2002 Fundraising Letter

Thank you for your interest in Arasmas, formerly The Fund for the Higher Education of Tibetan Refugees.  As I indicated in my recent email, it has been a very full year for the organization and I am grateful for this opportunity to share with you some of our progress.

Context & Background

As you may know, Arasmas was born in June of 1999 while I was studying International Human Rights Law and completing an internship with the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy in Dharamsala, India.  It was during this time that I met Youtsa Tamdin Kyab, a Tibetan refugee my age who despite relatively poor English skills and overwhelming financial and bureaucratic obstacles ahead, desperately wanted to study and ultimately practice international human rights law.  After several meetings with him and his teachers, employers, and peers, it was clear that he was supremely worthy of this opportunity. 

I returned to San Francisco later that year and shared Tamdin’s story with friends and family whom I thought might be interested in helping fund his educational dreams.  Though I knew only a single student seeking support, I called the budding organization The Fund for the Higher Education of Tibetan Refugees with the hope that the organization would grow to accommodate more students in future years.  The money came.  Some gave as little as twenty dollars once, some a few hundred periodically, and one of you contributed a thousand dollars in 1999 and again in 2000 to help meet his educational expenses.

Three years have now gone by.  Tamdin recently completed two years of intensive English and pre-law courses and entry exams at The British Council University in Delhi, India, with high marks and impressive recommendations from professors and peers.  I visited him and his university in November of last year and was very impressed with his progress, high spirits, and relentless pursuit of a dream he could not have even imagined while living in Tibet a mere decade ago.  This would not have been possible without the support many of you have provided in meeting Tamdin’s educational and living expenses.  (His total expenses have been approximately $3,000 a year for tuition, books, room, and board.)

Tamdin is currently in Europe, and is on his way to the United States with the assistance of the Belgian government.  He is not giving up on his dream to attend law school, and if he continues to persevere as he has in the last few years, there is no doubt that he will succeed.  His interest, commitment, diligence, and overall increasingly sophisticated demeanor are all commendable.  He is the first Arasmas student, and his success thus far is a popular story among his peers and his community.  He has far exceeded all expectations and, most importantly, is inspiring many others to follow a similar path.

Progress in 2002

It has been a year of growth and development for Arasmas,[1][1] largely due to inspiration stemming from Tamdin’s success, my travels to Tibet, the formalization of the organization’s goals, growing contacts with the Tibetan community, both in exile and in Tibet, and joining efforts with other organizations domestically and abroad.  Today Arasmas has some funding for the 2003 class, many inspiring applications, and ever-evolving goals for the coming year and those to follow.

Between August and November, 2001, I traveled overland from China through Tibet and Nepal and then on to Dharamsala, India, at which time I composed an article summarizing the story behind Arasmas’ and Tamdin’s success. During my travels it became even clearer that there is a great need for support of Tibetans living in exile who have completed their basic coursework through grade twelve and seek to continue their studies at the university level.  There are literally hundreds of university student hopefuls in Dharamsala between the ages of 18 and 25 who, like Tamdin three years ago, have completed high school, and speak and write Chinese, Tibetan, Hindi, and English.  They are incredibly motivated.  They have computer skills.  They have an academic and personal understanding of international economic concerns, human rights regulations and violations, international environmental threats and possible solutions, conflict and dispute resolution studies.  They also have a deep sense of duty to serve their families and their communities, even though for most, their families are on the other side of an impassable border, and their ethnic community is fragmented around the globe.  Above all, they are extremely driven to succeed.  It is understandable.  Many of them left their families and their homes, on foot, to make it to a place where they could exercise the freedoms they now know.  Many of them simply want an education.  This is where Arasmas comes in.

While researching educational options and systems available to the Tibetan community in India I visited the Department of Education (the “DOE”) for the Tibetan Government in Exile (near the home of His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Dharamasala) in November, 2001.  I met with the Director of the DOE’s Scholarship Division to discuss the current state of affairs.  The scholarship division receives over four hundred applications for scholarships for higher education a year; at least half of those from students who are eligible based on their grades alone.  However, due to limited funding, the Scholarship Office grants fewer than a dozen scholarships per year for $400.00 each.  Arasmas seeks to help some of these qualified students who are not granted DOE scholarships due to lack of funds.  That said, Arasmas differs from the DOE Scholarship Program in that grades are not the only criteria for selection.  Arasmas applicants’ educational goals, professional experience, personal recommendation letters, the feasibility of their intended endeavors, the overall cost of their educational plans, the security (and legality) of their resident alien status in India, and their plans to give back to their communities are all evaluated in conjunction with their grades in making recipient selections.

The article I wrote to share some of my experiences in Tibet and the story of Tamdin was published in Contact Magazine in Dharamsala in March, 2002.  The article included my email address and produced a remarkable response.  In addition to teachers, students (American, Canadian, Tibetan, and Indian), and other members of the community in Dharamsala who want to help, I have had ongoing communications via email with approximately twenty student hopefuls who want to apply for Arasmas funding for their educational endeavors.  This flood of interest created the need for a formal application process and a broader fundraising effort.

I have just completed my first year as an associate at the law firm of Shartsis, Friese & Ginsburg LLP in San Francisco, where, among other things, I have been able to help Arasmas as a pro bono client.  The formal non-profit status applications and other paperwork are in motion, and I expect 501(c)(3) status to be granted in 2003.  In addition, with the help of resources at my firm (most notably the help of my assistant, Mary Krause), in June I was able to create the application form, and email it to Arasmas candidates (with a November 30, 2002 deadline).

The Arasmas application is quite rigorous, similar to a scholarship application for an American university program.  (If you would like to see a copy, please let me know and I will email you one.)  Complete applications include three personal recommendation letters from academic instructors or employers, a personal statement (in the applicant’s own handwriting) summarizing educational and professional backgrounds, short and long term goals, and what the applicant expects to return to his or her community as a result of graduate level study, a complete copy of all academic records, a summary of all expected expenses and accompanying documentation, copies of Registration and Residential Permits from the Indian government, and more.

As I had hoped, the application has itself been quite a filter.  Of the more than twenty sent out, at least seven, but no more than ten applications (out of fifteen completed and returned) are from students whom I would consider eligible for Arasmas funding at this time.  The number of candidates that ultimately receive funding will depend on the resources collected by the end of January, 2003.

The 200 3 Class

This is where you may come in.  If you are inspired to and able to contribute to the fund for the 2003 Arasmas class, I am taking donations at this time.  The applicants have a broad range of educational goals including the pursuit of a Masters in International Business Management at Delhi University to a young nun’s request for help with the expense of books needed to perform independent translation training and studies at the home of His Holiness, the Dalai Lama.  Having been to Dharamsala three times in the last few years, the home of the majority of the applicants, I have also enlisted the assistance of several different people from various organizations to conduct interviews.  If you would like to learn more about the Arasmas applicants, please so indicate and I will be sure to get you more detailed information about the students (including a copy of their applications, emails, etc., if you like).  There is no contribution too small and literally, each dollar counts.  Most of these students have requested less than $500.00 for the entire year’s worth of expenses.   All funds collected will be pooled and the selections made accordingly.  That said, if you want to help, but do not want to make a donation at this time, I will be very appreciative of any help with email, building the website, work on the logo, recipient selection, etc.

Finally, until the 501(c)(3) status is formally granted, I am unable to open a bank account in the Arasmas name, so donation checks need to be made payable to my name.  Such donations are nevertheless tax deductible (the IRS grants a substantial window for pre-501(c)(3) status contributions), and I will be sending an appropriate receipt to all donors.

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People often tell me that they are impressed with this work, that I should be proud of Arasmas.  Honestly, I feel I have done very little.  From its inception, this has been almost an entirely organic process.  I have told the tales, shared photos and emails, others have contributed, and dreams are being realized.  It is, in a way, a strong sense of duty that compels me because I can connect those in need, and worthy of help, with the many of us who can have such a tremendous impact by sharing so little.  Again, for many who are involved in Arasmas, contributions have nothing to do with money.  Invaluable support has come in the form of ideas, networking, letter-writing, editing, email, references, encouragement, and in innumerable other ways that have made all of this possible.  I don’t want that to get lost in my request for contributions to the fund for the 2003 class.  So, please do not (now or in the future) feel obliged to give a cent.  Truly.  It comes.

Blessings.

Sincerely,

Cecily D. Freyermuth

Arasmas
2443 Fillmore St. #153
San Francisco, Ca  94115
email: info@arasmas.org