Shenpen was founded as a non-profit social work project by Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche in 2004 and currently operates within Ka-Nying Shedrub Ling Monastery’s community. Shenpen’s vision is that all poor and disadvantaged people of Nepal, especially the very young, very old, and displaced, enjoy good health, a sound education, financial security and are able to meet their full human and spiritual potential.
To work towards this vision, Shenpen, with the help of its supporters from all over the world, funds various local charities and NGOs around the Kathmandu valley in the areas of Health, Education, Elderly Care, Skills Training, and Animal Welfare. With the help of our supporters, we are able to provide daily meals for the elderly women of Mata Tirtha, as well as for more than 350 children studying in government schools. We provide school supplies to poor village children and pay the school tuition of 16 children attending schools in Kathmandu. We also sponsor cataract surgeries for the elderly, anti-rabies vaccinations for over 2,000 dogs each year, and vocational training sessions for women.
The transliterated meaning of Shenpen comes from two Tibetan words: shen (others) and pen (to benefit). Our purpose is therefore to ‘benefit others’. Throughout the decades, Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche has always been deeply struck by the great kindness Nepalese people have shown newly-arrived Tibetan refugees. The local residents warmly opened their arms and helped the exiled Tibetans build new lives for themselves. Consequently, with profound appreciation, Rinpoche has worked tirelessly to benefit the poor and needy of Nepal.
At the heart of Shenpen is a spirit of volunteerism that is impartial, non-sectarian and non-political. Its ethos is based on the principles of compassion, generosity, knowledge, diligence, and humility in thought and action. Shenpen operates in accordance with the following principles:
- Starting small, but in clear, practical ways that produce tangible and sustainable benefits for the poorest.
- Supporting the existing initiatives of other specialists and reputable organizations, thereby ensuring the effective uses of Shenpen resources.
- Selecting projects that meet clear social needs and in which the beneficiaries participate wherever possible, in the design, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of activities.
- Supporting long-term initiatives that are able to demonstrate consistency of impact over time.
- Supporting initiatives that are cost effective and that benefit the maximum number of poor at a minimum cost.
- Linking with like-minded international charities to harness resources and collaborate in providing on-the-ground support to poor individuals and communities.