Jun 17, 2014
Don Cullen
Tibetan Village Project Australia Inc.

Don Cullen

Tibetan Village Project Australia Inc. (TVPA) is a not for profit, non political, non religious organisation established in early 2005 by Don Cullen after he had travelled to Tibet for a number of years enjoying mountaineering & high altitude trekking plus working with local Tibetans. Don, a corporate executive, felt he could help the local people to regain their dignity by using his corporate experience to make their lives better by creating opportunities.

Under the banner of TVPA he set out helping to establish Medical Clinics, Orphanages, Educational facilities and Green Houses. It soon became apparent that by helping the Tibetans help themselves, a number of these projects, in a very short period of time became self sufficient.
 
Don has worked full time in his charity for the past nine years.  The organisation is endorsed by Southern Region and Rotary Australia Worldwide Community Services, RAWCS, giving full tax deductibility to recipients. Don also takes small groups each trip to visit the projects
 
The photo? 

The photo is of a lady called Yalla and her daughter Lhamo. She had just lost her husband when i met her in an accident. She was destitute, so Don bought her a horse. She rents out the horse for a regular income. That was six years ago and he sees her every trip, she still has the horse and because of her success, he started The Little Horse Project wherethe group  breed horses to give to the poor to duplicate what she has done. 

That's just one of our projects and stories!!'
 
Chair:  Bernie Walshe