Some of the senior hostel children held a press conference for journalists a few days before the inauguration of the new hostel, chaired by Jamyang, Director, Tong-Len Charitable Trust and also attended by Anna and Gareth Owen (Tong-Len UK).

The children told the company of 37 journalists their stories of how their lives had been changed by Tong-Len.  They talked about what their life had been like previously, scavenging for food and begging in the streets.  Now they have received a primary and secondary education at a local school and are looking forward to professional careers following tertiary education.

‘I really believe that I have a good personality and have a good and sustainable life in the future’, said Karan, who is planning to do business studies at university.

Ranjeeta. in her final year at school, said that Tong-Len had given her a very good life  She wants to become a lawyer and help her community in the future.

Sunny, one of the school leavers who is now studying hotel and tourism management at Kerala University and also working in a local 5-star hotel, said that Tong-Len was ‘like lifting somebody up from hell and opening the gates of heaven’.

See one of the articles written by a Tibet Express journalist here.