The Tibet Fund (New York, NY) is a nonprofit, founded in 1981, to help improve the lives of Tibetan refugees and enable them to maintain their Tibetan way of life and culture.

In the past 26 years, the Tibet Fund has increased its funding for programs to the present level of $5.5 million annually.

The Tibet Fund supports programs to sustain Tibetan refugee settlements in India, Nepal, and Bhutan and provide rehabilitation services for the thousands of new refugees who continue to arrive from Tibet every year.

In Tibet, the Tibet Fund partners with local organizations on projects that treat and prevent blindness, house and care for orphans and provide educational opportunities. In the past 7 years, the Tibet Fund’s Scholarship Program has brought 57 Tibetan students to the US … including 35 who have completed their education at U.S. colleges and returned home to Tibet.

About 3,000+ Tibetans escape over the Himalayas each year to seek refuge in Nepal and India. The refugees face the hazards of travel, sexual and physical abuse, and harassment and extortion from Chinese border guards. The refugees often arrive in asylum areas in poor health, psychologically traumatized and lacking the basic necessities to rebuild their lives. The care and rehabilitation of new refugees is an ongoing priority for the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) in Dharamsala.

The U.S. State Department’s Humanitarian Assistance Grant, administered by the Tibet Fund, assists the CTA by providing funds for reception centers for refugees in Kathmandu, Nepal and in New Delhi and Dharamsala in India.

For those in exile, the Tibet Fund supports programs for:

Health Care - 44 health clinics, 9 primary health care centers, one mobile clinic and 7 hospitals in 53 refugee settlements in India and Nepal are supported. Tuberculosis, maternal and child health, clean drinking water and sanitation, aid to frostbite victims and other medical aid are provided.

Education - 82 schools for Tibetan children in India, Nepal and Bhutan are supported. In addition to schools, funds are provided for capacity building and training of teachers and school administrators and for the Fulbright Tibetan Scholarship program.

Rehabilitation - Refugees receive lodging, food, medical care at reception centers.

Community and Economic Development - Providing training, construction of schools, housing and other infrastructure, and income generating projects and teaching of vocational skills. Income generating projects include fruit orchards, vegetable gardens, stores, and guest houses.

Old People’s Homes - Special facilities are built for the specific needs of older Tibetans.

Cultural Preservation Programs - Funding is provided to cultural and performing arts institutes, monasteries and nunneries for projects that preserve traditional arts, music and dances.

Information on sponsorship programs, donations and other program information can be found on their website.