At 15, I have lived my entire life at the CED Society, as my father is the younger brother of Lama Tenzin Choegyal. Even though I am Lama Tenzin’s nephew, he does not treat me differently from any other children at the CED. He believes that every child in the CED is special. I am very grateful to Lama Tenzin la (la is a term of respect) for his kindness and for supporting the rest of the children from Nepal and me.

I love living at the CED. Since all the children have lived together for so long, we are now like brothers and sisters. Compared to many children in India, we never have to worry about our health or well-being; we are sure that Lama Tenzin will provide us with a good home and food, the best education, and many fun adventures.

A few of my favorite things to do are reading novels like The Innocent and William Wenton
and playing soccer. Lama Tenzin encourages us to dream big and to follow our hearts. My dream is to one day become a professional soccer player like my role model, Lionel Messi, an Argentinian soccer player.

Despite the difficult time many people have experienced during COVID, Lama Tenzin la makes sure that our days feel normal and we can continue our education, have fun, and help people in our community.

Our respected Lama Tenzin la has made us strong; he has cared for us and taught us how to have compassion for others, handle responsibilities, and become leaders. In addition, he has provided the opportunity for each of us to dream big dreams and follow our hearts.