This December, your donation can help protect the fundamental rights that allow Tibetan refugee families to live in safety. Together with you, we support three essential pillars of a dignified life: stable housing, continuous education and accessible healthcare.
Every contribution has a concrete impact on the Tibetan community of Bylakuppe in India. By working closely with trusted local partners, we ensure that your generosity reaches the people and services that need it most.
And this Christmas, your gift goes even further: for every 1€ donated in December Wisedāna Foundation, in collaboration with Unione Buddhista Italiana, adds the same amount and doubles the value of your contribution.
✨ Your gift today has twice the impact ✨
The community of Bylakuppe, in the state of Karnataka in India, is one of the largest Tibetan settlements in the world outside Tibet. It was created in the 1960s, when thousands of Tibetans fled to India after the Chinese invasion, forming communities of exiles. Over time, Bylakuppe has evolved from a temporary refugee camp into a stable settlement with schools, houses, monasteries and a social fabric that keeps alive core Tibetan values of compassion, non violence and respect for all forms of life.
Despite this, life remains precarious. Although they have lived in India for more than sixty years, people remain stateless and officially refugees: a legally fragile condition that can change suddenly and makes long-term planning impossible. At the same time, the exile community relies heavily on international solidarity, a factor that has become particularly critical in recent months. The United States government has significantly reduced funding for Tibetan refugees, creating new uncertainties for many essential services.
In this context, every intervention that supports fundamental rights —such as housing, education and healthcare — directly improves the quality of life of Tibetan families in India. It also helps preserve the unique cultural heritage of Tibet, a legacy of values that matters to all of us. We are glad to work with trusted local partners such as the Central Tibetan Administration, the Tibetan Children’s Village and Vimala to co-create solutions that support the community’s well-being and growth.
In the Tibetan settlement of Bylakuppe, guaranteeing fundamental rights depends on essential services that now require additional resources to continue operating. The main challenges concern housing, schooling and access to healthcare: everyday needs that directly affect the stability and safety of many lives.
When it comes to housing, several families have no home of their own and rely on temporary arrangements, staying with relatives or moving between different Tibetan settlements. Others live in houses built decades ago with materials that are now deteriorated and unsafe. Metal roofs can collapse under monsoon rains, water infiltrations weaken walls and many homes still contain harmful materials such as asbestos and mould. Irregular electricity, limited access to running water, insecure doors and poor ventilation often make daily life difficult and at times unsafe.
Schools and preschools are just as essential. For many children they are not only places of learning but also safe environments where they can find care, connection and emotional support. It is common for young people to both study and live on school campuses, because they are orphans or because they lack stable social networks that could support them in India. To ensure daily care, safety and a continuous educational path, these institutions require ongoing support.
The local Tsojhe Khangsar hospital also needs resources to keep essential services running, especially the maternity ward. The clinic provides free assistance to women before, during and after childbirth, and to newborns in their early years. It is a vital service in an area where families once had to travel long distances for adequate medical care. Today the hospital is a crucial reference point for the Tibetan community and for many Indian women from surrounding villages.
If these needs are not addressed, the most vulnerable families may see reduced access to safe housing, stable education and essential healthcare in 2026. Acting now means protecting rights that allow the community to live with dignity and to look toward the future with greater confidence.
With a donation you can improve the daily life of Tibetan families living as refugees in India, helping protect their right to safe housing, continuous education and accessible healthcare. Your support helps keep essential services running for those who currently have no stable guarantees in the Bylakuppe community.
This December your contribution has an even greater impact: for every euro you give Wisedāna Foundation, in collaboration with Unione Buddhista Italiana, will donate the same amount, doubling the value of your gift. You can make a one-time donation or choose to set up a monthly contribution. In the case of recurring donations, we will match the first monthly amount. This initiative will cover up to 10.000€ donated.
Every gesture matters and creates real change. Your support can ensure continuity for the community’s essential services and open up better prospects for many families in the years ahead.