Washington, DC, Dec. 14, 2006 -The Rowell Fund Board of Advisors announced its fourth annual round of funding and selected 11 projects run by Tibetans and Tibetan organizations. The grants, given to projects in five countries, range from $1,000 to $7,500 each, for a total of more than US$50,000.
“There is so much important work to fund in the Tibetan community, but the funds can go very far in India, Nepal and Tibet,” said David Breashears, on behalf of the Rowell Fund Board of Advisors. “The Rowell Fund is now focused on giving greater emphasis to environmental projects because wildlife protection and wild spaces are vital to Tibet, and were close to the hearts of Galen and Barbara Rowell,” said Breashears.
Projects this year include promoting environmental awareness, providing art therapy to children that have recently come from Tibet, producing a photographic documentary of Himalayan culture, and broadcasting an all-things-Tibetan radio program to a California audience, among others. Of the 11 grantees, seven are based in Asia and four in North America. Five are led by Tibetan women. This is the Fund’s fourth year of operation.
This year, most of the recipients have some element that they want to remain confidential, so only five of the recipients are being publicly announced. However, projects being funded in Tibet are environmental, educational or humanitarian and are being implemented by registered local NGOs.
The Advisory Board received applications from 73 Tibetans and Tibetan organizations, including numerous ones from Tibet, which are handled confidentially by the Fund. The final selection is done by the 10 members of the Board of Advisors who each read and grade every proposal. The Fund is managed and housed at the International Campaign for Tibet (ICT).
The Fund is in memory of Galen and Barbara Rowell who told the story of Tibet though photography, writing and their stock image business, to hundreds of thousands of people. Galen and Barbara died in a plane accident in 2002. For more about them, their lives and work, see www.mountainlight.com.
The advisory board, made up of friends and family of Galen and Barbara, consists of John Ackerly, Justin Black, David Breashears, Bob and Beth Cushman, John Jancik and Terri Baker, Bob Palais, Tony Rowell and Ray and Nicole Rowell Ryan.
This year, ICT and the Advisors raised the funds through two benefit climbs, one up the 13,770 foot Grand Teton in Wyoming, and the other up the 14,505 foot Mount Whitney in California. This year, the Fund received a big boost from the 50 for Tibet initiative, where Advisory Board members John Jancik and Terri Baker are climbing the highest point in each US state to raise money and awareness for the Fund. This initiative will culminate in June 2007 on the top of Denali in Alaska. For more information or to contribute to this initiative, go to 50forTibet.org. The August 2007 benefit climb will be announced in late January.
Applications for the Fund are accepted only in September of each year. For more information about the Fund, go to: www.https://savetibet.org/about-ict/rowell-fund-tibet.
The non-confidential recipients, amounts granted, and short project descriptions, include:
Tsering Yangkey, Tesi Environmental Awareness Movement, India. $5,000. The funds will help to further revive the ecological consciousness of the Tibetan people. (This is a repeat grant.)
Tseten Dolkar Phanucharas-The Tibet Connection, US. $5000. – will receive funds to help with general operations of this one hour monthly show based out of L.A that features Tibetan content exclusively in English. http://www.thetibetconnection.org.
Art Refuge Program, Nepal and India, $5,165 – will get funds to help pay the salaries for 4 staff members for this program that provides a safe haven and vehicle for artistic expression and confidence for Tibetan refugee children that have recently arrived from Tibet. (This is a repeat grant).
Tashi Thankchoe, India, $6,386 – Will obtain funds to create the Tibetan Lyric Book Volume III. The book will cover songs composed by Tibetans based in Tibet, Tibetan national songs, and other ceremonial songs sung during Tibetan functions.
Tenzing Paljor, India, $3,436 – Tenzing will produce a photo documentary entitled “The Vanishing Himalayan Culture”.