17 July 2020

The Sewing Happiness Project provides training and resources for young women living in and around Bodhgaya. It was the brain child of Jangchup Lingpa who is the Secretary of the Kagyupa International Trust. Lama Chodrak, CEO of Kagyu Monlam immediately gave Jangchup the go ahead to pursue his idea further. This training programme fitted perfectly with our aspiration to plant seeds of compassionate action that can grow to provide longer lasting benefit and we had no hesitation in offering our support.

We are able to contribute to the well-being of 200 girls by improving the facilities at two Girls’ Hostels in the villages near Bodhgaya. This is made possible thanks to our colleagues based in the area who visit the outlying villages from time to time to assess their needs.
These girls who live at the Government-run hostels during term-time come from families who live below India’s national poverty line far from the nearest school.

Following the tragic death of Akong Rinpoche in 2013, the Hart Knowe Trust was even more committed to carry on the project he had inspired us to start. His brother Lama Yeshe, who is the Abbot of Samye Ling, named it the “Akong Tulku Memorial Soup Kitchen”. In co-operation with the Kagyupa International Monlam Trust, the Soup Kitchen has become established as a special event that the local people and volunteers from all over the world look forward to.