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T HE BR ID GE F U ND
Tashi delek from everyone at The Bridge Fund (TBF). Thank you for helping TBF to continue our work with Tibetan nomad communities in all
areas of the Tibetan Plateau.
The work is incredibly significant as it makes it possible for Tibetan communities to educate their children, improve the quality of Tibetan language education, publish books in Tibetan, develop and grow businesses, gain job skills, improve healthcare, preserve living and traditional culture
and protect their wild animals and lands.
Our programs are making real progress toward reducing poverty in the most vulnerable communities on the Tibetan Plateau and growing community assets to promote a stronger regional economy. Thank you for
being part of our meaningful program.
2009-2010A N N U A L R E P O R T
T HE BR ID GE F U ND
2
Table of Contents3 The Bridge Fund
6 Approach Strategies for Sustainability
1 3 Cooperation Improving Livelihoods
1 6 Optimism Business Development
2 0 Knowledge Education
2 2 Compassion Healthcare
2 4 Respect Cultural Preservation
2 6 Stewardship Environmental Conservation
2 8 Revitalization Supporting Yushu
3 0 The Bridge Our Team
3 4 Appreciation Acknowledgements
3 6 Support Our Donors & Financial Information
4 0 Generosity Giving & Connecting
3
A B O U T The Bridge Fund (TBF) of The Philanthropic Collaborative / Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors was established as a not-for-profit organization in 1996 with inspiration and support from Tibetans and Tibetan communities.
M I S S I O N Promote sustainable economic development, cultural heritage preservation and environmental conservation on the Tibetan Plateau.
V I S I O N Our vision for every Tibetan living in China, down to the most remote nomad, is inclusion in a thriving community grounded in respect for Tibetan culture and values.
W H E R E TBF works in the highest and most difficult places on the Plateau where needs are greatest. Currently, TBF is the only organization working in all areas of the Tibetan Plateau, which delivers both financial and technical support and services for integrated healthcare, education, environmental protection, sustainable development and culture heritage programs. Our core integrated development programs are centered in 4 nomadic regions in some of the most remote and underserved parts of the world. The average altitude of our project sites is 14,000 feet.
Cirlce of Blue
The Bridge Fund
4
Location Map
No
? Tsering Wangyal Shawa, 2011
TIBET AUTONOMOUS REGION
QINGHAI
GANSU
SICHUAN
YUNNAN
TAP = Tibetan Autonomous PrefectureTAC = Tibetan Autonomous County
Ngari Prefecture
Nepal Bhutan
Myanmar (Burma)
Tsoshar TAP
Tsojang TAP
Xining Parey TAC
Malho TAP
Tsolho TAP
Kanlho TAP
Ngawa TAP
Karze TAP
Yushul TAPTsonub TAP
Nagchu Prefecture
Shigatse Prefecture
Lhoka Prefecture
Nyingtri PrefectureLhasa
Chamdo Prefecture
Tsonub TAP
Lanzhou
Golog TAP
Milli TAC
Dechen TAP
Kunming
HI
MA
LA
YA
M O U N T A I N R A N GE
India Bangladesh
Laos
Thailand
Pakistan
Kazakhstan Mongolia
CHINA
TIBETAN PLATEAU REGION 0 200 400 MILES
0 200 400 KILOMETERS
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Ma Chu
Dri ChuDri Chu
Dza Chu
Tsangpo
Gyamo Ngulchu
Chengdu
! Overarching programs (trainings, scholarships, NGO & CSO activities)
! Health! Education
! Community Development! Cultural Heritage ! Environment # The Bridge Fund Offices " Capitol
T H E B R I D G E F U N D ’ S P R O J E C T S I T E S
I M P A C T TBF monitors and evaluates our program activities using indicators so we can collect data on how many people benefit directly from TBF programs and measure outcomes. During the past 7 years, The Bridge Fund has directly benefitted an estimated 754,928 Tibetans.
TBF supported 38 projects in 2009 and 46 projects in 2010.
ApproachStrategies for Sustainability
TThe primary goal of The Bridge Fund’s program is to preserve cultural traditions and promote sustainable development and environmental conservation in Tibetan communities in China.
TBF has a solid track record of implementing high impact innovative programs in all areas of the Tibetan Plateau region and is now focusing on scaling up and replicating successful programs, creating new models with input from key stakeholders and strengthening the capacity of staff and partners to improve quality and sustainability.
! Working in partnership with local communities to ensure sustainable, lasting change.
! Ensuring that our programs equally benefit women and men and that children and elderly are given special consideration.
! Replicating and growing programs that work in the Tibetan context. ! Respecting local conditions, environment and culture.! Promoting partnerships and alliances with NGOs, foundations,
and corporations to maximize resources.
S T R A T E G I E S
TBF supports projects based on the following criteria:! Poverty / need / disadvantaged populations! Low levels of GDP and high levels of inequality ! Lack of access to other development resources! Our team’s capacity to implement and monitor effectively! Strong local partner leadership and capability! Strong local community enthusiasm for a project or projects! Approval by relevant authorities and stakeholders! Potential for the demonstration of impact, the ability to grow and
serve as models for replication
6
G E N E R A L A C H I E V E M E N T S ! Won a competitive 5 year grant award from USAID for integrated development programs in Tibetan communities for 2009-2014.
! Renewed grant funding from the Government of Norway and foundation and donors.
! Continued to implement a 3-year European Union Grant Program.
! Finalized a 5-year agreement with the Asian Institute of Technology, Bangkok, Thailand for higher education degrees for Tibetans from China, social business initiatives at the Muhammad Yunus Social Business Center and training programs for TBF staff and partners.
! Established an official partnership with UNESCO to work on preservation of Tibetan heritage.
! Established a 5-year partnership with World Wildlife Fund on environmental conservation work, including protection of wildlife.
! TBF joined the Aspen Institute’s Network of Development Entrepreneurs
! TBF participated in the Global Philanthropy Forum
! Organized and supported training programs, professional development and retreats for all TBF staff.
! Hosted a TBF board meeting and site visits in China for TBF board directors.
! Supported 3 Tibetan staff to take training courses in Beijing for master degree programs.
! Supported 2 Tibetan staff to attend master degree programs in the United States.
! Supported an ongoing program that engages Tibetans and Chinese to work collaboratively on development, environment, business, education and healthcare initiative in China.
! Mobilized the set up of Yushu Earthquake Response, a group of local NGOs who organized relief efforts in Yushu. TBF is still supporting projects to help Yushu.
C O O R D I N A T I O N ! The Bridge Fund held budget, program and planning meetings in Bangkok with the Thousand Stars Foundation, The Asian Institute of Technology, UNESCO and HIV/aids groups.
! Participated in environmental meetings with The World Bank, Asian Development Bank, World Wildlife Fund and other environmental conservation groups.
! Worked with University of Montana on rangeland management and environmental issues related to cooperatives.
7
Snapshot of Impact 2009-2010
8
E D U C A T I O N ! Supported Tibetan English teachers and 4 international volunteer English speakers to teach at the Xining English Training Program (ETP)
! Scholarships for 403 Tibetan students in Golok, Rebgong and Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefectures based on merit and need
! Scholarships for 7 Tibetans to obtain masters degree in Teaching English as a Second Language (TESOL) & Public Health. The students are now working in their home regions.
! Trained 30 Tibetan teachers to gain new skills and improve quality of education
! Trained 30 teachers to become bi-lingual (Tibetan-Chinese) Science teachers in a pilot program through collaboration with Qinghai Normal University.
! Supported Tibetan teacher internships for 6 rural primary and junior Tibetan middle schools to benefit 525 students.
! Provided training to 127 Tibetan teachers in training.
! Developed and published 9 Tibetan culturally relevant children’s books. 18,000 books were printed and distributed to TBF’s network of schools, libraries and other NGOs.
! Improved the learning environment and encouraged enrollment in Tibetan medium schools by setting up libraries complete with books, computers, TVs and shelves benefitting 393 students.
! Provided scholarships to 310 senior middle school students based on need and merit from all areas of the plateau.
! Supported the Adopt a Yak Program, which helped over 120 Tibetan children to attend school for a 2-year period.
! Supported a Tibetan artist and writer to create an English ABC book and English readers for Tibetan children.
! Provided a Humanity Teachers Training benefitting over 40 teachers from rural schools.
! Improved education quality and increased enrollment at rural school in Chamdo Prefecture. 250 students have benefitted.
! Assisted with the rebuilding of schools and clinics in Yushu Prefecture following the earthquake of 2010.
9
N G O C A P A C I T Y B U I L D I N G ! Trained 20 members of 10 local Tibetan non-profit organizations in accounting and financial procedures.
! Supported 5 local Tibetan nonprofit representatives to attend management training in Beijing.
! Provided a 5-day rural assessment and participatory development training for 18 participants from 6 Tibetan not for profit organizations.
! Trained 20 Tibetan not for profit leaders in project implementation, management, financial management and document management skills.
! Provided a five-day proposal writing related skills training to 20 trainees from 10 Tibetan local NGOs throughout Qinghai Province.
! Provided higher education and advanced degree training for 8 leaders from 8 Tibetan local NGOs. Upon completion of degree program they will work for 5 years of service in Tibetan communities.
! Trained 20 Tibetan NGO workers for 1 week on monitoring and evaluation of projects.
! Supported Tibetan language and cultural preservation projects for schools.
! Provided the International Fund for China’s Environment with support for NGO capacity development.
! Disbursed $100,000 in small grants to support local NGO capacity building and projects.
1 0
N O M A D C O O P E R A T I V E S ! Making it possible for nomads to stay on the land, improve their incomes, protect the environment and engage in appropriate community development.
! Supported the development and growth of 4 nomad cooperatives, benefitting 1,400 Tibetan nomads.
! Trained 20 nomad cooperative members and board directors in Start-Your-Business principles, cooperative development, marketing and the dairy product business.
! Supported marketing training and tours and the opening of a market outlet.
! Provided training to cooperative boards and members on accounting, legal registration and household financial management.
! Supported study tours for 96 cooperative members to learn cooperative organization structure, legal registration procedures, setting constitutions, laws and policies.
! Produced 1,000 training DVDs and 500 copies of Cooperative regulation handbooks in Tibetan which were used in workshops and trainings.
! Conducted plans to develop cooperative related businesses to increase nomad incomes.
B U S I N E S S D E V E L O P M E N T ! Established the first Tibetan Business Center for growing and & V O C A T I O N A L T R A I N I N G developing Tibetan enterprises in Chengdu.
! Supported training for 183 Tibetan entrepreneurs through a range of training programs.
! Scholarships for 16 Tibetan entrepreneurs to complete an international MBA degree at the EDS academy in Penang, Malaysia.
! Continued and expanded the TBF Tibetan chef training program in Lhasa to provide and improve job skills. Over 40 trainees have benefitted from the program.
! Supported the development of an organic honey cooperative-1st in China which is benefitting 56 families.
! Continued support for innovative sheep micro-lending program that is successful at reducing nomad poverty.
! Completed the second phase of the Shangrila Eco-Tour Community Development project including the construction of a community run eco-lodge.
1 1
H E A LT H C A R E ! Provided health awareness, hygiene and prevention training to 3,000 people
! Supported training for women, healthcare workers and doctors
! Supported a Hyatid disease prevention program
! Hired and trained local Tibetan people from Golok to produce local Tibetan herbal medicine and incense which was previously unavailable in the region.
! Constructed the first health clinic at the site of a nunnery in Gebchak, Yushu. Provided training for two nuns of Gebchak to assist the head doctor. TBF continues to supply the clinic with essential Western and Tibetan medicines.
! Supported an HIV/AIDS awareness raising and education workshop
! Supported One Heart, Inc. to carry out their Maternal and Child Health Programs and build a maternal child health center in Lhasa.
! Supported village doctor training in the TAR
! Supported village Vet training in the TAR
! Supported Western medical training for village doctors in targeted focal areas
! Assisted maternal, child health and sanitation trainings in Yushu to improve conditions for women and children post earthquake
C U LT U R A L P R E S E R V A T I O N ! Provided training to 15 artisan trainees for a 1-year advanced course in handicraft skills.
! Restored two significant sites with UNESCO partnership.
! Supported the start up and development of a Music preservation program, which recorded traditional folk songs and dances in 20 communities. More than100 songs archived and 25 CDs distributed to villages. Archive is held at Cambridge University, U.K. UNESCO provided expertise and guidance.
! The Dongzhulin Nunnery restoration project continued and is now benefitting 140 nuns and a local village of more than 500 people.
! Restored the Karog Buddha Temple a site dating to the 17th Century
! Worked with the Jonang Foundation to preserve Tibetan Manuscripts
! Completed cultural surveys and project plans with UNESCO
! Supported the 5th year of an artisan skills training in Dzongsar
! Restored the Tari Lungpu Ancient House
1 2
E N V I R O N M E N TA L C O N S E R V A T I O N & C L I M A T E C H A N G E
N AT U R A L R E SO U RC E ! Organized workshops for 2 nomadic cooperatives to reduce rangeland M A N AG EMENT degradation benefitting 2,800 nomads and community members
! Developed guidelines for proper waste management at the township level to and conducted awareness training to encourage waste reduction in Golok. 3,634 residents, pilgrims and tourists benefited.
! Supported surveys on sustainable rangeland management to identify activities to be undertaken to strengthen cooperatives.
! Organized a training workshop for 18 local managers, involved with wetland conservation and land use decisions.
! Supported local community workshops, distributed 2,500 copies of Tibetan language brochures on wetland conservation and created an exhibition to build environmental awareness and concern among communities.
! Supported a WWF led Changtang Management Capacity Development Program.
! Continued improving and expanding the Guru Clinic that provides healthcare to over 2,000 people.
WILD L I F E CONSERVAT I ON ! Increased community awareness of environmental issues in Tibetan communities with WWF. Produced and distributed environmental materials in Tibetan. Trained and supported 16 wildlife nature guards.
! Worked with WWF to demonstrate techniques of improved food storage to prevent bear attacks, improved fencing, cattle-guarding techniques, and other activities to reduce killing of wildlife.
! TBF and WWF worked with local communities to develop and implement projects to protect snow leopards in TAR.
! Started pilot projects on Mekong River to collect data on climate change conditions and work with local communities on solutions to mitigate climate change.
! Supported Baima Snow Mountain communities to work with local communities on the reduction of human and wildlife conflict.
! Supported environmental assessment in the Three Parallel Rivers World Natural Heritage Site properties in the Shangri-La region benefitting 20 local organizations.
! WWF conducted bio-diversity surveys in Ganzi and Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefectures and the Hengduan Mountain Range.
CooperationImproving Livelihoods
1 4
TS T R E N G T H I N N U M B E R S : N O M A D H E R D E R C O O P E R A T I V E S
Less than a year after its 2009 founding, The Thangkor Yak Product Herder
Cooperative completed its first season of business. Cooperative members sold
their highest quality butter, cheese and wool for sale to a new network of buyers.
Thangkor now joins a total of four herding communities that have partnered with
TBF to develop innovative solutions to improve their livelihoods while preserving
their nomadic way of life. With our support, these herder communities are able
to expand their skills, gain access to financing, and secure a foothold for their
products in new markets. “We are putting our strength together to develop our
cooperative, to do things that one person cannot do alone,” explains Rindzin,
member and accountant for Thangkor Cooperative. “Many families together can
create great strength.”
Mintang Herder Cooperative began as a pilot project in 2007 and has steadily
grown into a model for TBF’s partner cooperatives. It was established with
a membership of 53 families out of a total of 75, some 450 individuals. This
substantial community has 10,000 yak and the ability to present China’s markets
with large quantities of high quality pastoral products. Last fall, Mintang Herder
Cooperative was able to collect close to 12,000 kilograms of butter and 8,000
kilograms of cheese to make available for sale to a new network of buyers.
“With TBF’s support we have had the chance to make many new connections,
which gives us hope that we can do better business with our local products,”
Sonam explains. Like any fledgling business finding its footing in a new
marketplace, the herder cooperatives will need continued training in the areas
of management, marketing and business strategy. But as these cooperatives
become self-sustaining, they will ultimately serve as replicable models for other
communities of the Tibetan Plateau. Sonam is hopeful of what his community is
capable of achieving together. “My hands alone cannot make great change. It is
through cooperation that we will bring the greatest benefit to our community.”
With TBF’s support we have
had the chance to make
many new connections,
which gives us hope that we
can do better business with
our local products.
Tibetan nomads live in some of the highest, most mountainous and remote places on Earth. Many Tibetan communities in China survive on less than $1 per day.
TBF established the first nomad cooperatives in Tibetan regions to build community assets and create a platform for nomads to address social, environmental and cultural needs.
1 5
TBF established the first organic honey cooperative in Tibetan areas.
A S W E E T E R F U T U R E :
O R G A N I C H O N E Y C O O P E R A T I V E S O N T H E T I B E T A N P L A T E A U
On the southeastern-most edge of the Tibetan Plateau, in Dechen Prefecture, the
first blossoms of the season are being visited by resident honey bees. Over the
centuries, the people of Dechen have domesticated local bees and developed
the practice of harvesting honey from small family apiaries. Though the sale of
this high-quality, organic honey has proven to be a valuable source of income,
traditional methods of production yield quantities of honey too low to be profitable.
Community members had previously come to expect 20 Yuan per kilogram for their
honey, but have found that they can earn as much as 100 to 120 Yuan per kilogram
by marketing through the cooperative. Dawa,, a cooperative board member,
is enthusiastic about the ability for families to see benefit through increased
collaboration. “Now that the coop is registered it is like a dream coming true—this
is exactly what we hoped for.”
TBF and Yunnan Mountain Heritage Foundation (YMHF) are currently partnering
with 56 families in six communities located in both Baima Snow Mountain Natural
Reserve and surrounding villages to revive the traditional practice of beekeeping.
The initiative seeks to strengthen this practice by offering new techniques that
will allow families to boost their production while maintaining the pure, organic
grade of their honey. In June of 2010, Organic Mountain Honey held its first of a
series of intensive beekeeping training programs for families, which included the
integration of new technologies. The project helps them build entrepreneurial skills
and secure business opportunities through the creation of a honey cooperative.
Optimism Business Development
1 7
TTibetans have a long history of success as traders and successful business people in Central and South Asia. TBF is helping Tibetans to build and grow successful, competitive businesses that contribute to regional economic growth. TBF started the first Tibetan MBA training program and established the first Tibetan business center.
Aré provides training
and employment for over
sixty Tibetan staff, the
majority of which come
from poor families in
rural communities that are
unable to afford school.
P O R T R A I T O F A T I B E T A N E N T R E P R E N E U R : A R É
Aré is the owner of one of China’s first multi-city chains of Tibetan restaurants
and a long-time participant of The Bridge Fund’s (TBF) Business Development
Program. The hallways of her three-story Chengdu restaurant are lined with
traditional woodwork and paintings, as well as framed photos of her taken with
Tibetan folksingers and Chinese movie stars. During a packed lunch hour this busy
location runs smoothly around her. “Without the training and advice of The Bridge
Fund I couldn’t have a good business like this,” she says. “They gave us hope.”
Aré’s initial experience in the hospitality industry began with jobs in several
restaurants until she was able to borrow enough money to open her own small
teahouse in 2001. Following customer requests for her to serve food Aré started
to offer a simple menu of Tibetan dishes. The popularity of her business quickly
increased and she needed more support and skills to manage her growing
business. Are participated in a one-week training that introduced her to business
development principles and management strategies, helping her to identify new
ways to approach her future as an entrepreneur. “My first training showed me
the direction I could go,” she recalls.
Aré now owns and runs three restaurants in Sichuan and one in Yunnan
Province, providing training and employment for over sixty Tibetan staff, the
majority of which come from poor families in rural communities that are unable
to afford school.
Aré continues to improve her business skills, having most recently joined a group
of 16 Tibetan business owners for a TBF-supported training program in Penang,
Malaysia. The course focused on change and crisis management and business
improvement strategies. For over a decade, TBF has supported an on-going
series of trainings to meet the needs of both established and aspiring Tibetan
entrepreneurs. In 2010, TBF established the Mandala Business Development
Center, a community resource that provides comprehensive business develop-
ment services to entrepreneurs—such as Aré—as they navigate through the
various stages of designing, building, and managing a business.
1 8
P O R T R A I T O F A T I B E T A N E N T R E P R E N E U R : D R O L M A
Drolma is an enthusiastic entrepreneur at the forefront
of a pilot project that is helping to pin her homeland on
the map as an eco-tourism destination. Langdu, Drolma’s
village, is situated in Dechen a day’s drive from the
prominent tourist hot-spot of Shangri-La. It also lies
within the Three Parallel Rivers of Yunnan Protected
Areas, a World Heritage Site. The Protected Areas’ densely
forested mountains have been recognized by UNESCO as
“an epicenter of endemic species” and said to be China’s
most outstanding region for plant and animal diversity. It
is the haunt of such species as the Asiatic black bear, blue
sheep, musk deer and red panda. It is also prized as one
of the world’s least disturbed temperate ecological areas.
But the region’s abundance in biodiversity is matched
by its richness in mineral deposits. Mining—as well as
infrastructure projects, unsustainable timber harvest,
and the development of mass tourism—pose significant
challenges for both the area’s fragile ecosystems and the
livelihoods of nomad and farming communities.
In October of 2009, TBF completed the construction of the
Langdu eco-lodge that attracts both domestic and foreign
tourists to the area, creating new economic opportunities
and steady employment for local residents. Community
members have taken part in a series of TBF-supported
educational workshops that have introduced the
principals of sustainable tourism as well as trainings in
guiding, hospitality, marketing and tourism management.
Drolma and her staff now welcome a steady flow of
guests to the lodge. The enterprise is breaking even after
less than a year of operation.
The Langdu eco-lodge attracts
both domestic and foreign
tourists to the area, creating
new economic opportunities
and steady employment for
local residents.
1 9
P O R T R A I T O F A T I B E T A N E N T R E P R E N E U R : R I N C H E N T S O
In 1999, a young entrepreneur named Rinchen Tso opened a printing services
shop on a busy street in Chengdu. Following highschool in a Tibetan farming
area, Rinchen attended word processing courses while she supported herself
with restaurant work. But with her new computer skills came opportunity:
“People started to ask me to type things for them,” she explains, “so my husband
and I decided to open a small printing shop.” Rinchen’s business began with only
eight square meters of space. “Even though it was very small, it met demands.
We were the first shop of its kind on the street.”
Customer demands outgrew the capacity of Rinchen’s business and she faced
greater competition. Rinchen learned about TBF’s Small and Medium Enterprise
Management Training, an intensive one-year course structured on the model of an
MBA curriculum and applied for admission She was accepted and joined a class of
twenty Tibetan business owners and managers from all over the Tibetan plateau.
“If I hadn’t participated in The Bridge Fund’s training my ideas for my business
would be very short-sighted.” Having put her new skills and perspective into
practice, Rinchen’s company is now thriving: she has invested in a larger shop,
expanded her services and added to her staff. Her business has grown to
meet the needs of not only individual local customers, but also secured larger
accounts with universities and corporations.
After Rinchen completed
an intensive one-year
TBF course on Small
and Medium Enterprise
Management, her company
is thriving: she has invested
in a larger shop, expanded
her services and added to
her staff.
KnowledgeEducation
2 1
TThe ETP program provides
Tibetans with opportunities
to gain jobs as teachers,
NGO workers, and
entrepreneurs, as well
as pursue Masters and
PhD degrees. 70% of the
graduates return to their
home areas to teach and
improve education quality.
Tibetan medium education support is vitally needed to ensure that Tibetan children living in the more remote Tibetan regions are able to learn and advance in the educational system. It is important to support rural education and establish centers of learning for Tibetan children that can become models for modern Tibetan education. TBF’s scholarship, teacher training, library and Tibetan publication programs strengthen education in rural areas and enable young Tibetan students and communities opportunities to access quality education.
E N G L I S H T R A I N I N G P R O G R A M
With funding for education provided to over 1,300 Tibetan students each year,
TBF’s scholarship program has formed an impressive community of alumni.
Creating opportunities to pursue specialized training and higher education—
key aims of our education sector programs—has enabled Tibetan students to
gain access to skills, experience and a new perspective on how to be of most
benefit to their communities. The English Training Program (ETP), a project
we have supported for close to a decade, has been particularly effective in
its ability to expand the range of opportunities available to Tibetan youth. To
date, we have supported 720 students through the program in both Qinghai
and Sichuan Provinces.
CompassionHealthcare
2 3
MMany Nomadic communities lack access to or have very basic healthcare services. TBF works at the local level to help address needs by providing training, improving clinic conditions, and supporting the publishing of medical texts including the first anatomy book in Tibetan. TBF also supports workshops to educate and improve health practices.
E X P A N D I N G H E A L T H C A R E F O R N O M A D S A N D P I L G R I M S :
T H E G E B C H A K C L I N I C
In a remote corner of Yushu lies Gebchak Gonpa, the region’s largest Buddhist
nunnery. Founded in the late 19th century, Gebchak was the first religious
community of its kind and continues to be renowned for its non-sectarian
spiritual tradition. Gebchak is situated at 4,500 meters and surrounded only by
the high pastures of nomadic herders.
TBF has partnered with Gebchak’s community to help support their development
of basic healthcare. In 2009, we made it possible for the community to construct
the region’s first health clinic at the site of the nunnery, supplying it with
essential Western and Tibetan medicines. The clinic has been established as a
crucial outpost for primary and emergency care for Gebchak’s resident nuns—a
population of close to 400—as well as the surrounding population of over a
thousand nomads. Key to the successful operation of the clinic is Amchi Yeshe,
a nun trained in Tibetan and Western medical skills. Her dedication has made it
possible for the clinic to provide year-round care and oversee the on-going needs
of the community. To assist her in this role, we have provided training for two
Gebchak nuns to act as her apprentices. Through a three-month intensive course
in western medicine designed for village-level health workers, the nuns learned
diagnostic techniques and the administration of western medicine treatment.
Today Amchi Yeshe and her assistants treat an average of ten patients per day.
The clinic has been effective in its ability to provide appropriate care particularly
for female patients, whose modesty often prevents them from seeking medical
attention. The clinic is now able to offer much-needed treatment in the area
of reproductive health and help mitigate maternal mortality, the rate of which
is alarmingly high among local pastoralists. The clinic is also able to act as a
critical point of contact in the area’s fight against TB. Amchi Yeshe helps connect
potential new cases of the disease with access to treatment and medicine
through the county’s Center for Disease Control.
“To have this clinic in such a remote, isolated location is an enormous help” says
the nunnery’s abbot. “The people that live in this area now feel confident and at
peace, knowing that if they fall sick they have this clinic to go to.”
The Gebchak Clinic can now
offer healthcare services to
local nomads and pilgrims.
RespectCultural Preservation
2 5
TTibetan civilization dates to the 7th century. Tibetan monastic culture dates to the 11th century. It is an ancient culture valued in the modern world for its philosophical system, artistic heritage and unique tradition of Buddhism, which forms an integral part of Tibetan identity. If cultural heritage were a measure of wealth the Tibetan region would be one of the richest areas on Earth. Tibetan communities lack the resources to restore and preserve their rich cultural heritage. TBF works with Tibetan communities to preserve their sacred, historical sites and living traditions.
2 6
T B F P A R T N E R S H I P W I T H U N E S C O
Developing steadily over thousands of years, Tibetan
culture is made up of rich traditions of painting, sculpture,
architecture, music, dance and storytelling. But in recent
times, Tibetan culture has come up against a host of
challenges. The loss of cultural traditions and monuments
that occurred during the second half of the last century
is now joined by significant changes to traditional social
and economic systems. A lack of support for preservation
and the rapidly diminishing number of those skilled in
Tibet’s artistic traditions threaten the continuation of the
region’s significant cultural heritage.
TBF and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and
Cultural Organization (UNESCO) are collaborating to address
these issues by partnering with Tibetan communities to
revitalize and preserve their cultural traditions. Central
to this alliance is the aim of integrating culture into
development. Focusing on some of the most remote and
underserved regions of China, we are working on seven
initiatives that demonstrate the value of preservation
while strengthening the ability of Tibetan communities to
safeguard and maintain their cultural heritage.
2010 was a significant year for the TBF-UNESCO partner-
ship. Project teams reached remote communities—the
custodians of unique traditions of painting, woodblock
printing, music and literature—with the resources needed
to carry out preservation efforts. One such initiative is
now underway in Minyag, a secluded region of Sichuan’s
Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture. Minyag is receiving
growing attention for its rich architectural heritage but it
is only recently that preservation efforts have focused on
that which has remained hidden inside the region’s most
historically significant structures. A collection of Tibetan
Buddhist murals—many dating from early periods of the
last millennium—have survived in the private chapels of
the Minyag’s oldest homes. In collaboration with UNESCO,
we have started a 3-year project to restore and preserve
these significant works of art while giving community
members the tools necessary to further preservation work
throughout the region.
Through the project, TBF and UNESCO brought a team of
international conservators to begin the restoration of
mural sites and train community members in assessment
and conservation skills. The team presented a 3-day
interactive art history and restoration workshop to 33 local
participants, followed by a 17-day hands-on training for a
team of eight individuals to learn essential conservation
skills. The project’s focus on the value of Minyag’s cultural
heritage is fostering renewed community appreciation for
the murals and enthusiasm to take part in preservation
efforts as the paintings’ primary guardians.
With each project, the TBF-UNESCO partnership will
continue the aim of implementing collaborative solutions
that link local communities with pertinent resources,
expertise and training to ensure cultural preservation is
positioned as a central feature of development. Through
the concerted effort of project participants, the current
generation is helping to counter the decline of cultural
traditions and the degradation of historical sites. As
our partner communities practice their new skills and
steadily accumulate achievements, they are coming to
recognize the vital role they play in the continuation of
the Plateau’s cultural legacy.
StewardshipEnvironmental Conservation
FFew places on earth are as unique as the Tibetan Plateau. Encompassing 2.5 million square kilometers, with 85 percent of its area above 14,000 feet the Tibetan Plateau is the highest and most mountainous region on Earth. The Himalayan mountain range, stretching for 2,200 kilometers, marks the southern edge of the Plateau. The region is the source of Asia’s great rivers and home to endangered wildlife, including Asia’s big cats – such as the snow leopard and tiger – as well as wild yak, Tibetan antelope and brown bear. Environmental protection is critical for the region.
T B F P A R T N E R S H I P W I T H W W F
The Tibetan Plateau is among the last great expanses
of wilderness in Asia, supporting a spectacular array of
ecosystems and species. Since 2003, The Bridge Fund
(TBF) has been in partnership with the world’s leading
conservation organization—the World Wildlife Fund
(WWF)—to tackle the escalating number of issues that
threaten the health of this unique region and its inhabitants.
Through this alliance, TBF is supporting endangered species
protection, human-wildlife conflict mitigation, community-
based environmental education and training, and a series
of programs focused on climate change adaptation.
At the heart of this partnership is a commitment to solutions
that integrate the need for wildlife and habitat protection
with the imperative of empowering Tibetan communities
to be the best possible stewards of their homelands. The
people of the Plateau—the majority of which are nomadic or
semi-nomadic pastoralists—are aware of the fragile nature
of their environment and have the most immediate interest
in ensuring the sustainability of their livelihoods. Working
collaboratively with these communities is essential to
ensuring both environmental protection and the survival
of the pastoral culture that is central to Tibetan identity.
TBF and WWF have built strong partnerships with local
communities and government bodies across the Plateau,
making it possible to generate innovative solutions that
are informed by local needs and region-specific knowledge.
And through the WWF-TBF alliance, programs benefit
from the expertise of both institutions and the trust they
have earned as two of the longest-operating international
organizations in the region.
2010 began a new series of environmental initiatives,
which focus on protection of wildlife. TBF and WWF are
collaborating on initiatives in several of the most significant
snow leopard habitats to protect snow leaopards in areas
of the Changtang in Qinghai Province and the Tibetan
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Autonomous Region (TAR). In addition to
population surveys and habitat monitoring,
the project is engaging local nomads to
implement the use of new livestock guarding
techniques and providing education that
demonstrates the important linkages
between snow leopards, local livelihoods
and the tourist economy. The program is also focusing on
protecting the endangered Tibetan brown bear and other
rare Tibetan wildlife including the Wild Yak, the Kiang and
Tibetan antelope which all reside in or near core project
sites of TBF and WWF.
The focus of TBF-WWF conservation programs also also
focuses on sustainable harvesting of high value natural
products that are harvested and sold by local Tibetans
across the plateau. Cordyceps sinensis (Latin), or yartsa
gungbu (Tibetan) is a special mushroom that grows from
a worm. It is highly valued for its medicinal properties
throughout Asia, turning its sale into the single most
important source of income for many Tibetans. With the
bulk of the mushroom growing beneath the ground, each
one must be excavated, often leaving eroding cavities
across the fragile topsoil of the grassland. At present,
few regulations guiding the extraction of yartsa gungbu
are in place and important questions loom concerning
harvesting habits and yields as many people from outside
the region are now getting involved in the collection and
sale of Yartsa Gungbu. A WWF-led team is currently working
with the government of Qinghai, local communities, and
yartsa gungbu wholesalers on the design of a sustainable
harvesting scheme for the entire Plateau. The core of this
program will focus on setting limitations to the duration
of the collection season and creating greater equitable
access to this highly valuable resource.
With a look toward livelihood security, the
program will also explore suggestions for
the diversification of income generation
opportunities for Tibetan communities in
areas where the harvest of yartsa gungbu is
eliminating traditional livelihood activities.
TBF is working with WWF to address an issue that has
emerged as the greatest long-term threat to the Plateau:
climate change. Some of the most severe changes to
the world’s climate are taking place in Tibet, where
temperatures are rising at a rate roughly 30 percent
higher than for the planet as a whole. With life-sustaining
glaciers retreating at a startling pace, inhabitants of
the Plateau are at the frontline of climate change’s
most severe repercussions. In response, TBF and WWF
have designed a series of interlocking initiatives that
enable crucial research on the impact of rapid warming
trends and strategies that help both human and wildlife
communities adapt to these changes.
In 2010, a team of WWF-led experts completed the first
comprehensive climate change vulnerability assessment
in Qinghai’s Mekong Source Region. The study looked at
the effects of climate change in relation to biodiversity,
ecosystems and local livelihoods. Based on these results,
TBF and WWF are undertaking interventions at the
community level with recommendations on fencing policy,
herd size, grazing patterns, and crop types best suited
to changes in climate and water resources. Vulnerability
assessments were completed in July of 2011 to include
the Three Rivers National Nature Reserve, an area that
contains the headwaters of the Yellow, Yangtze and
Mekong Rivers.
T B F P A R T N E R S H I P W I T H W W F ( C O N T I N U E D )
RebuildSupporting Yushu
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TTogether with the China Poverty Alleviation Fund, the Siyuan Foundation and the Yushu Earthquake Response, TBF has been working to deliver assistance to the people of Yushu as they rebuild their lives following the earthquake that devastated the prefecture in April of 2010. Generous donors from around the globe have made contributions from $1 to more than $165,000, allowing us to answer the urgent needs of the people of Yushu. We are proud to have been able to send a total of $555,000 in grants to Yushu for both direct relief and long-term reconstruction focused on schools, communities and livelihoods. No administrative fees were taken from the grants provided to us, ensuring that 100% of all contributions went to Yushu earthquake victims. Thank you to all of the donors who made it possible for TBF to respond to relief needs within 48 hours and help Tibetans in Yushu to rebuild!
To date, TBF has provided the following grants to support relief, reconstruction and revitalization efforts following the earthquake:! $75,000 for the first shipments of relief supplies through
local organizations ! $5,000 for support for relief workers and victim burials ! $81,000 for temporary school and playground setup
by TBF and the reconstruction of a Tibetan kindergarten ! $5,000 for tents ! $54,000 for barley mills, education facilities and solar
and greenhouse technologies ! $70,000 for economic revitalization initiatives,
including micro-credit ! $91,000 for healthcare and sanitation ! $4,000 for improving educational facilities ! $170,000 to support winter tents and supplies
The BridgeOur Team & Partners
3 3
TTBF’s team works one-on-one with community members to expand local capacity to participate in development. “My colleagues understand the perspective of a nomad, a farmer, a student, a business person unlike any other development professionals,” says Monica Garry, TBF’s Founder. “They are extremely effective at working with nomads in some of the highest and most remote areas of the Plateau, and equally adept at working with officials, diplomats, foundations, and government donors from all parts of the globe.” “TBF staff have gained trust and respect,” explains Sailhamo, Director of Communications. “Even during the most difficult and sensitive times on the Tibetan Plateau, TBF retains its partners and is able to get important work done.”
Each member of TBF’s staff is given the opportunity to further develop areas of expertise. TBF supports professional training for our team in such subjects as business development, economics, eco-tourism and environmental resource management, and have made it possible for six senior staff members to complete Master’s Degrees and PhDs in Asia, Europe and the United States. Investing in our team not only enriches our programs and addresses local needs, but it has helped TBF become a strong, regionally-run organization.
Investing in our team not
only enriches our programs
and addresses local needs,
but it has helped TBF
become a strong, regionally-
run organization.
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T B F I N T E R N A T I O N A L
Monica Garry, Executive Director/CEO and FounderSailhamo Samang, Director of Outreach and Special ProjectsAndrew Davis, Operations ManagerNicole Shearer, Program Associate
T B F E U R O P E
Rafaella Della Porta, Director, TBF Europe, BrusselsSander Tiedman, Director, TBF NetherlandsHanneke Wolff, Accountant, TBF Netherlands
T B F C H I N A
Bill Bleisch, Director of Programs Benjor, Deputy Director of Programs, TAR Bumdruk, Program Officer, Qinghai Dechen Lhaze, Sichuan Regional Field DirectorDrolmatso, Monitoring &Evaluation Program AssociateKarma, Program Officer, QinghaiKunchok Gelek, Director of EU Program Grant, XiningLhakdrun, Financial Administrative Officer, QinghaiLobsang Tenzin, Director of Operations, BeijingLobsang Chophle, Program Officer, SichuanClara Gaoyan, Financial Manager, Beijing Liuxin, Financial & Administrative Associate, BeijingMely Zengshi, Financial & Administrative Associate, SichuanPema Kyi, Administrative Officer, Qinghai Dhondup Lagyal, Program Officer, Lhasa Gongbu Tsering, Environment Coordinator and Sichuan Director Peyang Sharlho, Human Resources Operations Director, BeijingRigdrol, Senior Program Officer, Golok, QinghaiRindzin Tashi, Program Associate, SichuanSherab Gyaltsen, Business Development Program Coordinator, SichuanSonam Sopo, Health Program Coordinator, QinghaiTashi Haiyuan, Senior Regional Field Director, Qinghai and GansuYulha, Program Officer, QinghaiYeshitso, Program Officer, QinghaiRinzin Tashi, Program Associate, Aba
E X P E R T S A N D A D V I S O R S
Erin Weiser, Monitoring and Evaluation Don Bedunah, University of Montana Rich Harris, University of MontanaChris Wardle, U.K.Britt-Marie Alm Ren Lie PingKevin Tang Melina White, Seal Harbor Rugs, Maine Alberto Zanone and Carla LaSorte, As Sustainable as Possible,
Milan and Paris
As this report goes to print, TBF remembers a wonderful colleague and friend, Professor Don Bedunah of the University of Montana who passed away in December of 2011. Don was incredibly generous with his time, knowledge and technical skills for our Tibetan rangeland management and nomad development programs. We will all miss him.
R O C K E F E L L E R
P H I L A N T H R O P Y A D V I S O R S
Kathy Eason Walter Sweet Julio BautistaJoaquin Alfredo Cheik Diop Melissa HeynenJanet Cox
The Bridge Fund Team
AppreciationAcknowledgements
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T H E B R I D G E F U N D I N T E R N A T I O N A L C O U N C I L O F A D V I S O R S
Prince Hans Adam II of LiechtensteinGina H. Despres, Chair Richard Blum David Bonderman
Lavinia Currier Bowman Cutter Maria Pia Fanfani Ambassador Richard Holbrooke Ambassador Winston Lord
Dennis McGillicuddy The Honorable John Porter Peter Tarnoff Yo Yo Ma
It has been an honor for TBF to receive guidance and support from Ambassador Richard Holbrooke who joined TBF’s International Council of Advisors in 1996. He passed away in December of 2010, and is greatly missed. Ambassador Holbrooke traveled to remote nomadic regions in Tibet and possessed a rare and deep knowledge and appreciation of Tibetan culture.
T H E B R I D G E F U N D B O A R D O F D I R E C T O R S
Mark Rovner, ChairRohini Talalla, Executive Chair Hemanta Mishra, President
Monica Garry, Vice President Jennifer Sullivan, Secretary Michael Jon Gray, Treasurer
Richard Friedman Paljor Thondup
T H E B R I D G E F U N D E U R O P E
Dr. Jean-Louis Armand, Chair, France Dr. Maritta Koch-Weser, Secretary, Germany Vincent Bastien, France
H O N O R A R Y - E X O F F I C I O
Suzanne La PierreErica Stone
Mathea Falco Greg KruglakD. Joseph Wood
TBF works with an incredible group of individuals, experts, companies and organizations in order to fulfill our mission.
McQuade and Brennan Accounting, Washington DCPrice Waterhouse Coopers, Beijing, China Ripe Design, Washington DCWhite and Case, New York and Brussels Coblentz, Patch, Duffy and Ross, San Francisco ShineWing Accountants, Beijing, China Michael White, CPA, San Francisco Uma Rabgya - Design and Communications, US and India Alston Taggart, Studio Red Design, Washington DCSantana of Sapien Design, Brazil Eric Heiman and Adam Brodsley, Volume Design, San Francisco Green Press, Washington DCDavid Caffrey – IT Guru, Washington DCAlberto Zanone and Carla La Sorte, A.S.A.P., ParisCircle of Blue, www.circleofblue.org
Special thank you to Ed Rover, Emily Chu and Benoit Corbisier de Méaultsart and Thierry Bosly of White and Case for pro bono governance and legal support
SupportOur Donors
TThank you from everyone at TBF to all of our donors and supporters! Every contribution makes a real difference. TBF is especially grateful to all of the kind people who supported Yushu earthquake relief and reconstruction programs.
TBF receives support from foundations, individuals and government grant awards from the United States (USAID), the European Union, Norway, the Netherlands, France and the World Bank Community Fund.
TBF is member of:! Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs (ANDE)! Global Philanthropy Forum ! Grantmakers without Borders ! International Network of Engaged Buddhists
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Financial Information2010
2009
I N C O M E
I N C O M E
Income Balance $ 661,905
Revenue $ 3,803,065
Fund Balance $ 4,464,970
Return on Investment $ 243
total income $ 4,465,213
Income Balance $ 283,742
Revenue $ 3,002,175
Fund Balance $3,285,917
Return on Investment $ 4,101
total income $ 3,290,018
D I S B U R S E M E N T S
D I S B U R S E M E N T S
Grants Disbursed $3,667,394
Fund Management $ 163,303
Program Related Expenses $ 57,831
Europe Program Expenses $ 92,808
total disbursements $ 3,981,336
Grants Disbursed $2,385,337
Fund Management $ 101,018
Program Related Expenses $ 72,058
Europe Program Expenses $ 96,581
total disbursements $ 2,654,994
The Bridge Fund conducts 4 audits per year for grants and overall finances. Audit reports are available upon request. This financial consolidation report was prepared from final audited financial statements from The Bridge Fund of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors and The Bridge Fund Europe Netherlands. The consolidated statements are unaudited.
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GenerosityGiving
TThe tremendous biodiversity, staggering natural beauty and rich cultural tradition are all part of what makes the Tibetan Plateau an invaluable resource the world can afford to neither exploit nor ignore. The Bridge Fund exists to literally bridge the necessary preservation resources and the Tibetan communities that need them, especially in remote rural areas of China.
S TAY I N G I N T O U C H To receive monthly updates on TBF’s work subscribe to our eNewsletter! You can join our mailing list on our website or you can send your email address to [email protected]
Follow us on Facebook and Twitter to learn more about our projects, read blog posts from TBF staff working in the field and access related news.
C O N TA C T The Bridge Fund International 2018 R Street, NW, Floor 3 Washington, DC 20009, USA Tel: 202-986-3507 Fax: 202-986-9547 www.bridgefund.org
The Bridge Fund Europe Rue de la Science, 14B 1040 Bruxelles, Belgium, Europe Tel: +32 (0) 2-8083262 (TBF has regional offices in Beijing, Chengdu, Lhasa and Xining)
A P P LY I N G F O R A G R A N T Send your request to: [email protected]
H O W T O G I V E To make a donation to TBF online please visit: www.bridgefund.org/donate
You may send your contribution to: The Bridge Fund Care of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors 6 West 48th Street, 10th Floor New York, NY 10036, USA
TBF is registered as a 501 (c) 3 not for profit in the United States. All contributions are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. The Bridge Fund Europe is a registered not for profit organization in Belgium.
The Bridge Fund International2018 R Street, NW, Floor 3
Washington, DC 20009, USATel: 202-986-3507 Fax: 202-986-9547
www.bridgefund.org