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GENERAL INFORMATION & ACHIEVED GOALS

• The rehabilitation and training centre for the Blind, Tibet has been officially 
  recognised by the government of the PR China.
• The program co-ordinators Sabriye Tenberken and Paul Kronenberg are co-operating with the Tibetan Disabled Person's Federation, a sub-organisation of the famous and successful handicapped organisation of the PR China. This organisation was founded in the 80s by Deng Pu Fang, a son of Deng Xiao Ping, who is himself handicapped.
• The location of the rehabilitation and training centre is situated in the Langdun-house, a well known old Tibetan style building. The property is situated in the centre of Lhasa. A contract was signed in which our counterpart assures that this property will be used as the rehabilitation and training centre for the blind in the TAR for an unlimited period of time.
• In the summer and autumn of 2000 most of the rooms of the property have been renovated.
• A new building including massage-training centre, three classrooms, two dormitories, a Braille-production centre, toilets, showers, infremary and several staff rooms has been built during the summer of 2001 and is at present being used.
• 30 students, Children and adults,  receive education in 6 separate classes
  a. The Rabbit Class: the students in this class will soon be integrated into regular elementary schools.
  b: The Tiger class: This is a class for all new studentsolder than 6 years of age.
  c: The Mouse class: This is the early childhood class for students between 4 and 6 years of age.   
  d: Two Medical massage and physiotherapy training classes. In total 5 students are being trained to become professional physiotherapists or medical masseurs. Two of these students will start their own medical massage clinic later in 2003.
  e: Music-class: four students (two boys, two male adults) attend the music-class.
• In August 2001 the first Tibetan Braille school books were produced.
• In November and December 2001 Four Tibetans, three teachers of the project and the Vice president of the Tibet Disabled Person`s Federation went to Marburg, Germany. They all were intensively trained in orientation, mobility and special techniques for the blind.
• In the spring of 2002 a blind Dutch computerspecialist (Jan Bloem) trained several students in the use of computers.
• In the autumn of 2002 the first cheese has been produced. A Swiss cheesemaker with 20 years of experience in making cheese under similar conditions in the Swiss alps came to Lhasa to develop a special method that enables blind people to make cheese. Not only Tibetan cheese will be produced but also Western cheese. The first cheese produced has been called the "Lhasarella Naturale".
• In the Autumn of 2003 the (self)-integration programme started, 4 students were integrated into a regular school, two students started their own medical massage and physiotherapy clinic and two students started their own teahouse. One student started her own shop and one student was integrated in his home village. One of the teachers will regularly visit these students to see how the integration process works out.
• In the spring of 2004 the trainingfarm projectstarted. In this farm nomads and farmers who became blind at later age are trained in special techniques for the blind so they will be able to perform parts of their old jobs again and can self-integrate into society. The trainees are trained in: animal husbandry, cheese, butter, milk and yoghurt production, market gardening, carpet weaving, knitting, pottery etc.

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS

• In December 2000 Sabriye Tenberken was awarded with the "Charity Bambi" handed out by Burda in Germany.
• In the spring of 2001 Sabriye Tenberken and Paul Kronenberg were awarded with the "Zilveren Jandaia" handed out by the "Stichting kerk en Wereld" in Holland.
• In 2001 Sabriye Tenberken was chosen as a "Global Leader of Tomorrow" by the World Economic Forum.
• In September 2002 the Wolfgang von Goethe Association awarded Sabriye Tenberken and Paul Kronenberg with the Albert Schweizer Award.
• In September 2002 the project was awarded with the "Nuernberger Teddy fuer Menschenliebe".
• On the 7th of October 2003 the Dutch Ambassador, Mr F.de Heer, honered Sabriye Tenberken and Paul Kronenberg in the name of the Dutch Queen with the              "Ridder in de orde van Oranje Nassau" decoration                                             ("Knighthood in the order of Oranje Nassau").
• On the 8th of February 2004 Paul Kronenberg received the "Bronzen Peelhaas" in his home village Venray.
• On the 26th of February 2004 Sabriye Tenberken received a Christopher award for her book "My path leads to Tibet".
• On 26-10-2004 Sabriye Tenberken received the Time magazine European HERO 2004 award.
• On 10-11-2004 Sabriye Tenberken received the Time magazine Asia's HERO 2004 award. 
• In January 2005 Sabriye Tenberken was chosen a "Young Global Leader" by
  the World Economic Forum.
• In February 2005 Sabriye Tenberken received the Leila Luce Hadley award for courage from the World Wings Quest  Trust.  www.wingsworldquest.org
• In June 2005 Sabriye Tenberken, together with 999 other women worldwide was nominated for the Peace Nobel Price.  www.1000peacewomen.org
• On the 4th of October 2005, the German president, Dr. Horst Koehler, handed the "Bundesverdienst kreuz" to Sabriye Tenberken.  www.bundespraesident.de
• In December 2005 Sabriye Tenberken und Paul Kronenberg received the
  „National Fundraising Award 2005"
• In September 2006 Sabriye Tenberken received the "Chomolongma Friendship Award" from the government of the Tibet Autonomous Region.
• In October 2006 Sabriye Tenberken received the "National Friendship Award" from the Chinese government in Beijing.
• In October 2006 Sabriye Tenberken received the "Mother Theresa Award".
• In October 2006 Braille Without Borders received the "Mother Theresa Award".