About

The Young Monks of Tergar Monastery

About the Project
Under the guidance of Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche, these children who have come from around the Himalayan region are engaged in a progressive course of education combining the teachings and values of the Buddha with a Western academic curriculum.

Along with their traditional monastic training, the young monks will study Math, Science, and Social Studies, as well as spoken and written Tibetan, Hindi and English. The continuity of their education will be insured by the Tibetan and Indian teachers who will be in residence at Tergar.

The young monks are clothed and well fed, and receive regular medical attention from clinic the monastery's medical clinic.

The Vision
Mingyur Rinpoche's goal is to provide an environment in which each child's physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual development can be realized to its fullest potential. These boys, most of whom come from poor farming families, are being given a precious opportunity to get the best start in life, whether they eventually choose to remain as monks, or to get a job, or to continue their studies outside the monastery.

The immediate goal is to bring in another 150 young boys, and to expand the current curriculum and resources needed to accommodate the larger community. Enlarging the community also necessitates the building of additional dormitories and classrooms.

What is Needed
There is a never ending need for study books, note pads, pens and pencils, medical supplies, shoes and bedding. The basic needs of each child costs only 2 dollars a day (U.S.). This includes the costs of the staff, food and utilities.

Each teacher receives a salary of 1,260 dollars (U.S.) per year. In addition to needing more teachers as the number of children increase, the monastery also hopes to increase the ratio of teachers to students over time.

And as we look ahead, it's clear that the students will need the tools, such as an understanding of computers, to be well prepared for life in the 21st century.

These plans are both ambitious and realistic. Such a thorough and holistic education as this will benefit the monks tremendously, and they, in turn, will be able to bring their enriched views and values to their communities and to society at large.

Donate online to support the young monks of Tergar Monastery. And remember, that when supporting a project like this, a small contribution goes a very long way. Your support and generosity will be greatly appreciated.

Or make checks payable to The Yongey Foundation and send to:

The Yongey Foundation
PO Box 770630
Steamboat Springs
CO 80477

The Yongey Foundation is a tax-exempt organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Contributions are tax-deductible, as allowed by the law.