Buddhism is a world religion founded by Buddha (Siddhartha Gautama). The dharma taught by Buddha, born about 2,600 years ago in what is now Nepal, has been organized into various sutras and propagated to the rest of Asia. Nepal has a rich Buddhist culture and temples which were nurtured over a long time, centering around Kathmandu.

Empowering Self-Documentation of Tibetan Refugees in Nepal

There are more than 20,000 Tibetan refugees living in about 12 settlements across the country. However, the true number of Tibetan refugees is unknown, with some estimates suggesting that 30,000 Tibetans live in Kathmandu alone.

The Hinman Charity helped support the creation and publication of unique historical documentation of the Tibetan refugee situation in Nepal. Caught in Nepal: Tibetan Refugees Photographing Tibetan Refugees is a photography book that documents the daily lives of Tibetan refugees in Nepal. It is both a historical document and cultural commentary. The photographs were taken exclusively by the refugees.

The project began in 2009 as a collaboration between the Charity and the author and activist Mikel Dunham, when ten inexpensive digital cameras were given to refugees in Nepal. None of the recipients had ever owned cameras and only three exhibited any knowledge or experience with photographic equipment. They were empowered to use these cameras to capture the reality of their lives in Nepal. This includes lack of legal status, denial of the right to own property or business, inability to register births or marriages, and inadequate education.

This book educates people about the harsh realities of Tibetan refugees and promotes social change to improve their conditions.

Impressed by the photos, a successful Kickstarter campaign was initiated.  This effort exceeded expectations, and the book was published by Vajra Books, Kathmandu, available online.

Support for Traditional Chinese Medicine

In 2012, the Hinman Charity made a grant to support Mindful Medicine Worldwide, a non-profit organization established in 2009, which seeks to bring long-term integrative health care to people of developing areas, domestically and internationally, by establishing and operating integrative health care clinics.

The Charity grant will be used to support the operations of two clinics in Nepal that are providing access to Traditional Chinese Medicine among communities that have inadequate access to healthcare.  Tibetan monks and nuns who are refugees in Nepal are among the primary beneficiaries of these services.