School children welcomed at Wenchen Gompa

Welcome To Wenchen Gompa And Kyere Monastery Projects

The late Choygam Trungpa Rinpoche’s relatives in Tibet and the west are working to rebuild and restore the nunneries and monasteries that were destroyed in 1959. The Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche, the oldest son of Choygam Trungpa, and the spiritual and temporal head of the Shambhala mandala is completely committed to the development of the Surmang group of monasteries. His efforts are now focused on the rebuilding of a school (or shedra) for monastic and lay students at Surmang Dutsi Til monastery in eastern Tibet. Wenchen and Kyere are a two-day horseback ride away, in a very remote, but breath-taking valley, completely devoid of schools and hospitals. My purpose is to help Damcho Tenphel Rinpoche (Choygam Trunpa's only living brother) and Karma Senge Rinpoche, (his nephew) restore basic services to this area. A monastic education is available at Wenchen (aka Weyching) and Kyere monastery, and now because there are no schools in the area, the nuns of Wenchen Gompa have started teaching Tibetan reading and writing to the nomadic children in the valley. It quickly became popular and now a SCHOOL has been registered with the authorities in Chamdo and 160 children have been enrolled. The medical clinic that was planned, has been put on hold for now, so that resources can be directed to the school project. This is a "bare bones" project, built and operated entirely by Tibetans using traditional building materials, and where one western dollar goes a very long way.