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– 8th December 2006
– 16th November 2006
– 5th November 2006
– October 2006
– 29th September 2006
– September 2006
– 29th August 2006
- August 2006
- August 2006
- 7th July 2006
- 2nd July 2006
- 24th June 2006
- 17th June 2006
- 22nd May 2006
- 12th May 2006
- April 2006
- April 2006
- 9th February 2006
- 7th February 2006
- 6th February 2006
- 24th January 2006
- 14th January 2006
- 13th January 2006
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– 8th December 2006
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The whole community of Charan were devastated by the death of Michael Blakey on the 26th November. According to their tradition they held a special puja (prayer ceremony) following a twelve day period of mourning. They honoured Michael as they would a leader of their own faith adorning his photograph with flowers, burning incense and singing devotional songs to ease his passage into the next life. |
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– 16th November 2006
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Thanks to one of our volunteers, trained in circus arts, children in the primary tuition tent had the opportunity to learn circus skills such as juggling and balancing. This culminated in a performance in the tent school by a professional circus entertainer who was visiting Dharamsala. All the children from Charan were invited to attend, and were delighted by the display of magic, clowning, and balancing. Some children had the opportunity to try out some tricks and the monocycle themselves. |
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– 5th November 2006
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Tong-Len teamed up with volunteer vets from Tibet Charity, a Danish organisation working in Dharamsala, to round up and vaccinate the numerous dogs who are to be found scavenging in the rubbish around Charan. These dogs are a health hazard to residents, especially children, some of whom have died from dog bites. Tong-Len has also organised for many of the dogs to have de-sexing operations in order to reduce the canine population and lessen the aggressive behaviour of the male dogs. |
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– October 2006
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Tong-Len's slum survey has revealed that there are approximately 10,000 environmental refugees in Himachal Pradesh. The Kangra valley has the largest number of slum settlements (at least 40).
Click to download Tong-Len's fact sheets entitled 'Displacement in Himachal Pradesh' and the 'Scale of Displacement'. |
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– 29th September 2006
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As part of Tong-Len's health education initiative children from the tuition tent schools performed a play written by our volunteer nurse to illustrate the importance of childhood immunisations. This was attended by the children's families. Tong-Len is working alongside government health officials, who come to Charan monthly offering free immunisations. Following our health education drive, there was a tenfold increase in attendance at the immunisation clinic. |
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– September 2006
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Tong-Len has produced a health report based on six months operation of its weekly health clinic. Some notable findings are:
Over 1000 visits have been made to the clinic. People of all ages have made use of the service, receiving free diagnosis, advice, medication and treatment.
More women than men attend for treatment. Women make up 48% of the Charan Khad population, yet account for 58% of clinic visits.
The major complaints seen result largely from the environmental and economic situation faced by the population. Respiratory infections, fevers, dermatological diseases, gastro-intestinal problems and malnutrition are prevalent.
For a copy of our Interim Health Report please email info@tong-len.org |
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– 29th August 2006
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Shankar, who is both the senior teacher in our primary tuition tent and Tong-Len's health project worker, married Seema on the 29th of August 2006. Tong-Len's staff and volunteers, and many of the residents of the Charan Khad slum settlement joined in the colourful celebrations which took place in their respective family homes. The couple are now living in a rented apartment close to the slum, where Shankar used to share a tent with members of his family. |
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- August 2006
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A great deal has been achieved since the weekly clinic in Charan began in February. There have been more than 1100 presentations at the clinic, with people from all groups benefiting from the advice and treatment provided. Medicines have been prescribed, diagnostic tests have been carried out and individuals have been referred to hospitals for special treatments. |
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- August 2006
More than 120 children from the Charan community are now registered in the two Tong-Len Tuition Tents. Veeru, a local resident of the Charan settlement, has joined our education team. His main role is to act as assistant teacher in the nursery tent.
The Tuition Tent for primary-aged children has now been equipped with small writing desks, and volunteers helped to construct a 'puppet theatre' so that the children could put on shows using the puppets they made themselves in the art classes.
In the Nursery Tent brightly coloured tables have been provided for group activities.
A class schedule has been developed for both learning centres to ensure that the students will become familiar with the same academic material as is used in local schools. |
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- 7th July 2006
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Today, Rachel Owen, Operations Manager in India, married Pawan Bhardwaj, one of Tong-Len's Project Workers. All of Tong-Len's staff, volunteers, and supporters were invited, along-with many of the residents of the Charan slum settlement. The following day, Jamyang, Tong-Len's founder, officially became Rachel's brother, in a special Hindu ceremony. |
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- 2nd July 2006
| The sponsored children living in our support hostel organised a special programme of performances to say thank-you to volunteers and supporters. There was singing, dancing, comedy, and a play developed by the children themselves. Jamyang, Tong-Len's director gave a speech thanking everyone for their support, and in the spirit of the day, purchased a goat destined for slaughter, and donated it, on behalf of Tong-Len, to a poor family in the area, who can use it for milk for many years to come. The occasion was also a celebration of the ruby wedding anniversary of Anna & Gareth Owen, principal fundraisers for Tong-Len. |
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- 24th June 2006
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During the week of His Holiness the Dalai Lama's teachings, Tong-Len organised a week of fund-raising activities to inject much-needed funds into its medical programme. The week proved a success, with one beneficiary being a 5 year old girl with a hole in her heart, who will now be able to undergo surgery and work towards a full recovery. |
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- 17th June 2006
| On Saturday, our primary tuition tent in Charan was transformed into a theatre. More than 100 people came to watch 'Mr Jadou', a magician from France, and enjoy popcorn and juice with the performance. The children had never seen magic like this before and were especially in awe when 'Mr Jadou' created a fire ball in the air! |
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- 22nd May 2006
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Beginning in May, the Tibetan Delek Hospital in Dharamsala entered into partnership with Tong-Len, to assist in providing healthcare and medical advice to residents of the Charan slum settlement. Dr Tsetan Dorji Sadutshang, Chief Medical Officer of the hospital, arranged for his doctors to assist in Tong-Len's Health Clinic, and to provide follow-up support for patients in need of hospital-based treatment. |
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- 12th May 2006
| More than 120 children and 20 volunteers came to the Annual Tong-Len Picnic. Volunteers organised games and lunch for the Charan children, who were grouped into 4 teams - distinguished by coloured ribbons tied to their wrists. Then the fun began - candy fishing, sack races, ball and spoon, and the ever popular three-legged race. Lunch was served - puri, chana, curd and fruit - a real feast for these children who rarely eat in the middle of the day. The afternoon ended with everyone - volunteers and children alike - going home tired but happy. |
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- April 2006
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All 20 children sponsored to attend Dayanand Model High School completed the academic year with excellent results. The educational progress of the children has been quite outstanding, given their background and lack of prior education. All 20 children are in the top quartile of their respective classes, with ten children winning achievement awards this year. For the new academic year, nine of them have been allowed to jump a year. Congratulations are due not only to the children themselves but also to the hostel staff who have given them so much help and encouragement. |
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- April 2006
Veeru, a local resident of the Charan settlement, has joined our education team. His main role will be to act as assistant teacher in our nursery. |
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- 9th February 2006
Tong-Len is very grateful to the Mandala Trust for the funding it has provided to equip and run the hostel during its first year. The anniversary of the hostel opening, whilst celebrating a year's successful operation, also marks the need to seek new funding to replace the support previously given by Mandala. Although the children's individual costs are covered by their sponsors, this only represents about 1/5th of the total funds needed to run the projects, which include the hostel, the tent school, the new nursery school and the health projects. The success of the child education programme has led to a plea from the parents in the camp for a second hostel. Tong-Len wishes to respond positively to this request but to do so needs more financial support, particularly through regular monthly donations. Every penny pledged to our education and other projects goes directly to the project specified. |
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- 7th February 2006
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During its first week Tong-Len's health clinic saw nearly fifty patients, and assisted fifteen people, mainly children with urgently needed treatments. One adult and one child were admitted to hospital, and a further two children will need to undergo surgery in the coming months. The clinic, which runs one morning per week from our nursery tent in the centre of the Charan slum camp, is staffed by a volunteer health worker, assisted by a Tong-Len project worker who acts as translator. The health worker (a qualified nurse) assesses who amongst the attendees is most urgently in need of medical attention; these people are then taken to hospital by our project workers who pay for the necessary tests, treatments, and prescriptions. The health clinic also provides wound dressings, simple treatments, and health advice. Tong-Len is now seeking donations of medical supplies, and is appealing for funds / sponsors to cover the costs of expensive procedures such as surgery. |
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- 6th February 2006
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Tong-Len's nursery, located in a newly constructed tent in the centre of the slum, will operate every weekday afternoon, at the same times as its main school, which has been running for just over a year. This new project was launched in response to the increasing numbers of children, including many of pre-school age who wanted to attend school. Our new project worker / nursery teacher, Pawan, has been overwhelmed by the response of the local community who are very excited by the project. Up to 40 children are now attending the nursery school each day, with a similar number attending our original school. Volunteers are needed to assist in both schools - please see our volunteering section for more information. |
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- 24th January 2006
A CCTV system was installed at the hostel to provide additional security for the children. |
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- 14th January 2006
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The hostel children were delighted when Anna Owen, director of Tong-Len UK arrived bearing special Christmas gifts from Fox Covert RC Primary School in Edinburgh. Each of the twenty children received a hand made Christmas card, individually made for them by a pupil of Fox Covert RC Primary school, and a small parcel containing gifts. The children especially appreciated the small chocolate santa figures, and the yoyos which provided hours of amusement. |
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- 13th January 2006
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Ian Paice of Deep Purple fame entertained more than 1000 people at a special charity concert in Reading on the 13th January. This highly successful event, which raised over £7000, was organised by Chris Wright, MD of Drumwright, who is one of Tong-Len UK's trustees. |
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