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CHILDREN IN DANGER:
AN APPEAL FROM CANADIAN ENGINEERS
www.himalayanchildren.org
The Very Venerable Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoché founded Shree Mangal Dvip Boarding School in Kathmandu, Nepal in 1987 to serve the needs of impoverished children from the high Himalayas, including Tibetan refugees. The Kathmandu Valley lies in a high-risk seismic zone where a massive earthquake is expected any time now. Most vulnerable is the school's oldest building, a four-storey dormitory block. It houses over two hundred children. In 2003, a similar school dormitory in Bingol, Turkey, collapsed in a heap of rubble killing many children. The same could happen in Kathmandu.
Thrangu Rinpoché has asked Karma Tashi Ling, his centre in Edmonton, Canada to focus on helping the school. We have responded to this in part by initiating a ‘seismic retrofit’ for the dorm block by strengthening with structural steel cross-bracing and reinforced concrete walls. Working with a team of volunteer engineers and students, a preliminary design is underway. Ideally some of the work would be carried out in monsoon (summer 2004), when half of the students have returned to their families in the mountains, many days trek away.
A major earthquake could occur at any time in the Kathmandu Valley. We are making an urgent appeal for funding for this project. Donations can be sent to the following non- profit organizations of Thrangu Rinpoché. They can issue tax receipts. Please indicate that your donation is for SMD Boarding School Earthquake Safety Fund.
Project contact: Andrew Mitchell
Telephone: (780) 437-3688; E-mail: andrewmgmitchell@shaw.caUNITED STATES
Himalayan Children's Fund
c/o Jane Lawless
HCR 77, Box 75A
Hancock, Maine 04640
Tel: 207-422-3412
E-mail: lawless@downeast.netCANADA
Vajra Vidya Foundation
c/o John Fox, Director
Ste. 500, 2025 W. Broadway
Vancouver, BC V6J 1Z6
Tel: 604-877-0488
j.fox@heath.ca
Donations from EU countries (in euros) to:
GERMANY
Karma Kagyu Charity, Vajra Vidya Centre
Wackerstr. 47d, Lindau, Germany
Tel: 49-8382-6807
VajraVidya@gmx.deFor further information contact us directly:
Shirley Blair, Director
Shree Mangal Dvip Boarding School
PO Box 1287, Tinchuli,
Boudha, Kathmandu, Nepal
Tel: 977-1-4472-007 Fax: 977-1-4497-253
E-mail: himalayanchildren@yahoo.co.uk
Visit our website: www.himalayanchildren.org
THE NEPAL POST OFFICE IS UNSAFE:
DO NOT SEND ANYTHING YOU VALUE THROUGH THE MAIL.
