Guillermo is organizing this fundraiser.
The activity of Lamp of the Path in Mongolia:
Lamp of the Path is the humanitarian branch of the Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition (FPMT), a Buddhist organization active in Asia and in the West.
In Mongolia FPMT started working in 2003 and operate in different fields. The organization provides health clinics for those who cannot have access to official hospitals due to lack of documents, support to homeless people, and working groups where local people, mainly single women, can train to acquire technical skills such as sewing and knitting. There is also an educational program for children between the age of 8 and 16.
Since the fall of the Communist Regime, in the early 1990s, the number of nomads coming from the countryside to the city has continued to generate living conditions well below the poverty line. Climate change or the desire to enjoy a higher standard of living drive people to the capital city, but the conditions there are still very difficult due to high unemployment and poor housing.
FOH’s support to the Lamp of the Path:
FOH intends to contribute in particular to the soup kitchen project, meant to help and feed the homeless people in Ulaanbataar.
The soup kitchen was the first project that Lamp of the Path has started. The soup kitchen opened August 3rd, 2003 in a purpose built building, the Dolma Ling Community Centre. It has continuously served food to an average 80 homeless and poor people 5 days a week to this day, a total of over 200,000 meals. With an Annual Budget of $USD 25,000 they are still providing good food and other social services such as clothing and shoe distributions.
Impact:
Friends of Humanity decided to help the soup kitchen as their major sponsor withdrew its support, and we want this extremely necessary to service to keep on existing. Once the survival of the soup kitchen is assured, Lamp of the Path aims to build or purchase a bigger building to create a house for the homeless people and children.
Now during the harsh winter, many homeless people are living in the pits or near the pipes which carry the steam for the central heating system, which serves every house in the city.