Tong-Len

A Charitable Trust

We help displaced communities in North India achieve a secure and sustainable future by addressing the root causes of their poverty and ill-health through a range of education and health-based projects

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Taking on humanity, one step at a time...

Tong-Len is a small charity working with displaced Indian communities in the area around Dharamsala. Most families live in a state of desperation within slum camps.

Tong-Len aims to help these homeless communities gain access to basic human rights. The main focus is to break the cycle of deprivation through education. To this end, Tong-Len has established its own school and provides hostel accommodation for those children in most need. .

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Every penny we receive makes a difference and we cannot thank you enough for thinking about us and making a financial contribution.

If you are interested in setting up a standing order, direct debit or for other payment options, please email anna@tong-len.org.

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About Us

Tong-Len Charitable Trust was registered in December 2004, with a vision to help destitute Indian children, seen begging in the streets and scavenging in the rubbish dumps, gain access to education. Tong-Len UK was founded in March 2005 to raise funds for Tong-Len Charitable Trust.

In some projects, especially health, Tong-Len works in partnership with the Dalai Lama Trust.

Jamyang, a refugee Tibetan monk, was moved by the plight of the young Indian children he saw begging in the street and scavenging in the rubbish bins. He discovered they were living in terrible conditions in a slum camp with no access to clean water, sanitation or education.

Jamyang shared his concerns and his vision to help these children go to school with a few other Tibetan refugees and Western volunteers who helped him establish the charity in India.

The name Tong-Len comes from the Tibetan words meaning ‘give’ and ‘take’, the idea being that through compassion one shares in the suffering and pain of others whilst simultaneously giving out love and kindness. For more of Jamyang’s story, click here.

Our News

Ravi and Sunny start their degree course in Travel and Tourism Management in Kerala

Aug 10, 2015

Congratulations to Ravi and Sunny on being accepted to study for a Bachelor in Business Administration degree in Kerala (south India) at Sharaf College. Their specialism is in Travel and Tourism Management. During their study Ravi and Sunny will be gaining work...

Nisha Kumari starts university degree course in journalism and media

Aug 9, 2015

Many congratulations to Nisha Kumari in gaining a place at a prestigious Indian university to read for her bachelor's degree (BMS) in journalism, media studies, politics and economics. Nisha has done fantastically well. She had an overall mark of 76% in her final...

Third hostel building completed

Jul 21, 2015

Thanks to the generosity of the Fontana Foundation (Switzerland), a third hostel has been built on the site of the other hostel buildings in Sara, near Dharamsala. This will accommodate about 50 children. More children will be taken in to the hostels from the slum...

Safety training

Jul 15, 2015

The Tong-Len children received training by specialists in how to cope with emergencies such as fire and earthquakes. Hands on training was given by the specialist team in the use of fire extinguishers which are located throughout the hostel complex. The children...

Hostel children celebrate Environment Day

Jun 5, 2015

Environment Day was celebrated on the 5th June by the hostel children through a wide variety of events to illustrate the importance of the environment in our lives and how we should care for the environment. The children engaged in artwork using recycled materials...

Cooking classes for the older children

Apr 21, 2015

As part of their social development the children are involved in a range of activities in the hostel at the weekend. One of the activities has been cooking classes for the older children. The children have built their own outside brick oven in order to make bread.