The new school buildings have been inaugurated and the school is running very well.
The new clinic is also finished and
running.
Autumn 2006
Free meals are now offered twice a day to the school
children.
May 2006
Works have
started on the new school and clinic buildings
Building the new school, May 2006
Building the new clinic, May 2006
July 15th 2005
The Shedra
The Shedra was officially opened and inaugurated on Sunday
19th June. Almost all of the building work is completed. We
still need sponsors for most of the monks as well as the
teachers. Three Khenpos from Rigul will run the shedra and
teach there at all times but it is hoped that another
Khenpo, who is very well known and respected in the region,
will also agree to teach.
The Clinic
The new clinic is still being built, but should be finished
very soon. The old clinic, (still presently housed in the
doctor’s house) continues to be very busy. Dr Chuga
and Ani Choden attend to more that 40 patients a day. The
old and poor receive free treatment but pay for their
medicines, prices are very low. As most work in the
community is done during the summer months of June and
July, this is when the majority of patients will pay their
medical bills. The busiest time for the clinic is of course
winter, when people suffer from colds and chest and lung
problems as well as skin diseases. Dr Chuga believes that
more people are attending than before, but this could be
because of growing confidence in the clinic rather than
more people being ill. The doctor is training his nephew in
the skills of Tibetan and Chinese medicine.
The School
Ringu Tulku was very impressed by the enthusiasm and energy
of the teachers and schoolchildren. There are about 80
children, mainly boys, but some girls. They are now being
taught in the old shedra but a new two storey building with
canteen and playground is planned to be built. At the
moment, there are only three simple walls of this new
building but Rinpoche has promised to send financial help
so that it can be completed.
The children mostly attend school during the winter months,
as they have to help out with the family chores and work
during the summer. Many of them have to walk over one hour
to get to school. As well as helping to pay for the costs
of building a school we also hope to help pay for the
teachers and provide equipment for the children.
March 21st
2005
New Rigul clinic
Ringu Tulku has just been informed by Ani Choden that they
have now put the roof on the new Rigul health clinic. This
means that they should be open for business very soon.
We have already sent enough funds this year to pay for the
building of the new clinic. But we hope that we will also
be able to give Rinpoche enough funding, to take with him
in June, that can be used to run the clinic well into 2006.
All donations would be most appreciated.
December 18th
2004
We have just received the very sad news
that Khenpo Yama Shunpel (the oldest surviving teacher in
Rigul) died 22 days ago, November 26th 2004.
When the Khenpo became sick he was taken to a hospital in
nearby Kandze, where his condition worsened. Plans were
made to take him to the bigger hospital in Chengdu for more
treatment, but he was already too weak to travel.
Khenpo Wangphel has told us that after Khenpo Yama Shunpel
passed away his body remained warm and his skin soft for a
week.
When they cremated him his body had shrunk to the size of a
child and many Buddha images were found in the remains of
the bones after the cremation.
All the community in Rigul is now doing the traditional 49
days of prayers and ceremonies.
November
2004
The Shedra
The new Shedra is nearly finished! Khenpo Wangpel informed
Ringu Tulku that they had to stop building because of the
cold weather, but have only the floors to lay. They also
need to buy furniture as well as books/materials for the
new students. The Khenpo plans to open the Shedra and
welcome the new students just after Losar, in February
2005. At the moment we dont know exactly how many students
there will be, probably around 40, but we will need to
raise 10 euros (£7 UK) every month for each student monk
and of course 100 euros ( £70 UK) a month for the Khenpos,
of whom there will be at least three.
Khenpo Wangpel will also arrange for special prayers to be
said in the surrounding monasteries for the success of the
new Shedra. We will need to send donations for the prayers.
The Health Clinic
The building of the clinic has begun, but also had to be
postponed until the weather is a bit warmer in the spring.
Meanwhile, Ani Choden and Doctor Chuga continue to help the
sick and needy in the room in Dr Chugas house. A group in
Southampton, England, has made a commitment to raise £100
UK (145 euros) a month to help fund the running of the
clinic. We also have sponsors for Ani Choden but we still
need a sponsor or sponsors for Dr Chuga.
Ringu Tulku sends his very grateful thanks to all those who
have already sent us donations and pledged
sponsorships