financially disadvantaged. Depending on the availability of donated funds and the expertise of current volunteers, LHA continues to be conscious of the needs of the community and to take on new projects as needed. LHA provides these services to the community FREE of charge.
How we operate
Lha is managed totally by members of the Tibetan Refugee Community who draw their expertise from firsthand knowledge of what it means to be in exile. The organization is fueled by volunteers and generous donors from around the world. LHA's programs and projects are adjusted each year to help the Tibetan people survive and to preserve their profoundly unique culture, while offering volunteers and students the opportunity to engage in meaningful community service.
Another unique characteristic of Lha is its function as a Business and Social Work training center. Besides providing all these services to the Community the staff develops business skills by offering services to the tourist population. The funds generated through this business arm help to run the organization. Some of these services offered to foreign visitors and groups include: Tibetan Cooking Classes, Tibetan Language Classes, Tibetan Massage, Yoga, Home-stays with Tibetan Families and other Cultural exchange programs. Through these business initiatives and by funds generated from hosting Groups, LHA is totally Self Sufficient and Sustainable!!!
Donations received by the organization are carefully targeted to projects throughout the community.
Big Thanks to OM Prakash and all our other supporters over the years that have made it possible for LHA to be where it is today!
We look forward to hearing from You!
Get Involved - click to contact this organization »
Current Projects
LHA’s regular Language and Computer Classes are ongoing as is the Community Soup Kitchen plus all the services offered to Volunteers and other foreign visitors. These parts of LHA are continuous year round, self sufficient and sustainable. Up to 300 Tibetan Refugees receive these services daily!
Target Projects are dependent on Donations and Skilled Volunteers. These include but are not limited to Building Construction, the Installation of Water Filtration Systems & Solar Water Heating Systems, Dental and Eye care initiatives, Supplying Computers to local schools, Environmental Programs and many more.
LHA is currently working on establishing a $250K Endowment Fund that would supply the annual financial support needed for these Target Projects to become sustainable programs. Your support is much appreciated.
Partner Needs
LHA accepts volunteers from around the world to offer free English, Spanish, French, Tibetan language classes, computer training courses, vocational training courses, photography and blogging classes, health services and education, environmental services and education to Tibetan refugees and the local Indian and Himalayan community. Lha can also arrange for professionals with a particular skill set to present workshops or seminars to the local community, or match their skills with the right community organization.
If you are interested in volunteering with LHA please go to our website and fill in an application form. We look forward to hearing from you!
http://www.lhasocialwork.org/programs/volunteering-opportunities/18
Financial Needs
As mentioned above, Lha’s regular Language and Computer Classes, the Community Soup Kitchen plus all the services offered to Volunteers are self sufficient and sustainable. The organizations financial needs are for target projects separate from its regular ongoing services.
Establishment of a $250K Endowment Fund would enable Lha to maintain some of these target projects as regular sustainable programs.
Donations toward some of these Target Projects would include:
• $250,000 – Would establish LHA’s Endowment Fund
• $175,000 – Construction of a Dormitory Building for a Monastery
• $5000 – Installation of a Solar Water Heating System for a Monastery of Nunnery (Most only have cold water for kitchens and showers, this will aid in general hygiene and health)
• $1750 – Installation of a Water Filtration System for a Monastery of Nunnery
• $1500 - Provides Eye Exams and Glasses for 108 Tibetan Refugees
• $15 – every donation of only $15 provides one eye exam and set of eye glasses
• $1000 - Provides Dental Check Ups and Teeth Cleaning for 108 Tibetan Refugees
• $10 – every donation of only $10 provides one dental check up and free teeth cleaning
• $5 – will have a cavity filled
• $500 – Provides a computer to a school where there are no computers
• $150 – Pays ones month salary for an environmental clean-up worker
• $100 – Pays a month’s rent for a financially disadvantaged Tibetan Refugee
• $50 - Pays a month’s food for a financially disadvantaged Tibetan Refugee
Be assured that 100% of your donation will go directly to the project of your choice.
We ask that all donations be made through Omprakash who will forward the funds to LHA. This will assure that our donors receive a tax deductable receipt and that the benefits of your donation are maximized by promoting the good works of our partner Omprakash.
Thank you for Your Support!
In Kind Needs
Material Needs (things volunteers could carry over)
Volunteers wishing to find donors and bring over supplies are much appreciated. Some of the ongoing material needs of the organization would include:
• New or Used Laptop Computers for distribution and use in the Computer School
• Adult Multi Vitamins to hand out in the Community Soup kitchen
• English teaching Books – Grammar, Picture Dictionaries, Texts
• Dry Erase White Board Markers for the Language Class Rooms
• Pump jugs of hand Sanitizer
Mission Statement
Mission statement
Lha’s mission is to be a resource of education and knowledge that provides meaningful, multi-leveled social and educational services for the benefit of others. Lha seeks to generate an atmosphere of harmony and cooperation within the community by tending to the needs of the impoverished and underprivileged.