Jhamtse Gatsal
Tibet/India
Jhamtse Gatsal, which means 'Garden of Love and Compassion' in Tibetan, is a Community founded by Lobsang Phuntsok that houses around 90 orphaned children including 'our' little Lham.
In the remote Arunachal Pradesh, in northeast India, bordering Bhutan, lies Jhamtse Gatsal, which in Tibetan means "Garden of Love and Compassion." It's a community that welcomes orphaned children, offering them a refuge and an education aimed at nurturing "heart, mind, and body." It currently hosts around 90 children, a number that's constantly growing.
Our connection with Jhamtse Gatsal is deeply personal and focuses on our support for Lham Drema, one of the children hosted in this extraordinary community. Lham is a thoughtful and curious young girl, with a heart brimming with positivity and a mind constantly exploring deep questions about ethics. She often wonders, "How can we incorporate ethics into our everyday lives?" and "How does ethics help us become better human beings?" Her insightful questions have even inspired the founder, Lobsang Phuntsok. Lham loves storytelling and enjoys reading books, but most of all, she cherishes engaging in conversations with everyone at Jhamtse, freely expressing her thoughts and emotions. Academically, Lham excels, and she's known for being friendly and approachable.
As Lobsang Phuntsok, Founder and Director, says: "The most positive change that I see in the children today is that where they had nothing and no hope in their life; today, they are dreaming and thinking of doing something for the world at large; they are thinking of paying forward the kindness of their supporters and caregivers. This, to me, is the biggest achievement of all." Our contribution, through the sponsorship of Lham, aligns perfectly with this vision.
The Power of Sponsorship: Supporting Lham's Future
Our support for Lham is part of a broader commitment to offer these children a dignified future. When you sponsor a child at Jhamtse Gatsal, you help ensure they receive:
- A loving and compassionate home and family with "Ama la's" (house mothers) and older siblings.
- A comprehensive education of the heart, mind, and body.
- Nutritious food and integrative healthcare (medical and dental).
- Experiential learning with organic farming, earthen construction, and sustainability practices like renewable energy and plastic recycling.
- Support through higher education until their first day of employment.
While direct correspondence with Lham isn't possible, to ensure her safety and privacy, we, like other sponsors, receive regular updates. These include new photos, letters, or drawings, allowing us to closely follow her growth and learning, witnessing the concrete impact of our support.
The cost to meet all the children's needs is high, and the program is based on the "It takes a village to raise a child" philosophy, with most children having multiple sponsors from around the world. This creates a cycle of generosity, love, and compassion that supports not only Lham but the entire community.
An Inspiring Commitment
While Jhamtse Gatsal's work is extensive and globally inspiring (as shown by documentaries and accolades), its most tangible expression lies in the daily lives of children like Lham. Our commitment to Lham Drema is a small yet significant piece of this "Garden of Love and Compassion," a direct investment in the unlimited potential of one child and in the future of a more conscious and sustainable world.
