Tibet Clinic & Safe Childbirth | Amitabha Foundation

Happy Saga Dawa Duchen

June 16, 2019 by Becky

Shakyamuni Statue at the Mahabodhi Stupa in Bodhgaya

Monday, June 17th, is Saga Dawa Duchen, the holiest day in the Buddhist calendar, marking the days when the Buddha attained enlightenment and passed into parinirvana.

This is an especially auspicious day to practice and to make offerings to generate wisdom and merit. It is said that the effects of positive deeds are multiplied one million times. If you are interested in supporting any of Ayang Rinpoche’s cultural and humanitarian projects at this time, you may make a US tax-deductible offering online below or by sending a check to Amitabha Foundation, P.O. Box 2572, Aptos, CA 95001, or by donating to your local Amitabha Foundation organization.

Filed Under: AF News, Amitabha Meditation Center in Bodhgaya, Amitabha Retreat Center in Nepal, Announcements, Tibet Clinic & Safe Childbirth

Safe Childbirth in Tibet – Year End Update

December 14, 2018 by Becky

A New Tibetan Medicine Business to Support the Rima Clinic in Eastern Tibet

Midwife Yongzhi dispenses traditional Tibetan medicines in the clinic

Doctor O Yul Tsering demonstrates his grinding machine, used to prepare traditional medicines

During our annual trip to Rima in August of 2018 we provided funding for salaries for the clinic staff and to purchase another year’s worth of clean Birthing Kits. We also worked with the clinic staff to develop a business plan, as they have been wanting to create a self-supporting medicine making business for several years. We were able to make significant progress this year, due to a small grant awarded by the Rowell Fund. This is helping to fulfill a promise we made in 2004 at the beginning of our Safe Childbirth project to His Holiness the Seventeen Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorje, who asked us to incorporate traditional medicines as we built and staffed a new clinic in this area.

Please help us continue our work providing health care and education in this rural Tibetan community, particularly to make childbirth safer for mothers and infants. Make a one-time or recurring donation today.

Other ways to support the Amitabha Foundation and Ayang Rinpoche’s religious and humanitarian projects (contact info@amitabhafoundation.us for details):

(1) Make a gift of stock.

(2) List the Amitabha Foundation (EIN 95-4111288) as a beneficiary on your IRA, 401(k) or other retirement account, or in your will.

(3) If you are over 70 ½ years old, request that your IRA administrator make your required minimum distribution to the Amitabha Foundation, and save on your taxes while benefitting our charitable activities.

(4) Visit our website to donate directly to Ayang Rinpoche’s monastery account.

Traditional herbal mixtures ready to grind; Finished herbal medicine; Dispensary; Clinic hallway

Filed Under: AF News, Announcements, Featured Projects, Tibet Clinic & Safe Childbirth, Tibet health updates

Tibet Healthcare Update

May 8, 2017 by Becky

In Honor of Mother’s Day in the US — Save a Mother’s Life!

New Roof, Ayang Clinic in Rima Village, Eastern Tibet

The Amitabha Foundation has been involved in promoting health and education in Eastern Tibet since 2004. Our focus is Safe Home Childbirth, but while we have been improving birth outcomes, we have also been supporting the general health of all the nomads in the Rima Village and surrounding township areas. Click here for background on our project. In 2016 we were able to accomplish so much! Read our Trip Report from the visit to Rima in July, 2016. We will return to the area in August 2017 and need your help. This is what we accomplished last year; see below for our new plans:

Clinic roof replacement, exterior painting, and repair of interior water damage ($17,275)
51 meter well at the clinic ($3,050)
New training program for three barefoot doctors apprenticing with clinic doctor
Training at Yushu County Hospital for two midwives
100 Clean Birthing Kits ($4,000)
Stable infant vaccination program
5-Year evaluation of Community Health Educator program

Villagers watch drilling in the clinic courtyard

Finding water at 51 meters

Clean Birthing Kit

Midwife Vaccinates a Baby at the Clinic

This year we need to raise $15,000 to pay salaries for 2 doctors, 3 medical trainees, 1 midwife and a new midwife trainee, and the head Community Health Educator. In addition, it will cost $6,000 for 150 birthing kits. The clinic staff has also asked us to raise funds to purchase grinding and rolling machines to make their own traditional Tibetan medicines. This is an excellent business idea to bring in much-needed income to the clinic and make it sustainable into the future. The head doctor has all the necessary knowledge and can train his apprentices to identify and harvest herbal compounds for the medicines. He has estimated it will cost $25-30,000 in initial start-up costs.

Many people and organizations have contributed to support our work in Tibet for the past 14 years. You can make a difference in the lives of these nomad families. A small investment can have a big impact on saving the lives of mothers and infants, and on the overall health of an entire community.

Support the clinic with a one-time donation

Make a one-time donation in any amount

Make your gift longer-lasting with a recurring monthly donation

Filed Under: AF News, Announcements, Tibet Clinic & Safe Childbirth, Tibet health updates

New Global Giving Campaign for Safe Home Childbirth In Tibet

May 8, 2016 by Becky

Dr. Ngagay checking a newborn at Rima Village Clinic

In honor of the U.S. holiday of Mother’s Day, May 8, 2016, we are kicking off a new fundraising campaign through Global Giving to support our clinic in Tibet. In 2014 we raised $27,165 and in 2015 another $5,025 for our Safe Childbirth in Tibet project through Global Giving. Our success was due to the exceptional generosity of friends of the Amitabha Foundation, and their friends reached through Facebook, Twitter and other online social media.

Our goal this year is to raise $30,000, enough to pay health workers’ salaries for 1 year, provide training and supplies to reduce infant mortality and purchase a new ambulance for the Rima Village Clinic in Ayang Rinpoche’s birthplace area in Eastern Tibet. Read more about our Global Giving project here, or make a donation now. You can pay online or by check.

Even if you have very limited financial resources, you can help us raise money for this important cause by creating your own personalized fundraising page for this project. You could set one up to commemorate Mother’s Day or Father’s Day, your birthday, your wedding, the marathon you’re about to run, your new business venture, to remember a loved one, or for any other reason you can think of!

Share our project on Twitter or Facebook, so we can reach others who will care about saving mothers’ and infants’ lives in this remote area on the Tibetan Plateau. Every new person you connect with could make the difference in providing a clean home birth with an educated birth attendant and access to emergency care.

Thank you for caring!

Filed Under: AF News, Announcements, Tibet Clinic & Safe Childbirth