Belmont Shore Mom helps young Tibetan girls at risk

Deep in the southern part of the Tibet-Qinghai Plateau, there is a Tibetan Autonomous Region where 99% of the populations are of Tibetan descent. Tibetan is the native language and Buddhism is embodied in the local culture. 

A California woman, Lynn Velez, a friend of  “Whats Up in Seal Beach”  who lives in Hong Kong, has responded to the plight of the needs of these young women and girls. Lynn is well known by us and her hard work and honesty are above reproach. She takes absolutely no compensation for her efforts. (In fact she and her husband are large  donors to the project both in work and cash.) 

 

The girls  come from very poor families who cannot afford to look after them. Some of the girls are from families who “gave” them to other families as house-maids to pay-off generational loans or to receive food and cash so the rest of the family could survive.  Even though it is required by law to send children to school for 9 years, many of these nomadic families do not value formal education and instead keep their girls at home to work because of necessity. 

The SGH is fully “endorsed” by the Local and Provincial Chinese Government… unfortunately that doesn’t include financial help. but even though its only partially built the Seng Girls Home is already  becoming a sanctuary for these Tibetan girls. A school is currently being built; however, there are other necessities that are needed.  Here is the very modest “Wish List” for the Seng Girls Home .

–Bathroom and Toilet. $12,650. At present they use an outdoor privvy. Winter  temps approach minus 25 degrees- –  THIS MUST  BE COMPLETED BEFORE THE FIRST SNOW!   Right now they bath once or twice a year- – only in the summer when water is warmer. Likewise their only blanket is washed once a year. It’s heavy material and needs two or three days to dry..again, only in summer.

 

 

  -Kitchen-$4,500. The kitchen is a simple two burner gas outlet and several large pots. The girls are happy with     these because they are eating regularly but more girls are coming every day and the kitchen must be enlarged. not enough funds to complete it.                          

Seeing the beginnings of their sleeping quarters

     Completion of new Dormitories – $12,100 The 40 girls currently live in the main house but will move into dormitories once completed.  The goal is to eventually accommodate 100 girls.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Capital Fund for Education–$20,800 – This is for 20 computers, printers, a library with bookshelves, teacher’s resources and a desk and chair for each child. The girls are learning English as well as Tibetan and the Chinese are not insisting on Chinese. Even though they just have rudimentary tools they are excelling at their studies.  And they LOVE IT!

Anything you can give, $5, $20, or more  – – will be of MONUMENTAL help to these girls.  Of course if you can find a BIG donor that will also be very helpful but don’t think that $5 isn’t important.  It is.

Further Information:  Simply contact Lynn Velez at lrvelez@hotmail.com  or call +86 13603012442.

 To donate send your check to ‘Friends of Hong Kong Charities Inc’. 

Friends of Hong Kong Charities, Inc, and mail it to:
Lynn Velez, c/o Alan Mutke,
207 La Verne Ave,Long Beach, Ca 90803.

(Alan is Lynn’s  Father.) 

We will make sure your donation gets to Lynn ASAP.

Important Notes:
 
Make sure to include your name, address and email details so “Friends of Hong Kong Charities” can send you an IRS Tax Redemption Letter. The 501 (3) C U.S. Tax I.D Number for this Charity is: 30-0136665.

Please also note which project your donation is supporting (if no project is mentioned we will use our discretion to apply it where it is most needed).  

The Tibetan girls thank you for your support and we will have a website by Christmas so you can see the results!