Life was very hard growing up in Dolpo, but not unusual as it is an impoverished region. In early 2000, however, everything changed when a Buddhist monk named Lama Tenzin Choegyal rescued me.

My parents were pleased that this caring Buddhist monk offered me a better life, including education. So along with several other underprivileged children from our village, we journeyed down the rugged terrain of the Himalayas. We reached Dehradun in the early morning and were warmly greeted at Lama Tenzin’s family’s home. Because the CED Society building was still under construction, we remained with Lama Tenzin’s family for the following year.

When we first arrived, none of us could speak Hindi or English, so we were diligent students learning these foreign languages and behaviors for the next year. After completing high school, I graduated from ITM Dehradun with a Bachelor of Science degree in Animation and Multimedia. Currently, I am very proud to be working toward my master’s degree in Animation and Multimedia. With my education, I hope to work as a professional 3D hard-surface designer and video creator.

For the past 20 years, I have lived with my new family of brothers and sisters, and together we have shared great memories. In addition to studying, Lama has worked tirelessly to teach us leadership qualities and responsibility, including taking care of our home by sharing those responsibilities.

It has been a long journey since the days of Dolpo. Thank you all so much for your constant support and compassion.