ASIA

Introduction

ASIA (Association for International Solidarity in Asia) was founded in 1988 by Chögyal Namkhai Norbu and has its headquarters in Rome. Its activities are closely linked to the other organizations of the Dzogchen Community. The main objective of the association is to promote the economic, social and cultural development of the Tibetan people.

Over the years, ASIA has carried out more than one hundred fifty projects in favour of the Tibetan populations in Tibet, China, India, Nepal and Sri Lanka. It has devoted a lot of energy to and been particularly effective in the fields of development of health and education, the preservation of the traditional cultural heritage, and distance adoptions. Thanks to its activities, hospitals and schools have been built in Tibet and numerous monasteries have been renovated. ASIA is a non-profit organization that has acquired expertise and skills in the field of social-humanitarian assistance.

In 1999 ASIA was officially recognized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for its realization of projects in developing countries. In 2001 ASIA became a partner of ECHO (the European Commission’s Humanitarian Aid Office).

Troru Tibetan Medical College

Troru Tibetan Medical College is the UK Dzogchen Community’s link project with ASIA, designated by Chögyal Namkhai Norbu.

Our aim is to raise £13,000 so that ASIA can proceed with building a medical college at Troru in East Tibet. Over £1000 of this has already been raised during 2009. The final project will consist of:

• a college for 40 students, built and equipped
• improvements to the existing hospital
• the training of 40 students with the support of a sponsorship program
• increased production of Tibetan medicines.

This project will not only bring health benefits to the local region but will also preserve a particularly precious medical tradition for future generations throughout the world.

Troru Monastery is a root monastery of the Troru Kagyud lineage and is located in Jomda County, Chamdo Prefecture in the Tibetan Autonomous Region. The monastery was the seat of Khempo Troru Tsenam, one of Tibet’s leading physician monks, until his death in 2004. Khempo Tsenam was Directing Physician and Professor of Medicine at the Central Institute in Lhasa and editor-in-chief of the Tibetan Medicine volumes of the China Medical Encyclopedia. At a time of disruption and debasement of Tibetan Medicine, he was instrumental in re-establishing traditional medical understanding.

In 2004, Khenpo Tsenam completed a hospital at Troru (pictured left), but his goal of building a college and training new doctors is still to be realized. The five doctors living in Troru now are holders of a very special medical tradition rooted in Khempo Tsenam’s innovation and depth of traditional knowledge. They wish to pass this on.

Background: ASIA has been working in this region since 1993, on social, educational, health and cultural projects, all supported by local people. In 2007, Trace Foundation approved a grant to ASIA for the building of the college at Troru. Detailed plans were drawn up and tendering was under way in February 2008. The Lhasa riots and later the Sichuan earthquake have delayed the project, diverting construction workers and halting the movement of construction materials. This has caused a significant shortfall of funds, which is what the UK Dzogchen Community aims to make up so that the project can be completed. An agreement has been reached with a construction company for the building to take place in the Summer of 2010.