No. 3 / November 2014 / Volume 34

ROKPA TIMES

Hunger and Satiety

Dear ROKPA Friends,

Every year, during my winter travels to our projects, I find the

same sad picture: The children begging on the streets, with mat-

ted hair, in wretched, ragged clothes much too thin for this free-

zing time of the year. They have hard, old faces with cheeks

burned dark red, their hair sticks out or is plaited into unkempt

braids. They watch all of my movements with eagle eyes and

follow me hungrily. I am at the mercy of these small people with

their huge, sad eyes.

I have hardly sat down to a hot soup with noodles and vegetable

when my table is surrounded by both children and adults, from

3-year-olds to the old and frail, who stare mutely and imploringly

at me while I, the well-wrapped-up foreigner with the scarf, hat

and fabulous new winter coat, eat the soup in front of them.

They make a thumbs-up gesture in my face – which means

“give! give! giiive!” – and do not give up until I give in. Together,

they hungrily slurp up the soup that I push towards them. And a

new bowl of soup is scarcely ordered before the next horde co-

mes, or the haggard, homeless mother nursing her new baby, the

old man on crutches or the young woman without hope.

I would like to gather them all up and take them home to the

world of plenty, feed them and educate them, just care for them,

so that this deeply sad gaze does not torment me any more. Is it

the same for you? Then ROKPA is the right partner for you.

Thanks for letting us count on you.

Yours

Lea Wyler ROKPA Founder and Vice President

© L

ea W

ylerEditorial

CONTENTS

Editorial 2

Appetite for a better life 3

Hunger for a just world 4 – 5

Food Subsidies: Ensuring

Survival on the Roof of the World 6

Soul food for ROKPA children 7

Escaping poverty through

self-sufficiency 8

Children’s menus from four worlds 9

ROKPA SWITZERLAND 10

I am ROKPA 11

Masthead

Editor: ROKPA Communications All photographs and texts: © ROKPA INTERNATIONAL Print run: 5,500 copies

Printed on FSC paper

ROKPA INTERNATIONAL has been ZEWO certified since 2004.

Appetite for a better life

In 2000, the world community, acting

through the UN, set an ambitious target:

to halve the number of people in extreme

poverty in developing countries within

15 years. This is stated in the UN’s Mil-

lennium Development Goals. Even if this

target is only just missed, the problems

are by no means solved: One in eight

people worldwide is still starving.

The food situation in the ROKPA

project countries

Malnutrition is still a big problem in the

Tibetan regions of China. One reason for

this is the globally prevailing trend of

urbanisation, which does not stop even

at this remote part of the world. Only a

few decades ago, most of the Tibetan

population were still nomads, who roam

with their herds of yaks, sheep and

goats over the grassland of the Tibetan

Plateau.

In the meantime, the temptations of a

better life in the city and other factors

meant that many nomad families settled

and gave up their herds. Instead of being

self-sufficient, they now have to pay for

their food. In many cases there is not

enough money for this.

In Nepal, the number of undernourished

people has fallen since the start of the

1990s from 25 to 16 per cent. In spite

of this, almost one child in three is mal-

nourished - this proportion is one of the

highest in the world. In Zimbabwe

around a third of the total population is

starving.

And the many homeless people who use

the ROKPA soup kitchen in South Africa

are mainly refugees from neighbouring

countries, who do not appear in any

statistics.

How ROKPA helps – in the short and

the long term

In view of the still unsolved hunger prob-

lems in all of ROKPA’s project countries,

the fight against hunger and malnutrition

is one of ROKPA’s most important objec-

tives. This is manifested most noticeably

in the two soup kitchens: People living in

the most abject poverty receive food daily

during the coldest winter months, which

allows them to gather strength.

On the Tibetan Plateau, monasteries are

supported with contributions to their con-

stantly increasing food costs. With educa-

tion funding for nomad children, ROKPA

makes it possible for the parents to con-

tinue farming livestock without the chil-

dren having to go without schooling. Fam-

ilies in Zimbabwe learn self-sufficiency by

growing fruit and vegetables, and also

receive seeds and horticultural equip-

ment.

ROKPA also focuses on education pro-

grammes: Children affected by poverty

then have the chance to learn a profes-

sion with which they can earn a living

later. A school education gives young

people the possibility of an independent

life; they break the vicious circle of pover-

ty and hunger. The education of individual

children often improves living conditions

for the entire local population.

ROKPA contributes to the achievement of

the UN Millennium Development Goals

with a mix of short- and long-term aid

measures. Thanks to the generous sup-

port provided by you, our valued donors,

ROKPA can continue the fight against

poverty and hunger.

Source for figures: FAO: The State of Food Inse-curity in the World (2013, www.fao.org)

3

ROKPA

Hunger for a just worldROKPA would perhaps never have been created if Dr. Akong Tulku Rinpoche had not experienced what

hunger feels like while fleeing China. One year after the ROKPA founder’s death, read how this expe-

rience affected him.

I made the decision to help people in need in 1959, during my

journey into exile from China. With a group of 300 people, we

rode on horseback for four months through the endless open

spaces of the Tibetan Plateau, then had to continue on foot for

another six months. Since it is impossible to carry provisions for

half a year, we suffered greatly for the last few months, and

many of us died of starvation.

Only 13 people survived till the end of the journey, and we were

completely exhausted. The hunger was so bad that we cooked

and ate the leather from our shoes. None of us could carry on,

so we hid from our pursuers in a cave. During this time we asked

ourselves only one question: Who would be the next to die? And

who after that?

So while we waited to die in that cave, I swore that if I didn’t

die, I would never just sit on a throne or lecture other people. If

we somehow survived, I would work hard for charity: give poor

people something to eat, make it possible for children and the

uneducated to be educated. In other words: help people in the

long term.

After hunters found us in the cave and helped us, we needed a

few more months to get over the border into India. During this

time we had to beg for our food to survive. This time of begging

made me surer in my conviction that my purpose was to feed

people on the fringes of society. The foundation stone of ROKPA

was thus laid.

Many years later, in 1979, I made a pilgrimage to India with Lea

(Wyler). The sight of the many beggars affected her deeply and

she had to help them. "Rinpoche, why don’t we start an aid or-

ganisation together, to ease the suffering of these people?" That

was her great wish, which was convenient, because that had

been mine too for a long time! So soon afterwards (in 1980),

together with her father Dr. Veit Wyler, we founded ROKPA in

Zurich.

4

TIBET

A Plea for Pastoralism

Farming and stockbreeding are the foundation of every society. A

decline in food production will always have a devastating impact

on our existence. Nevertheless, lured by government’s promises

of housing, employment and a modern lifestyle, many nomads

and farmers give up their valuable and sustainable way of life.

Hoping for better living conditions, they settle down in town

houses, where they are faced with a life completely unknown to

them.

My experience has shown that moving to a city is not always

recommendable: For nomads and farmers it means leaving be-

hind their homes, their land, their animals and their tents – in

other words, their entire livelihoods. As a consequence, the age-

old traditional knowledge about animal husbandry or the noma-

dic and agricultural lifestyle is never passed on to the next gene-

ration and is thus lost forever.

Nomads and farmers are sustained by what their animals and

the nature gives them. They may not be rich, but they are self-

sufficient. On addition, they make their own produce available to

society and decide on the type of produce and the quality of

products. This way, they make an important contribution to the

quality of life of the local population. They already own

everything they need for survival, whether they have an employ-

ment or not is a question of choice.

Instead of sacrificing all their possessions for a new life in the

city, nomads and farmers should rather invest in the education of

their offspring, i.e. keep their land and send their children to

school. Countless families think that their children need material

things – such as money to build a house or jewellery for their

daughters. But material wealth can be stolen or go up in flames.

However, if parents give their children education, they truly have

something that lasts for their entire life, for education cannot go

up in flames nor can it be stolen or abandoned. Once acquired, it

can never be lost. Education remains forever.

Freely translated speech given by Dr. Akong Tulku Rinpoche

in Namgyal Ling on 25 October 2011

■ This is the family of Dr. Chunga Lhamo (front left).

Thanks to ROKPA, she and other people in the picture

were able to receive formal education from kindergarten

through obtaining a degree in medicine. Today, this

nomadic family has enough to eat – education feeds

people!

Make a donation marked “Education” to help send many

more nomadic children to school.

Our account at the Swiss Post: 80-19029-5

Thank you!

5

TIBET

Food Subsidies: Ensuring Survival on the Roof of the World

The Kepcha Nunnery is situated at 4,340 metres above sea level on the Tibetan Pla-

teau and therefore the living conditions are accordingly hard. ROKPA finances the food

subsidy for supporting the nuns who are in retreat at this convent, as well as any medi-

cation required by the clinic attached to it. The following is a report by Anya Adair, who

visited the convent on behalf of ROKPA this summer.

On our journey through the Tibetan highlands, we noticed that the most distinguishing

feature of the local population is their enormous generosity – despite the fact that most

people live in very deprived conditions. We mostly experienced this in monasteries and

nunneries, but were also warmly welcomed in private homes. Most Tibetan families live

almost exclusively on tsampa (roasted barley flour), but everyone offered us without

hesitation all the food in their pantry.

In the Kepcha Nunnery, which has been supported by ROKPA for years, the nuns main-

ly depend on the help of their families to feed them. Many of them are poor nomads

who have to work hard to provide for their daughters, sisters and nieces in this convent

with the most essential things. A few nuns come from somewhat wealthier families and

thus receive more food from their relatives. Yet whatever they have they share with the

others for example the less well-off nuns – especially the older ones who have no one

to support them.

During our stay, the nuns only served us the very best food they had: fresh milk and

yogurt from their “Dris” (female yaks), and boiled cabbage which is the only vegetable

they can cultivate in the convent garden. They were happy to give us their most valua-

ble food, even though most of it is available in very limited quantities and must suffice

for 300 nuns! In the evenings, we would sit together around a fire in our guest room.

All the nuns that could possibly be accommodated sat on our beds and on the bare

stone floor, and we would talk and laugh until late in the night.

The herd of about 100 yaks is of vital

importance for the convent: The dris pro-

vide the nuns with milk, cheese and yo-

gurt, and the yak dung is used as fuel for

heating and cooking. But a large herd like

this also means a lot of work. During the

day, the yaks graze on the nearby hills. In

the evenings, the nuns have to drive them

back to the barn to protect them from the

wolves.

Although the nuns at the Kepcha Nunnery

partly manage their own food necessities

but they also depend on ROKPA to ensure

constant food security.

By Anya Adair

Photography: Nick Adair

How You Can Help■ Make a donation marked “Nu-

trition” to our dedicated fund for

feeding school children, nuns and

others in need.

With just 90 francs, you can sup-

port the nutrition of one nun for an

entire year.

An annual contribution of just 160

francs for food, lodging and school

supplies allows one Tibetan orphan

or nomad child to attend school.

Our account at the Swiss

Post: 80-19029-5

Thank you!

6

TIBET

Feeding a child ■ Of course the children receive a good balanced diet

with healthy food in addition to the soul food. Please

donate with the reference “Food”.

The monthly cost of food per child at the ROKPA

children’s house is 50 CHF.

Our account at the Swiss Post: 80-19029-5

We thank you very much!

Children learn about the world, about themselves and others

through play. Playing improves the child’s social skills, stimu-

lates the imagination and nourishes the soul. In the following

report Regula Knellessen gives us an impression of the work-

shop she leads every year as a volunteer in ROKPA Children’s

Home.

April is the ideal time for the workshop: the school year is over,

the children are looking forward to a period of recreation and

they are keen to play games. Usually Lea Wyler has just admit-

ted new children, whom I recognize immediately: they either

remain aloof with a sad expression or they behave in a markedly

uninhibited and insecure manner and attempt to imitate the

behavior of the other children.

Before we begin, I have to pass the arrival test: about fifty exci-

ted children test whether I still remember their names. I manage

more or less – after all I have prepared for this ritual!

Then off we go: the play-based activities give the soul and mind

of the children precious nourishment. Many skills are developed:

mathematical and fine motor skills, graphic skills and verbal

expression. Attentiveness, concentration and retention abilities

are trained through play, memory functions are developed, stra-

tegic thinking is honed and knowledge is acquired. Social skills

are continuously practiced: forming groups, looking for partners,

expressing wishes, showing consideration for others, sharing,

standing up for oneself etc. The children learn how to deal with

failure, to support others or give them space to have their own

experiences. They laugh a lot and soak up the experience of

happiness.

My role is of a coach in the background: I keenly observe the

participants, particularly encouraging the new children. I give a

child, who is finding it difficult to fit in, unobtrusive support in

finding metaphysical nourishment, I respond to their drawings

individually, I photograph children with their (sometimes still

unskillful) work in order to encourage them and express my ap-

preciation of their efforts.

After three weeks the children’s minds are well nourished and

their souls are full to the brim. One last hug and I must go – but

I take with me a deep feeling of gratitude that I have been able

to experience how well the children develop and go their way

with increasing self-confidence, lovingly supported in the secure

environment of the ROKPA Children’s Home.

Regula Knellessen Gisler

Psychotherapist for children and adolescents

Soul food for ROKPA children

7

NEPAL

Escaping poverty through self-sufficiency

About 80% of the population in Zimbabwe

lives under the poverty line and the unem-

ployment rate is almost as high. Even

those in employment often earn so little

that they are hardly able to provide food,

lodging and basic health care for their

family. Every year ROKPA offers dozens of

poor families a training course in garde-

ning, which gives them the opportunity to

escape the vicious circle of poverty in the

long term.

The aim of the project for food security,

“Low Input Gardening”, is to help families

with handicapped children, single parents

and family members responsible for or-

phans to produce their own food. To this

end ROKPA offers courses in gardening in

the poorest areas of Harare, the capital of

Zimbabwe.

The training course focuses on achieving a

balanced diet by organic gardening. The

participants are also taught how to use the

properties of herbs in cooking to improve

their health. The course contents range

from the planning of a garden and water

management, soil cultivation, pest preven-

tion and control, to individual work plan-

ning. At the end of the course the partici-

pants are given starter packets suited to

the needs of gardening beginners.

As this program has been running for many

years, there are already many former parti-

cipants who cultivate their gardens suc-

cessfully. Some have joined together to

form groups to cultivate larger community

gardens. Winnie, our program leader,

keeps in touch with the participants after the course has ended and visits each group

about once a month. This ensures that the course has the maximum effect and the fami-

lies profit in the long term.

In order to enhance the learning effect, ROKPA organizes a kind of exchange program

among the gardens: the participants visit the most productive gardens and are given tips

to help them increase the yield even further. All the group and individual gardens sell

their surplus produce and earn a modest income in this way.

Donate a starter pack. ■ 155 people took part in a course in 2013/2014 – in other words every year

this program gives 155 families the opportunity to produce their own supply of

vegetables.

With a donation of 290 CHF (reference: food Zimbabwe) you can cover the costs

of starter packets containing seeds, plants and garden tools for a whole course

group consisting of 25 people.

Our account at the Swiss Post: 80-19029-5

We thank you very much!

8

ZIMBABWE

Children’s menus from four worlds

Tsering ChötsoKanze,

Tibetan areas of China

12 years old

I am in the second grade of the girls’ school in Kanze. My

younger sister also goes to the same school. My elder sister is 25

and works in a car wash – she has never been to school. She sup-

ports the whole family with her meager wages. My father died

some time ago and my mother takes care of our grandmother, who

is seriously ill and takes up all her time and energy.

At school we get three meals a day: tsampa or rice soup for break-

fast, rice with vegetables for lunch and noodle soup in the evening.

The food tastes very good and we get bigger helpings that I get at

home. But at home I get something sweet to eat every now and

then, whereas this almost never happens at school.

ExerviaHarare, Zimbabwe

9 years old

The last time I was hungry? Basically every day, as we

rarely have any food other than roasted corn or ’sadza’ (a sort of

polenta). I live with my mother in a small corrugated iron shack

in Strathaven/Harare. Since we received warm blankets from

Rokpa we don’t feel so cold at night anymore.

I would like to become a doctor and help the people that live

here in the slum. My dream is to live in a house with real walls.

Until then, I like to play soccer outside with my friends – the ball

is the only toy I have.

EllaZurich, Switzerland

9 years old

In general, I am never really hungry. I eat something at

lunch time and for dinner. I hardly ever eat breakfast. My mom

doesn’t allow me to eat a lot of sweets, although I like almost all

types of sweets except liquorice. Instead of sweets we eat salad

almost at every meal – that is supposed to be healthier. The food

in our school is not too nice but when I don’t like something I think

about all the children that don’t have a very nice life.

Ella regularly works in a recording studio where she synchronizes

and reads texts for commercials. The recording studio donates

twice the amount of her salary to ROKPA every time Ella gets

paid. That was Ella’s prerequisite for her engagement. We find

this to be a wonderful idea (maybe your children might also be

able to imitate for a different cause?) – We thank you very

much!

KuntiChildren’s Home Kathmandu,

Nepal

10 years old

At the ROKPA Children’s Home, we receive 4 meals per

day: For breakfast we eat bread with jam and milk or porridge,

for lunch we eat curried rice with vegetables, tea and fruit when

we come home from school and rice, lentils and vegetables for

dinner. Once in a while, we get chow mein (noodles) and a bit of

meat which is my favorite food.

When I lived on the street with my mother, my two sisters and

my brother we went hungry many times. We had to beg to

support ourselves and on some days, the money wasn’t enough

to fill the bellies of every one of us. When I think about other

children who still live like that, I get very sad.

Watch the renowned video about the admission of Kunti to the

children’s home: http://youtu.be/aPUbDKwFnqU?t=6m30s

Every ten seconds a child dies as a result of hunger or malnutrition. Reason enough to ask four children from different countries

to talk about how hunger and food affects them.

9

ROKPA

Important information for our donors: Thanks to your tremendous sup-

port we have helped many, many

people over recent years. Some

of the projects/people can now

stand on their own or are able to

fund themselves. As such, they

no longer need our direct assi-

stance. These projects are listed

below:

465, 467, 470, 473, 474, 475,

476, 477, 480, 481, 483, 486,

487, 545, 876, 893, 904, 924,

971, 976, 993, 999, 1005, 1007,

1126, 1230, 7002, 7004, 7007,

7008, 7030, 7044, 7049, 7053,

7131, 7132, 7145, 7147, 7151,

7152, 7172, 7174, 7184, 7185,

7189, 7190, 7194, 7205, 7214,

7215, 7221, 7228, 7237, 7238,

7240, 7242, 7244, 7245, 7249,

7255, 7256, 7259, 7261, 7265,

7282, 7401, 7510, 7511, 7537,

7549, 7550, 7590, 7704, 7903,

7939, 7940, 8224, 8241, 8289.

The sponsorship and project ac-

counts still contain residual funds

that we would like to use for on-

going projects and other needy

people. If we do not hear from

you to indicate otherwise by

31 December 2014, we will assu-

me that you are happy for us to do

so (tacit consent). We would like to

use the money from 5002 towards

the cost of food in Nepal and Tibet

in the future.

If you do not wish us to use the

remaining funds in this way, please

contact our head office in Zurich

(+41 (0)44 262 68 88 or

info@rokpa.org).

Thank you again for your gene-

rous support – both in the past

and hopefully in the future.

Make sure to get the ROKPA calendar with scenes from various

ROKPA projects.

This year, we are publishing the calendar in

a folded A4 format (A3 format when

unfolded). The calendar can be purchased

for 29 CHF which includes postage within

Switzerland.

Tip: Presenting this calendar for Christmas

bestows joy in two ways: To your loved

ones and to the poorest of the poor!

You purchase Christmas gifts on the

internet?

Combine your shopping experience

with a good cause – without having to

spend more! Visit us at www.rokpa.org

to find out how you can support

ROKPA online > What you can do

> Buy and help.

We thank you very much!

As a reminder: Your donation to ROKPA

until December 31st is completely tax

deductible in the 2014 fiscal year. There

is also another option to help and save

taxes at the same time:

Donate your harvest but not the field.

Contrary to a donation by bequest, you

want to see the effect of your donation

and take joy from it. With a right of use

agreement between you and ROKPA, we

will receive the interest from your usufruct

but you (still) own the asset. You remain

the owner of your usufruct capital and are

able to decide if and when the capital will

be transferred back into your private as-

sets. You also decide if you would like to

name ROKPA as a beneficiary of your

bequest when the time comes.

This solution guarantees that ROKPA

receives 100% of everything that you

wished for her! In addition, the usufruct

capital as well as the interest it generates

is tax deductible.

Are you interested?

Please contact:

Corinna Biasiutti,

ROKPA Managing Director

+41 (0)44 262 68 88 | info@rokpa.org

Further information:

www.ruetli-stiftung.ch

ROKPA calendar 2015

Online shopping for ROKPA

The ROKPA team wishes you a joyful holiday season!

Donations save taxes

10

ROKPA SWITZERLAND

“It happened two years ago in Winterthur

during a dance performance by the ROK-

PA children as part of their tour. They

retold their life stories onstage. My musi-

cian friend, Andreas Vollenweider, and I

had the opportunity to rehearse a song

with the children. I was deeply touched

by their story and the experience trigge-

red my wish to commit myself to ROKPA

and its causes.

Aid organizations collect money for emer-

gencies that usually happen far away.

During this stage performance, however, I

experienced the misery up close on a

much more personal level. Not that the

poverty was the focus of immediate atten-

tion but the prospect for a better future

that ROKPA gave these children. Soon,

they have a different future and they are

We are very excited to welcome Marc Sway as our new ROKPA ambassador. The re-

nowned and successful musician tells his story of how he became a member of the

ROKPA family and why he is committed to ROKPA causes.

able to use that prospect in their personal

lives. In turn, they also help others when

they become young adults. That is a very

exciting approach and probably the best

way to spread ROKPA’s message.

I am convinced of the great work that

ROKPA does for these children for various

reasons: I am a father of two girls myself

and I dedicate my time to the upbringing

of these girls and to do everything I can

to make sure that they have a bright futu-

re ahead of them. This is what I also wish

for the ROKPA children. As a child and

adolescent, I have seen poverty in Brazil

where my family often spent time with my

Brazilian mother. I have seen adults and

children sleeping on cardboards which for

me was a disconcerting sight since I lived

in Switzerland, a First World country. It

triggered my desire to help people like

them. With my work for ROKPA, I can

now fulfill this desire.

I was extremely fortunate that I never had

to endure hunger. Neither Switzerland nor

Brazil was ever involved in a war during

my life time and food was always readily

available, especially in Switzerland.

Of course, as a musician, I am always

hungry for good music to stimulate my

mind and I suffer when I cannot enjoy

plenty of it. In comparison to real hunger,

however, this is a First World problem.

I hope that many more children will be

able to benefit from the opportunities that

ROKPA has to offer and from the prospect

of a better future worth living for.”

Marc Sway: “I’ve seen the people sleeping on cardboards”

11

I AM ROKPA

ROKPA INTERNATIONAL | Böcklinstrasse 27 | 8032 Zurich | Switzerland

Phone +41 44 2626888 | info@rokpa.org | www.rokpa.org | facebook.com/ROKPA.org

Helping wherehelp is needed:sustainably,for over 30 years. ROKPA

Thanks to ROKPA, many children and young people in Tibet and Nepal – at present

nearly 10,000 – receive an education every year. This is only possible with your help.

Thanks to your donations, we can exert a positive influence on countless lives. Over 55 children

currently live at the ROKPA Children’s Home in Kathmandu. We provide vocational training at our

workshop for mothers who have fallen on hard times and help them to stand on their own two feet.

With your financial support we can provide effective support to the poorest of the poor. Please help

us to give them a better chance of leading a dignified life.

In Switzerland, donations to ROKPA are exempt from tax. ROKPA has been ZEWO certified since 2004.

Giving a better chance for lifeSMS donation

of up to CHF 99.–

ROKPA XX

(amount, numbers only)

to 488.

Example for donation

of CHF 20.–:

ROKPA 20 to 488

You can make a donation to this account:

455090-11-1, Credit Suisse, CH-8070 Zurich, Switzerland

IBAN CH73 0483 5045 5090 1100 1, clearing number 4835, BIC CRESCHZZ80A

Thank you!