Tibet Foundation - Aid to Tibet Background

Aid to Tibet has been working in Tibetan areas of the People's Republic of China since 1993. The areas singled out for assistance have been health, education and basic infrastructure development. All Aid to Tibet assistance has been provided with the knowledge and participation of local government, authorities and people.

Aid to Tibet's initial work was channeled through the official Tibet Development Fund. During this early phase, Aid to Tibet provided assistance to:

• The Mount Kailash Medical School in Darchen, Ngari, Tibetan Autonomous Region (TAR).
• Ngarongsha Tibetan Medical Hospital in Lhasa, TAR.
• Gyalten School in Kandze County, Kandze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture.

Aid to Tibet also worked with the Care and Share Foundation to provide solar equipment to villages in the rural areas adjacent to the high Yangtze River.

Aid to Tibet subsequently began to manage its programmes independently, and to focus on areas outside the TAR. Today all Aid to Tibet's projects are in Kandze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Sichuan Province; and Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Qinghai Province.

In 1995-6, following from the extreme winter that struck the eastern portion of the Tibetan Plateau, Aid to Tibet started working with the Sershul County Government.
A responsive-relief program was set up which provided around £200,000 to the devastated nomadic communities affected, providing grain and clothing, but focusing on replenishing the 'capital' stock of Yak and Dri who's depletion so threatened the nomadic way of life. This relief work has formed the basis for further co-operation with Sershul County.

In Summer 2001, Aid to Tibet started the Sershul County Health Initiative. This is Aid to Tibet's largest project, and is training students in Tibetan Medical Courses, supporting first rural village clinics and producing Tibetan Medicine in Sershul.

In 2000, as part of a long-term expansion to Aid to Tibet's educational programme , support has been provided to a further three schools within Kandze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture. These have been selected in partnership with local government, to support the poorest and most influential schools in the region.

Aid to Tibet has also provided support to small one-off infrastructure projects such as bridges and clinics.