Tara Bodong Foundation (Netherlands) is a charitable organisation that supports humanitarian projects in the Himalayan region of Northeast India. Our mission is to improve the living conditions of local people living in the area by helping girls get access to education. We do this through (financial and non-financial) donations, capacity building and knowledge sharing.
Our main project is the Lumla Bodong Nunnery/ School for Girls, which provides a safe and loving home for vulnerable girls from mostly nomadic families spread over 50 tiny villages around Lumla. Lumla is a mountainous region located in the Tawang district of Arunachal Pradesh. It shares a border with Bhutan and Tibet (China) and is home to mostly Tibetan descendants. In addition to receiving a state-recognised education, the girls also receive lessons in Tibetan Buddhism with the goal of becoming Tibetan nuns and leaders in their communities. Our Committee members.
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Growing Means Thriving
In 2011, a small group of friends in Hilversum embarked on this journey to give young nomadic girls living in the Himalayan foothills of Arunachal Pradesh a chance to go to school. Today, we are proud to say that we have provided a home and education to 27 girls! They all live happily together at the Lumla Bodong Nunnery/ Home, a shelter exclusively built by our supporters to house these girls while they go to school in Lumla Village.
The contributions from sponsors and other donors pay for their supervision, school uniforms, clothes, meals, utilities, and other living expenses.
We are proud to say that in 2025, six girls completed their high school education!!
The achievement of these girls is a reflection of our mission in action which would not have been possible without the supportof our sponsors and friends.
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What's Been Happening
Education comes first
With the successful completion of high school, these six Tara Bodong girls have received the Indian School Certificate (ISC)/ Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) certification, which is four years more than India's mandatory education requirement. It is also equivalent to the International Baccalaureate, or pre-university certification. After graduation, the girls will remain at the nunnery to continue their Buddhist studies as Tibetan nuns. If they choose, they may even pursue the prestigious Geshema degree (the feminine of Geshe), which is comparable to a doctorate in Tibetan Buddhist philosophy—the highest level of training.
With this education plus their academic certificate, they will be well-equipped to chart their own future as leaders in areas such as teaching, healthcare or social work. This is an important milestone in such a remote and under-served region, and we at Tara Bodong are proud to have played a significant role. The achievement of these girls is a reflection of our mission in action which would not have been possible without the support of our sponsors and friends. As you can see in the pictures, the girls already wear their Buddhist robes.
Planning for the future
Eventually all girls at the nunnery will complete their education, with the last girl graduating in about eight years time. We now find ourselves reflecting on the broader mission of Tara Bodong which is to provide girls with safe access to education. We remain committed to this mission and have begun exploring new opportunities. One of our committee members is from Kinnaur, a remote district in Himachal Pradesh, located near Kashmir. Much like Lumla, Kinnaur lies in the rugged terrain of the middle Himalayas, where access to education remains a challenge, especially for girls. We are currently reaching out to local charities and assessing the potential role Tara Bodong could play in supporting girls in this area.
With this new initiative, we are broadening our focus to include education programmes that are not tied to any religious affiliation. We believe that access to a well-rounded, secular education will better equip young girls with the tools they need to thrive in today’s rapidly changing world. Whether they choose to pursue higher studies, careers, or community leadership, the goal of Tara Bodong is to give them a head start towards a strong future.
In the meantime, we assure you that we remain committed to Lumla Bodong Nunnery and will continue to support the remaining girls until they too graduate and enter adulthood.
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Click here for more pictures of life in the nunnery.
School
Our girls follow the CBSE (Central Board of Secondary Education), an Indian national-level education board for private and public schools, operated and regulated by the Indian Government. This system is different from the European system and has two terms in an academic year, with each term covering 50% of the syllabus.
The younger ones attend the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Avasiya Vidyala Melongkhar in New Lungla and have successfully done exams in English, Hindi, Maths, and Environmental Studies (EVS).
Take a look at the performance report card below to see what they learn at school.
The Impact of a Sponsor
The mountainous hillsides around Lumla are dotted with nomadic families desperate to give their girls a chance at a better life. Since 2014, each girl at our Lumla Bodong Nunnery/Home for Girls has received individual sponsorship. With your support, these inspiring young women are on their way to becoming independent thinkers who will help improve the situation in their local communities for generations to come.
For just €45 per month, you can change a girl’s life, who can then change an entire community! Your contribution provides access to lodging, clothes, food, school uniforms, books, and anything else she might need, to become a self-reliant, contributing member of her community and the world at large. Click here to find out more about our sponsorship programme or donate.
