Small Grants Fund Projects Index
Dharma Gaia TrustLadakh Nun’s Project
Ladakh or Little Tibet is situated in the north of India. Because of its location in high himalayan desert area the climate of Ladakh is extreme cold in the winter months and a dry summer. Such climate limits the growth of natural resources such as trees and crops including herbal plants used for traditional medicine.
Since long past Ladakhis have been traditionally using local herbs as cure for various ailments. A large number of medicinal herbs are found naturally growing in the mountains. In recent years there has been an increasing demand of such herbal remedies may be because the people have less faith in western medicines due to their various side effects. As a result more and more herbal plants are harvested, but in an inappropriate way, resulting in depletion of many important herbs. The problem is compounded by lack of awareness among the herbal practioners known as Amchi as most of their knowledge of traditional medicine come from their parents and their practice emphasize only the treatment part. Thus their knowledge about how to collect the herbs, replant and preserve them is limited. Therefore, there is an urgent need to create an awareness about herbs and try to preserve and cultivate them at all levels.
As for the nuns learning about traditional medicinal treatment and preserving the herbal plants will not only enable them to take care of their own health but such knowledge can also benefit the society in a veryeffective way. Since 1997, 30 nuns from 9 different nunneries located around Leh participated in an introductory training course on traditional medicine which was organized by the Ladakh Nuns Association. The participants were highly satisfied from the training. Unfortunately, due to the limit of financial resources that mainly came from individual contributions the association could not continue this work to reach its goals.
The Situation of the Ladakhi Nuns
Traditionally nuns were not allowed to give Buddhist teaching. While living in nunnery her role as a nun is reduced only to serving monks by looking after the cattle and farms of the monastery. If they live with their family they were the main source of labourers doing both household and field works. In either case they had no opportunity to learn and practice Dhamma. Because of such situation the numbers of nuns are declining and many nunneries deserted.
Ven Dr. T.Palmo, a nun and the first Ladakhi who was formally trained at Tibetan Medical College in Dharamsala started working to help the nuns. Since 1994 after setting up a herbal medical clinic in Leh she continued to work for the nuns and finally was able to create The Ladakh Nuns Association in 1996 with the help from various individuals and organizations. The aim of the association is to uplift the economical, social and educational status of the nuns. Since its begining the association has been holding several training courses concerning Buddhism such as monastic discipline, meditation and buddhist philosophy.
Moreover, Ven Dr. T.Palmo has conducted three training courses on traditional medicine attended by a total of 200 nuns. Out of these 60 nuns were trained to give a basic traditional medicines. The trainings have also raised awareness among the nuns about how they might become involved in other social works. There are about 600 nuns and 20 Nunneries in Ladakh. However, there are only 5 Nunneries which are functioning because of support from some monasteries and local people. The Ladakh Nuns Association is planning to improve the facilities in the existing old Nunneries to accommodate more nuns as well as to use them for other welfare activities.
The Project Goals
1. To inspire the nuns and other women in using and promoting the use of traditional medicine for the welfare of local people.
2. To involve the nuns and women in preserving herbal plants.
Project Proposal and Activities
1. Training in herbal medicine:
Founded by Ven.Dr. Palmo in 1996, the Ladakh Nuns Association has fulfilled a great need, by improving the situation for Ladakhi nuns and providing access to Dharma teachings. But there is still a long way to go. Of the 800 nuns in Ladakh, most spend much of their time cultivating the fields to either support their families or the monks in nearby monasteries. The Ladakh Nuns Association has a vision that nuns will benefit the community as teachers of the Dharma in Ladakh and be actively engaged in social work. As a doctor trained in the system of traditional Tibetan medicine, Ven. Palmo has recently provided introductory training on traditional medicine for 30 nuns. There is a great need to extend and expand this training to include not only diagnosis and treatment but also identification, collection and storage of herbal plants. Some of the herbal plants are becoming quite rare due to inappropriate harvesting, so there is also an urgent need to replant and preserve some of these plants. Many of the nuns have health problems as do the local people, and living in remote inaccessible regions, people are dependent on the amchis or traditional healers. If some nuns receive training on treatment and prevention of common illnesses, they will know what foods to avoid and what are the remedies.
It is planned that 20 nuns and 15 laywomen from different nunneries and villages, would receive two one- month trainings on treatment in traditional medicine. There would be two follow-up trainings each of two weeks, where the focus would be on herbal predarations and cultivation.
2. TRAINING IN TREE PLANTING
Ladakh being a high altitude desert traditionally there have been few trees. But until recently it was thought that planting trees would absorb water from the springs, but it has now been found that this is not the case. In the last 5 years the Government of India has been giving subsidies for tree planting but not to any nunneries. Cultivation of trees at the nunneries would contribute to their self-reliance in terms of producing firewood, as well as improving the diet for many nuns through the cultivation of fruit trees.It is planned that some of the land at many of the nunneries could be allocated to this purpose. Each nunnery has 2-5 acres of land, and of the 20 nunneries, only 2 have planted trees such as willows and poplars, which are used for firewood and building.
Training in tree planting for 20 nuns over two ten day periods is planned. This training will take place at two sites. Firstly, at Redzong nunnery about 3 hours from Leh, where land currently used for barley cultivation will be replaced by trees. This will also have an impact on freeing up time for the nuns by reducing time spent on cultivating food for the monks. Secondly, training will be at the new site of the Ladakh Nuns Association future training centre in Leh, recently donated by the Government of India, where the training will begin the process of planting trees. At present, only thistles grow on the land, but there is a water source nearby.
The training in both areas of traditional medicine and tree planting, will be in the context of relating Dharma and ecology. Weaving through the training will be a raising of awareness of interconnectedness and a fostering and caring attitude towards our environment and our very own bodies. Planting trees around the nunneries will reduce the wind and soil erosion, minimising the great clouds of dust around the living areas, and thus reducing the incidence of respiritory tract infections. Reverence for the trees and their shade in an intense climate will be encouraged, as well as the protection of grasses, herbs and animals; values being eroded by the onslaught of tourism and consumerism. Reverence will also be fostered for the trees as great beings, with gratitude for their uses as firewood, building materials and homes for the many beings.
Purchase of Materials.
The Association has a vacant plot which can be used to cultivate specially the endangered plants so that such herbs can be preserved. For this we need to hire laborers to prepare the land, purchase manure and other farming materials including the fence to protect the land from animals. Project activities will, however, be carried out by participants-centered methodology with the emphasis on learning by doing.
Budget:
1) Exchange rate is calculated at Rs.40 for 1 US$.
2) This budget covers expenses towards food, transportation, materials and resource persons. Expenses for accommodation and organisation/management will be borne bby the Ladakh Nuns Association.
1. Budget for one month training courses on traditional medicine.
Food cost ( 3x30x20)-----------1,800
Transportation cost-------------- 200
Resource persons --------------- 400
Materials------------------------ 100Total-----------------------------2,500 U.S.Dollars
2. Budget for two week follow up programme.
Food cost (3x14x20)--------------------------840
Transportation cost -----------------------------200
Resource persons-------------------------------200
Materials----------------------------------------100Total------------------------------------------1,340 U.S. Dollars
TOTAL US$3,840