HCF HISTORY

Thrangu Rinpoche has a vast vision of helping people throughout the Himalayan Region. He has said how he would like to benefit all the children, but it is not possible without resources and this is why his American non-profit organization, the Himalayan Children's Fund is so important.

The Himalayan Children's Fund became an official 501-c-3 non-profit organization in 1987 and began functioning on Rinpoche's behalf in 1989. At that time he had a monastery in Boudha, Nepal; a retreat center at Namo Buddha; and a school with 30 students and 3 ordained nuns. Today the monastery has grown to include a very expanded meditation and educational complex at Namo Buddha, with a large shrine hall, dining halls and monks quarters, a new school for young monks and a large clinic to serve the people of the surrounding area. There is a three-year retreat center at Bhaktapur, and new monasteries in Nubri and Lumbini. Shree Mangal Dvip Boarding School now has over 500 students, serving monks, nuns and lay children. Tara Abbey is home to 200 nuns who also run a clinic in Swyambhu and have a three year retreat center in Manang. Vajra Vidya Institute, the monastic college in Sarnath, India has a clinic and over 50 students in the Shedra (including a handful of western students) and 50 young monks. There is also a new monastery near Nalanda - Pullahari Drupkhang. In Tibet, there is a monastery with a 3 year retreat as well as a nunnery and 3 year retreat. The ways of benefiting just keep growing!

The Himalayan Children's Fund is the avenue by which anyone can help to support these wonderful projects. Sponsorship of a student, monk or nun is just one of many ways to get involved. Donations of all kinds are needed and gratefully accepted.

How the Fund Began

During a visit to the United States in 1985, Venerable Thrangu Rinpoche was approached by students who asked what they could do to help. Rinpoche replied that a fund was needed so that people from the West could have a way of connecting with and helping the people of the Himalayas - and it needed to have 'children' in the name so people could help the children.

Mr. Richard Krivcher then initiated the development of the non-profit and the California State and Federal designation was approved in 1987. In 1989 Thrangu Rinpoche asked Ms. Debra Ann Robinson to take charge of the fundraising program. In 1999, the responsibility of directing the fund was passed to Mrs. Jane Lawless in Hancock, Maine and in December of 2004 Ms. Robinson-Menzies resumed the position of Director in Los Angeles, California.