APPEALS

Polluted Water in Tibetan Children's School
NOTE: Please see the updated appeal for the Tibetan Refugee Health Care Project.

September 8, 2002
Dear Friends,

We are asking for tax-deductible donations to help with a water crisis in one of the Tibetan schools in India Their water is polluted and some of the children are getting sick. I am leaving for India in one week and intend to assess all the Tibetan schools (4) in that area. However, this will be an ongoing project. We hope to put in water purifiers wherever they are needed ASAP. In total, there are a few thousand students, including a small school for the Tibetan Handicapped.

During the time I have worked with Tibetan refugees over the past 19 years, I have personally witnessed thousands of patients with compromised health as a result of water related problems. Now, one step at a time, we are trying to make a little difference.

Last year we focused on bringing clean water to Tibetan Buddhist monasteries, nunnery, and college of higher learning in the Dehra Dun area. A number of the monks had been getting very ill from the water and, in fact, one died. The situation is nearly under control there now. We have 9 water systems in place with annual service contracts on all of them.

At present, we need to move rather quickly to make the children's boarding schools safe. 100 % of all donations will go directly to the purchase, installation, and service of these water purification systems. The purification systems cost can range from $300 to $1000 per unit. Each school will need a few units.

We would like to encourage youth to participate in fundraising efforts. We gladly accept donations from youth as well as the community. We invite philanthropic organizations to join with us in this effort. Tax-deductible contributions by check, payable to Alternative Resources, may be posted to the address listed below.

On behalf of all Tibetan refugee children, we thank you.
With prayers,

Marsha Woolf
Director

The Tibetan Refugee Health Care Project is an initiative of Alternative Resources Unlimited Inc.II, a 501c3 non-profit, non-political organization, which has existed since 1989, under the directorship of Marsha Woolf. It operates almost exclusively through donations and volunteer staff. TRHCP was created to facilitate medical treatment and disease prevention education among the over 135,000 Tibetans currently living in resettlement camps in India. We bring qualified volunteer health care professionals to these Tibetan communities to hold clinics and give treatments with a focus on acupuncture, nutritional education, self help skills, health talks, women's health education, and medical care. We also bring donated medical and health related supplies, as well as purchase sorely needed equipment or supplies directly in India. This has included dental equipment. The project has begun to expand its teams of health care professionals to include medical doctors, dentists, health educators, environmentalists, and other medical personnel. All services are offered on a volunteer basis. With proper funding, the project plans to have mobile units, which will allow multiple teams to go to various camps simultaneously. Please make checks to Alternative Resources with a memo on the check telling us where you would like your donations to go. Or, you can make a general donation, and we will decide.

The Tibetan Refugee Health Care Project
101 West 23rd St., #158
New York,NY 10011
Tel:212-627-4757
MFWOOLF@aol.com
www.tibetanrefugeehealth.org

"Everyone has the possibility to shape the future of humanity." H.H. the XIV Dalai Lama