Founded in 1993 by Rebecca Wing and Terry Fralich, Maine Friends of Tibet (MFT) is an organization of dedicated volunteers and generous supporters throughout Maine who wish to support the preservation of Tibetan culture by directly assisting the Tibetan people . In addition to distributing a periodic newsletter about events both inside Tibet and in the Tibetan exile communities, MFT has worked with local media to increase awareness of the occupation of Tibet by China and the suffering of the Tibetan people as a result of Chinese policies and actions in Tibet.

MFT raises money to support a number of Tibetan organizations and individuals . Due to the generosity of its supporters, MFT has been able to make a real difference in the lives of many Tibetans. MFT has pursued its mission in some of the following ways:

• Providing general support to the Tibetan Children's Village that houses, nourishes and educates thousands of Tibetan children, many of whom are orphans.
• Providing years of living and education expenses for its "adopted Tibetan daughter" Wangmo at the Tibetan Children's Village in Dharamsala, India.
• Supporting the Siddartha School in Ladakh, India that provides a traditional Tibetan education to children in that area.
• Providing funds to nuns living in a small monastery in the Tibetan exile community who are conscientiously studying in preparation for teaching in their home villages in Tibet.
• Contributing to the Gift of Sight Program that restores sight to Tibetans through cataract operations.
• Providing the annual living and education expenses of Kelsang Dhedon, a nun living at the Dolma Ling Monastery in India, who made the arduous and dangerous journey from her home in Tibet to the monastery so that she could obtain an education not available to her inside Tibet.

Every dollar of donations to MFT grows in impact-power by the time it reaches the Tibetan communities in India and Nepal. The dollar simply buys much more in the Himalayan region than it does here. Imagine an elderly Tibetan regaining sight in one eye through a cataract operation. That's what a $40 contribution from MFT to the Gift of Sight Program accomplishes. Visualize a beautiful young child having nutritional meals and studying at the Tibetan Children's Village. A $30 donation fully supports this child's food, clothing, housing and education for a whole month.

If you would like to learn more, or receive our newsletter, please contact Terry Fralich. Send a donation to Maine Friends of Tibet, c/o Terry Fralich, 129 Smutty Lane, Saco, ME 04072. Your contribution will make a real difference to the individual Tibetans supported by MFT!

See these links for more information:

http://siddharthaschool.org/

http://www.giftofsight.co.uk/default.aspx

http://www.tcv.org.in/

The Mindfulness Center of Southern Maine . 129 Smutty Lane, Saco, ME 04072 . (207)-294-3377. rebeccawing@maine.rr.com