By Kunchok Gyaltsen

Since spring, 2003, Tibetan Healing Fund has been growing and is successfully functioning in terms of fundraiser and project implementation. There are capable and devoted people on the board, wise advisers, warm-hearted friends, as well as knowledgeable and skillful professional Tibetans in the field. I am very grateful for those who have devoted their time, energy and work to support Tibetan Healing Fund to improve Tibetan women and children's basic education and primary health care. All of the board members have been working with Jessica Ravetz, Managing Director and Board President, to improve organizational system, fundraising and project preparation. We received our first grant this year and it encouraged the organization and our friends to promote its work and growth. Many of our friends and board members helped to organize fundraising lectures and workshops to advocate for mission of the organization.

On the project side, we are able to conduct bi-lingual (Tibetan and Chinese) teacher training, expand the children's fund in terms of numbers and project area. Also, we prepared for the Tibetan midwifery project and evaluated our Skilled Birth Attendant program. We are fortunate that local government leaders and communities greatly support our project. There are huge needs in the area and we will need more support from all of you. We are happy that we are going to be able to implement effective programs in the Tibetan rural areas of Qinghai Province.

Up to now within the organization, all of the work has been done on a voluntary basis and everyone in the organization has worked hard with compassion as motivation. Some of them even give up their own work and totally devote their time and energy to Tibetan Healing Fund work. As the founder of the organization, I would like people to donate their time and work, but to be a sustainable organization and achieve our goals, we have to create a reliable and strong organization to serve the people in Tibet. Therefore, we will hire one person to work in the field and one person in the US. These two individuals will work with our board, advisers and friends to improve and expand the work of Tibetan Healing Fund.

Finally, I would like to extend my gratitude to each board members, voluntary staff, Tibetan Healing Fund advisors, friends, relatives and volunteers who have devoted their hard work and time to Tibetan Healing Fund. I also would like to thank all our generous donors and especially our Donor of the Year, Mr. Chris Moore.

Happy New Year and Tashi Delek!