Tsering Elder’s Home was founded in 2003 in Kathmandu, Nepal. The home serves as a safe and nurturing sanctuary for 43 residents. Among them, 23 are female and 20 are male. In addition to providing secure accommodation, the residents receive nutritious meals, healthcare, social services, and clothing.
Pay $95 Every 3 Months
Pay $190 Every 6 Months
Pay $380 Once a Year
Please note that TTF charges a $5 fee for each quarterly sponsorship payment to partially cover the cost of credit card fees, wire transfers and other processing costs.
Name: Dechen Wangmo
Place and Date of Birth: 1939 Ngora, Tibet
Mrs. Dechen Wangmo, born in 1939 in Namdo, Tibet, is now 85 years old. The youngest of three siblings, she lost her mother at six and was raised by her father and siblings. She never attended school and helped at home. At 25, she married Mr. Ngawang Kelsang and moved to the Nepal-Tibet border. They had four children and fled to a refugee camp in Kathmandu, where she worked as a maid and her husband as a carpenter. Mrs. Dechen Wangmo faced significant losses, with her husband, one son, and one daughter passing away due to health issues. As she aged, Dechen decided to move into Tsering Elders Home for better care and support. During her stay, she fell seriously ill for a few months. Seeing her condition, one of her daughters brought her home to provide personal care. After a few years of attentive care and recovery, Dechen regained her health and chose to return to Tsering Elders Home, where she continues to live comfortably.
Full Name: Lobsang Phelgyal
Place & Date of Birth: 1957 Choezong Lekze, Tibet
Lobsang Phelgyal was born in Chozong Lekze in 1957, hailing from a nomadic family. His father passed away when he was only two years old. In 1959, they went into exile, settling near Swoyambhunath at Chikdril Tsokpa. His mother passed away around the time he was 15, after which he was sent to Tibetan Homes School in Mussoorie by relatives. He completed his education up to grade XI and further studies at Riglam College. He taught Tibetan at Atisha Primary School in Jawalakhel, then spent 12 years teaching at Mount Kailash School in Pokhara, followed by 5 years at Namgyal Higher Sec. School in Gokarna. Additionally, he taught Tibetan and English at a Kagyu monastery for nearly 3 years. Now 64 years old, due to declining health, his brothers suggested he move to Tsering Elders Home for better care.
Full Name: Pema Khando
Place and Date of Birth: 1951, Kyidrong, Tibet
Pema Khandro was born in 1951 in southern Tibet, the eldest of four siblings. Her family survived by farming and cattle rearing. She married into an Amdo family and had a son who sadly died young. At 24, she went into exile with her family, settling first in Dharamshala and then in the Shimla Tibetan Settlement, where she ran a sweater business while her husband served in the Indian Army. In India, she gave birth to twin sons and two daughters. Unfortunately, her husband died at 44 when she was 37. Pema’s one daughter remained in India with her family, while the other moved to the United States. Pema continued her sweater business until she was 64; however, she faced difficulties when her son became an alcoholic and caused her distress. Seeking a better life, she fled to Nepal, where she practiced dharma alone for a few years. In February 2023, she moved to Tsering Elders Home, hoping for peace and better living conditions.
Full Name: Achung
Place and Date of Birth: 1954 Gyantse, Tibet
Mr. Achung, born in 1954 in Gyangtse village, Tibet, hailed from a poor farming family with nine children. He learned the Tibetan alphabet in school but had to pause his education when forced into child labor by Chinese authorities. Later, he worked as a shepherd. At 30, he had an arranged marriage with Phenthok Dragyo, who was 15 years older. In 1984, they fled to Nepal through Tatopani, Gorkha, due to the Chinese occupation of their village. They settled in Nelekhang, a Tibetan refugee home in Phulbari, Boudha, Nepal, and started weaving carpets and dyeing wool. Later, they moved to Gorakpur, India, to work in the sweater business.
Despite their hard work, Achung and his wife faced many challenges, including seven miscarriages due to her poor health. At 43, Achung developed serious liver issues but recovered thanks to early diagnosis. They returned to Nepal and sold small items like sweaters, socks, and shirts near Boudhanath Stupa. As their health declined with age, they moved to Tsering Elders Home for better care and support.
Full Name: Phenthok Drakyo
Place and Date of Birth: 1936 Gyantse, Tibet
Mrs. Phentok was born in 1936 in Gyangtse village, Tibet, into a poor farming family. She learned the Tibetan alphabet in school, but her education was abruptly halted by the Chinese government. Subsequently, she worked on her family’s farm.
At 30, Phentok had an arranged marriage with Mr. Achung, who was 15 years younger. In 1984, they fled to Nepal through Tatopani, Gorkha, due to the Chinese occupation of their village. They settled in Nelekhang, a Tibetan refugee home in Phulbari, Boudha, Nepal, managed by Dhargyal La, and began weaving carpets and dyeing wool. Later, they moved to Gorakpur, India, to work in the sweater business. Despite their efforts, Phentok endured seven miscarriages due to poor health and tragically lost five siblings in Tibet. At 72, she underwent a cataract surgery. Upon returning to Nepal, they eked out a living by selling small items like sweaters, socks, and shirts near Boudhanath Stupa. As their health deteriorated with age, they made the decision to move to Tsering Elders Home for better care and support.
Full Name: Rithar Sangmo
Place and Date of Birth: 1940 Thoe-Bawa, Tibet
Mrs. Rithar Sangmo was born in 1940 in Thoe-Bawa, Tibet, into a wealthy family. She had one elder brother. In 1959, her family escaped to Phuwa village in Upper Mustang, Nepal. After six years, her father passed away, and she and her mother moved to Lomanthang, where she worked at the Royal Palace and was well-regarded by the King and Queen.
At 30, she met Mr. Sonam Tashi, an army officer in Mustang, and had two pregnancies, both ending tragically. At 32, she gave birth to a daughter, Dolma Tsering, but soon after, her husband left her. Her mother helped care for the child. Later, she remarried Mr. Sonam Tenpa from Jampaling Tibetan Settlement in Pokhara. He was a loving man who cared for her, her daughter, and her mother. They had no children together. Her daughter, now married with two children, runs an antique shop in Marpha. Due to old age and loss of vision, Rithar and her husband moved to Tsering Elders Home for better care.
Full Name: Sonam Tenpa
Place and Date of Birth: 1936 Thoe, Tibet
Mr. Sonam Tenpa was born in 1936 in Sang Sang Thoe, Tibet. He was an only child from a poor farming family. His parents sent him to a monastery at a young age, where he studied for 11 years. At 20, he joined the Tibetan army and served at the Tibet border for five years. He then moved to Jampaling Tibetan Settlement in Pokhara with his uncle’s family. After recovering from tuberculosis, he relocated to Namgyaling Tibetan camp in Mustang and worked collecting and selling wood. At 27, he married Mrs. Rithar Sangmo, a single mother with one daughter. They lived a happy life together. Later, they moved to Tashiling Tibetan settlement in Pokhara, where Sonam worked as a cook and storekeeper at his cousin’s monastery. His stepdaughter married and had two daughters, and they all lived in a small house at Lo-Tserok camp.
As Sonam and his wife aged, they both lost their vision and faced a difficult life. Their daughter’s income from a small business was insufficient to support the family. For better care, Sonam and his wife moved to Tsering Elders Home.
Full Name: Tsering Choedon
Place and Date of Birth: 1955, Tingay, Tibet
Mrs. Tsering Choedon was born in 1955 in Tingay village, Tibet. She was an only child. Her mother passed away when she was 2, and her father remarried, having another son. Tsering was then raised by her uncle. Following the Chinese invasion of Tibet, they fled to Darjeeling, crossing the Nepal border. Tsering studied until class X, then worked as an ANM nurse in Delhi for two years. At 20, she met Mr. Urgen Chomphel, a cook. They had a son, Namgyal, and later moved to Nepal, where they ran a small hotel in Kalimati. At 26, Tsering had a daughter and the family moved to Swoyambhunath. Her children attended Namgyal School until class X.
Tsering ran the hotel for ten years while her husband worked as a cook in Thamel. As her husband’s health deteriorated, Tsering took a job as a storekeeper at Potala Guest House for ten years. Her son got married and moved to Maharajgunj, while her daughter relocated to France. In 2008, her husband passed away, and in 2021, her son also died, leaving his wife deeply distressed. Unable to manage alone, Tsering moved to Sikkim for two years, then returned to live with her daughter-in-law. However, her health declined, prompting her to move to Tsering Elders Home for better care and support.
Full Name: Tsering Penpa
Place and Date of Birth: 1957, Dhingri, Tibet
Tsering Penpa was born into a poor farming family, with six siblings. His mother died when he was 15, leaving him to help his father care for his younger siblings. At 25, he went into exile, leaving his family behind in Tibet. He settled in Solukhumbu, Nepal, with his uncle and worked in a carpet factory for 12 years before moving to Kathmandu for similar work. His father joined him there but passed away at 73.
In 1987, Tsering received a refugee visa to the United States, where he worked as a dishwasher until 2013. Struggling to adjust, he returned to Nepal and began making rugs at home. At 65, with vision and hearing problems and struggling to make a living, he decided to move into Tsering Elders Home.
Full Name: Tseten
Place and Date of Birth: 1943, Dhingri, Tibet
Tseten, born in 1943 in Dhingri, Tibet, came from a nomadic family with nine siblings. At 12, he went into exile with his family, staying at a cousin’s home in Khumbhu village, Nepal. He studied until grade six and then, at 17, joined the Indian Army, serving for about 10 years. His parents migrated to the Orissa Tibetan settlement with hundreds of other Tibetans.
After leaving the army, Tseten did a sweater business to earn a living. At 30, he was forced into a polygamous marriage with his brother’s wife. His wife worked as a farmer, while he ran an antique business in Nepal. They had seven children, four of whom stayed in Nepal and three moved abroad. Unhappy with his family situation, he left home and lived with friends at Pharping Monastery in Nepal for 15 years. As he grew older, Tseten had difficulty walking and his family refused to take him back. He was then admitted to Tsering Elders Home for better living conditions and care.
Full Name: Yangzom
Place and Date of Birth: Dhingri Zong, 1959
Mrs. Yangzom, born in Dhingri Zong, Tibet, fled to exile in the mid-1950s. Losing her father at three, she and her mother endured many different hardships. Without formal schooling, she contributed to the family by excelling in cooking. After losing her job as a shepherd, she moved to Kathmandu, Nepal, with her sister for a better life. Hindered by health issues and mobility challenges, she decided to settle at Tsering Elders Home for better care and living conditions.
Full Name: Yungdung Sonam
Place and Date of Birth: Tibet (Nagri) 1957, Menkhab
Mrs. Yungdung Sonam was born in 1957 in Menkhab, Tibet. After China invaded Tibet, her family fled to Neshang village, Nepal, when she was only two. She lost her mother at three, and her father moved the family to Tashiling Refugee Settlement in Pokhara. He later relocated to Yulmo for better opportunities and worked in rock crushing, but died in an accident when she was thirteen.
Yungdung and her sister worked in the carpet industry to survive. Her sister went to India, while Yungdung taught carpet weaving in Thamel. At twenty-four, she met Mr. Ganesh Bahadur, a loyal and sincere Nepali policeman, and they had a daughter. The carpet industry later closed due to financial issues, and when Yungdung was fifty, her husband passed away from tuberculosis, leaving her in a difficult situation. Her daughter married and moved to Dubai, leaving Yungdung alone. She ran a small shop but faced declining health, with high blood pressure and difficulty walking. As her health worsened, she decided to seek better care and support, moving to Tsering Elders Home.