Activities
Both in Ladakh and in the Netherlands performs DFLN activities to the nuns in Ladakh to support and promote self-sufficiency. It cooperates with the nuns and nunneries in Ladakh and the wishes and needs of these nuns guiding our activities
In Ladakh:
Since 2003, annual travel DFLN board, at their own expense, to Ladakh to the various projects to support or to give workshops.
Our volunteer coordinator, Aniek Jaartsveld, staying for several years from April to September for volunteers to assist in Ladakh and the nuns and other relevant tasks. Marlies Bosch goes to Ladakh every year to nuns to support their projects and developments in photo and film documentation. In addition to the other committee members regularly to Ladakh. Every year there are enough volunteers to run the guesthouse, and in several places helping hand services.
In the Netherlands:
Our activities are also held in the Netherlands. We try to acquaint people with the culture and position of nuns in Ladakh.
In addition, we recruit funds and individual donations to the nuns nuns and projects to support. We do this by example:
- giving PowerPoint presentations on various occasions (such as groups of women now in museums, libraries, etc.)
- to organize periodic Ladakh Festivals, in various places in the country, with several nuns in Ladakh and related activities.
- the annual publication of a newsletter, both digitally and by mail, the nuns in Ladakh and our activities.
- distributing a brochure.
- creating links to relevant websites.
- giving publicity to the position of nuns in Ladakh through various media such as newspapers, TV (for example, a recent report BRT), and cooperate with documentaries about nuns in Ladakh.
- goods sold through the website, as the book 'light in Ladakh ", various movies and postcards. Also, photos can be ordered in various sizes.
Cooperation in Ladakh:
There are currently 29 nunneries in Ladakh. They are spread over a vast rugged area in northwestern India, where it's bitterly cold winters can be. The DFLN works in Ladakh along with the Ladakh Nuns Association (LNA) and other nunneries not connected to the LNA or own projects or looking up.
The LNA in 1997 by Dr. Tsering Palmo founded. This organization maintains relationships with some of the nunneries in Ladakh. In the monasteries of nuns living around 1300. Some of them must study elsewhere because of the higher education in Buddhist Ladakh are very limited.
In addition, a number of nuns still live outside the monasteries, to provide for their families or because they own life hun maintenance must be provided for example by working in road construction.
The LNA encourages nuns to a serious training, both in the Dharma (Buddhist teachings) and traditional Tibetan medicine. This will allow nuns communities the opportunity to be self-reliant and independent. Meanwhile, other nunneries active in educating their community as the monastery in Temisgang (with Dutch support including Nel Willekens and Tenzin Chodron built and maintained) and a new convent, Gephel Shadrubling in Sabu. The young communities focus their attention on a good education and ability in the future. In the not far from Leh is situated Choglamsar the Central Institute for Buddhist Studies established. There may also nuns in training in Buddhist philosophy, but they also teach sculpture, carving and painting of traditional ao thankas.
