Background
Tibet Support Group began when Tara Nekkhamma (formerly Estelle Robinson, the founder and inspiration behind TSG) saw a letter to the editor in ‘The Advertiser’, in mid 1980s, from a mother of an Australian teacher working in a Tibetan school in the Himalayas in India. Tara made contact with the teacher and sent some money to her for the school and it all snowballed from there.
Tara also came to know, respect and admire, Venerable (Ven) Kyabeje Khensur Kangurwa Lobsang Thupten Rinpoche and his attendant Ven. Tenzin Dhargyal, who lived and taught in Adelaide for over 25 years. In 2011 Venerable Khensur Rinpoche in his late eighties returned to India, he passed away peacefully in Jan 2014. They traveled to India most years and began bringing the profiles of needy families and individuals back to TSG. A number of our sponsored families are from those recommendations and the contacts we made through them.
Our main contacts have evolved over time as we assist families and individuals in Tibetan settlements in northern, central and southern India. Also increasingly many Australian sponsors are traveling to India, meeting their families and establishing strong contacts within Tibetan communities.
Sadly in April 2012 Mae Chee Tara Nekkhamma passed away after a long illness. Her compassion continues to live on through Tibet Support Group and a great many Tibetan communities throughout India continue to benefit from her legacy. Now a small group of volunteers keeps Tibet Support Group operating. We are now (from 2016) a registered charity with The Australian Charities and Non-for-profits Commission. Each year through sponsors and donors we are able to assist a great many Tibetans. We have seen communities strengthened by the opportunities made available to the Tibetans we have supported. Over and over again we have seen examples of Tibetans we have sponsored going on to support others in their communities.