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Rowell Fund Awards More Than $50,000 To Tibetan Projects
ICT, January 9th, 2007
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, Conrad Anker, Justin Black, David Breashears,
Jimmy Chin, 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:
http://www.savetibet.org/programs/rowellfund.
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".
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