About Us
Some background on the Helping Tibet Foundation...
Tade Temple Hope Primary School (Tade, Dêgê County, Garzê Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, 627250) is located in one of the most authentic and natural regions of Tibet, the Dege County, which is near the pristine Jinsha River in the Kangba area of the Ganzi Prefecture. The narrow river valley in front of the stately temple is often shielded by a blanket of clouds. Illuminated by the sun, the Jinsha River casts vibrant, flamboyant lights onto the Zongqingxini Mysterious Mountain, which has an elevation of more than 4,500 meters (approximately 14,800 feet). The mountain earns its name from the faint mist that surrounds the wildflower-covered mountain slopes, which are peppered with the figures of wooly yaks, rendering the scene an otherworldly sight.
The current abbots of Tade Temple are Tulku Zwanjimi and Tulku Dengzhenjiacuo. They are held in high regard by the locals, as they have tremendously assisted their people. Tulku Zwanjimi and Tulku Dengzhenjiacuo constructed and established the Tade Temple Hope Primary School through public welfare. This institution serves as a haven for poverty-stricken children to eat, live, and receive education, all free of charge. The two tulkus’ primary goal for the children is to provide them with a hopeful future, as they live in remote mountainous areas, with few opportunities to experience other environments.
These children are raised to help their families herd and graze cattle and harvest wild plants. Since their parents have never traveled out of the mountains to encounter the outside world, the thought of facing a new environment is deemed unimaginable. However, this reality does not mean that the children have to remain isolated; they deserve to have an expanded opportunity to interact with broader society. Accessing new professional and educational opportunities requires the individual to be literate. With this goal in mind, Tulku Zwanjimi and Tulku Dengzhenjiacuo founded the Tade Temple Hope Primary School in this remote area of Ganzi Prefecture.
The current Tade Temple Hope Primary School is drastically different from the school it used to be when it first opened. Back then, there was only one earthen house with a pot, blackboard, and few wooden stakes in it. In this simple building, the teacher and the fifteen children would huddle together under a stream of light from a gap in the wall to remain warm while studying. Because the families all lived scattered in the isolated mountains, transportation was especially inconvenient. To remediate this problem, Tulku Zwanjimi, Tulku Dengzhenjiacuo, and their lamas decided to supply accomodation and meals for the students. With every chance to travel to town, the two tulkus took advantage and bought school supplies and food for the children. After years of donations, volunteering, and development, the Tade Temple Hope Primary School gradually improved into the secure and homely place it is today.
Education is a luxury for the kids living in the Tade Temple. At the institution, children learn to write and read Chinese, the Tibetan language, and work out fundamental mathematical calculations. Even though the living and learning conditions there are disadvantageous, as electricity, hot water, phone signals, and networks are unavailable, the children’s enthusiasm for education is exceedingly high.
The children living in the mountains are different from those in the cities. They do not know how to hide or imply their opinions. They laugh when they are happy, shout when they are excited, and are always expressing their emotions straightforwardly and enthusiastically using words and deeds. Their way of speaking is simple and non-contrived. They have no knowledge of socializing with outsiders, or the pressure and complications that come with urban environments. These children roam all over the mountains and plains, picking wildflowers, tying them into bouquets, and sending them to their loved ones.
These Tibetan children have never been able to experience the world outside of their region, but, in their innocent eyes, there is that sliver of hope that craves the precious treasure of learning. However, there is now a space for planting seeds of aspiration and dreams for these young people, and these beneficial and valuable seeds are thriving in this charitable school in this remote location in Tibet.