Vista Project
Location: Sershul County, Sichuan, China
Mission Statement
Vista is a non-political, not-for-profit enterprise set up to improve the economic, social and cultural well being of recently urbanized, disadvantaged Tibetans in Sershul County.
Background Information
Commercial activities fund the outreach programs providing a sustainable income stream that removes reliance on external sources of funding. Vista's programs are constructed to respond to local need and demand, subject to the availability of funding and the capacity to implement them. In 2006, a commercial building in Sershul was found to house the Vista programs. This building has the following features:
• Ground floor with rental shop spaces
• Second floor hotel accommodation for local people
• Third floor hotel accommodation for tourists from China and overseas
• A restaurant
Activities of Organisation
Skills Training and Enterprise Development
Vista assists the Tibetan nomadic community of Sershul County in adjusting to urban living, helping them develop vocational and business skills to support their economic livelihood. The training schemes are personalized and highly focused, aiming to develop practical skills and confidence.
Because 75% of adult Tibetans in the area are illiterate, it was necessary to find jobs which didn't rely on reading and writing. Motorbike Mechanic Apprenticeships have provided immediate job opportunities. Greenhouses have been built and used to prepare nutritious meals for local schoolchildren.
Art School
Vista is constructing a new Art School and a mechanic training complex which will house a classroom for Tibetan art. To ensure these traditions are passed on to a new generation of craftspeople by providing training programs in the arts of carpentry, stone masonry and thangkha painting. The teacher for the art school originates from Repkong, an area famous for its Tibetan College of Arts.
Monastery Restoration Project
A new meditation hall was built at Ju Mohor monastery. The original building was destroyed several decades ago, and it's replacement had to be demolished due to safety concerns. The temple is now made of stone, using the traditional design of this region, and is thus built to survive for many centuries to come.
Vista also supports the education of Ju Mohor nuns and monks with a sponsorship programme, through which they are provided with books, food and clothing.
Primary School
Two years ago Vista has started a primary school in Junyong, close to Sershul. 30 local children are being taught to read and write to prepare them for middle school.
Consensus Community Perspective
Vista sets up projects which help solve major problems by finding practical solutions at the grassroots level. Himalayan Consensus supports Vista as they stimulate the local economy and upgrade the local living standards through education and skill training.
Contact Information
Address:
For more information on any aspect of the Vista Project, email info@vistaproject.org or contact one of Vista Project's representatives:
AustraliaCatherine Herrimancatherine@rigdzinfoundation.org
Holland/Europe Elisa Kriekelisa@rigdzinfoundation.org
New Zealand Shelley Keachshelley@rigdzinfoundation.org
United Kingdom Tim Lewistim@rigdzinfoundation.org
United States Niki Bartonniki@rigdzinfoundation.org
Website: Visit this community's website