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Gaden
Relief Projects
Helping
Tibetans preserve their unique culture.
Minutes
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Zadoh
Committee Meeting –
Vancouver
December 7, 2003
Present:
Evan Zaleschuk, Deborah Simpson, Marianne Rev, Helen Weiss.
(Apologies to Bridget MacKenzie who was not on my list and
may not have been aware of the meeting)
1. Meeting with Cynthia Hunt
On Dec. 2nd,
we had a quickly called meeting with Cynthia who was passing through
Vancouver. (Deborah, Sharon Gretzinger, Marianne were able to
attend.) She showed a DVD of her work (20 years and continuing)
in the Ladakhi region of India. To teach good hygiene and nutrition
– essential foundations of good health – she has developed
culturally sensitive and 'literacy level appropriate' educational
materials in the form of interesting story books for children
of all ages. She is making this desktop published material available
to us, if we have someone familiar with the software. The villages
come up with some of the projects and make a 3 year commitment
to participate. She teaches ladakhi assistants the necessary health/hygiene/nutritional
info (from their own village) and trains them to teach the children,
effectively. The assistant works and remains committed to his/her
own village. The regional gov't supports the projects, providing
3/4 of the funding. The DVD (very informative) was produced as
a trailer for an upcoming documentary film, being produced by
another group. Cynthia said we would have to contact the group
to get it.
ACTIONS
- Deborah
will contact Brian Harris (one of Cynthia's local supporters)
and Maggie of Seva to get the name/address of the producers
of the DVD, to see if we can buy it. Cynthia left us 3 booklets.
Deborah will find out if Seva or TRAS has the whole set.
- Evan will
scan one of the story books and send it to Rinpoche for review,
and ask if Zadoh can make a contribution to Cynthia's project.
- Evan will
try to meet with 3 visiting monks from Zadoh area, with a translator,
to see if they are interested in health education and to see
if they have info on the education system in the region.
2. JINPA
Anne
Carswell from Jinpa has previously provided material on the 6
mo. first aid course and 3 mo. midwifery course. Should we support
these educational projects ie training young people from Zadoh
region? Marianne has heard vicariously from one of the doctors
who worked in Yushu with Rokpa in Oct 2003 that there are significant
concerns of the midwifery course being much briefer and superficial
than indicated.
ACTIONS
- Marianne(MD
with obstetrical experience) will draft a letter to Anne to
enquire on the details of the course curriculum, extent of practical
training, etc. and send the draft to those at this meeting to
edit.
- Deb will
e-mail Isaac (Rokpa MD) on his experience with JINPA (strengths
and weaknesses).
3. Planning
the "BIG 4" (Rokpa, Tras, Seva, Zadoh) Meeting
Date:
Thurs eve Jan 29th, 2004.
Location:
Tentatively at Marianne's – 3256 Fleming St, Vancouver, but
will ask invitees if they know a more appropriate space, e.g.
boardroom, for 15-20 people.
Who
to invite:
- TRAS –
2-3 board members/program directors – Deb will get names
from Graham
- SEVA –
Maggie – Deb will invite
- ROKPA
– Marianne will contact Isaac, Adrienne, Ron, Carmen, Jennifer,
Candace
- Zadoh
– Vancouver via e-mail
Focus:
"Building Healthy Communities Together"
Suggested agenda:
- Needs
assessments, to date and future
- Women's
and children's health
- Working
with Jinpa
- Health
education (nutrition, hygiene, sanitation)
- Poverty/income
generation
- Plus suggestions
to come from Rinpoche and other invitees
4. Mobility
Aids (walkers, wheelchairs, crutches, canes)
Evan
received and is storing 2 used walkers and 2 wheelchairs for next
Tibet trip. Deb is trying to connect with a program at Holy Family
Hospital in Vancouver which donates older but functional mobility
aids to developing countries. Marianne has contact with Shayna,
a physiotherapist who stores and sends equipment to Latin America.
Does she have equipment we could send to Tibet?
5. Mongolia Project
Under
the auspices of Gaden Relief Projects. Matthew Richards is heading
it up. First project is building a well near a monestary.
6. 2004 Trip to Zadoh/Jamseng
Dates:
July 15 to end of August. Apart from MDs Rinpoche would like to
have a dentist and a public health nurse with midwifery experience
to accompany him.
ACTION
- Look for
interested professionals. Marianne will make contact with midwifery
colleagues + Midwifery Association of BC
[Minutes
prepared by Marianne Rev; edited by Conrad Richter]
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