Poverty Alleviation & Sponsorship to the Elders:
[ Poverty Alleviation program for the Poor and needy people ]
Background:
Despite great progress and development of the Tibetan refugees (regarded as one of the most successful stories of refugees throughout the world) owing to the well-established organisation and rehabilitation, poverty still lingers on. Prior to the first ever poverty survey in 1994, it is assumed that poverty is a generally prevalent phenomena in Tibetan community and addressed as such. The poverty review and survey undertaken in 2002, identified the poor into four categories and recommended suitable measures to each.
The categories are:
- Poor aged and frail,
- Poverty owing to Children,
- Poverty owing to sickness and frailty
- Poverty owing to lack of capital.
- According to the latest review conducted on the 'Poverty Alleviation', the Kashag has issued guidelines to withdraw the last category i.e. Poverty owing to lack of capital with effect from 2nd April 2008.
The criteria for poverty was mainly based on the 'less than a dollar per capita per day' standard, which identified about 2,100 individuals and is still increasing, under the poor aged and frail category which forms between the age group of 65 years and above (60 years in case of aged persons suffering from sickness under similar circumstance).
Traditionally, emotionally, and rationally, it becomes a must that we look after the welfare of the aged, many of whom had to suffer the brutalities, and suffer trauma of exile in an alien world, devoid of skills and host country language. Many of them had actually sacrificed their near and dear ones and gambled their life to fight for Tibet in their prime without the benefit of security in life. It becomes our duty and pleasure to help them when in need of help.
Objective: To support the poor and needy elders by providing monthly stipend and to look after the welfare of 14 Old Peoples Home under our care.
Measures taken: Adopt a Granny or Grandad Program
Central Tibetan Relief Committee, a relief wing under the Department of Home formed to look after the welfare and socio-economic development of Tibetan refugees in exile then started a sponsorship program "Adopt a granny or granddad" in order to achieve a part of its objectives.
Our welfare section undertakes this very program to help these elderly Tibetans who resisted the initial invasion of their homeland: these are the exiles that forged a life in a foreign land, preserving the Tibetan cultural heritage. As refugees, the exile Tibetans do not have access to conventional programs like pension funds or social security and their traditional support structure, the extended family, is often too stressed to help. This adoption program provides elderly poor and needy Tibetans with the means to live with dignity and respect.
Under this Program, we are looking after the welfare of poor and needy Tibetan elders scattered over 53 different settlements in India, Nepal and Bhutan by providing monthly sponsorship money to meet their basic requirements. As far as possible, we find sponsors for each elder who adopt them either as their granny or grand dad.
As far as possible, they are given stipends and encouraged to live with their families for they have a wealth of knowledge to be passed on to the younger generations. Many of them, who are single, are catered into Old Peoples Home (around 14 Old Peoples Home, scattered in India and Nepal, with direct CTRC control). We also look after these Old Peoples Home and help them in meeting their running expenses by again finding sponsor for the elders or seeking donations for the OPH.
Our 'Adopt a Granny or Granddad' sponsorship program has proved very successful in helping thousands of elderly Tibetans to lead a decent life with dignity and respect at a stage when there is no source of income for them to carry on their livelihood due to lack of pension funds or social security. At present, there are around 2100 beneficiaries under this program excluding elders living at OPH and ex army personnel. This program would not have been successful without the philanthropic support of various donors and therefore, CTRC would very much like to convey our heartfelt thanks to all the kind donors for their generous support towards our community.
