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Handicapped Childrens’ Craft Home-Nying Toben
When we were at the Norbulingka Institute, we also visited the handicapped children’s craft center, Nyingtoben, located about a five minute walk from Norbulingka. http://www.golden-wheel.net/Nyingtoben.html
Their website is still a work in progress, but you can read about what they offer by clicking on the link. I like their transparency in putting all the operating costs right on the website.
The center houses and teaches up to 50 children, both Tibetan and Indian, who enter the program between the ages of 10 and 18, and stay on as they get older. Most of them seem to be mentally handicapped in some way, and the emphasis is on helping them create and live useful lives, hence the emphasis on crafts.
We met with Mrs. Nawang Lhamo, the founder and director in the old building that houses the offices and the ‘store’ that features the art of the kids. Nawang Lhamo is a lovely, warm woman around 50. You can feel the love and spirit emanating from her. She is also a member of the Tibetan parliament of the government in exile, based near McLeod Ganj.
We purchased an original painting, on canvass, of the Potala Palace, the main home of the Dalai Lama in Lhasa, Tibet. It was done by a young man about 20, who has a dependency disorder, but is of average intelligence according to Nawang.
The painting was by far the most sophisticated and well-done piece, and was priced at Rs 4000, a high price, but well worth it (~$100C). We had less than half that amount of cash with us, but Nawang told us to take the painting with us and give the rest of the money to the manager of Chondor House, who she knew well (owned by the Norbulingka Institute, Chondor House is Richard Gere’s ‘home away from home’ when he visits McLeod Ganj, and is conveniently located a few yards from our Kirti Monastery Guesthouse).
Nawang Lhamo’s trusting nature and her warmth and deep commitment to helping others, even non-Tibetans, touched me deeply (and Don also I believe). When we left she thanked us for our support and put a white silk scarf around each of our necks.
