What is the KHCP doing?

About the project

In 2005, His Holiness Gyalwa Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje started the project in Kalimpong, in order to improve the health care for his monks and nuns in North India and Nepal. All helpers of the project are volunteers and the full amount of money donated is passed on to the institute. Our volunteers have experience either in medicine or in other jobs useful to the project. Anybody interested in becoming a member of our team is heartily welcomed.
For contact details and further information, please see the “volunteering” section of our website.

In order to run our project we need

1. good quality and fresh medication
2. equipment where needed
3. and of course donations as far as possible

To ensure the project’s endurance, we offer memberships.
With a monthly contribution you can become a friend and helper of the project.
Furthermore, there are other large-scale projects. We are currently planning hospital rooms, an eye clinic and hospital projects in different locations. For this purpose we need major sponsors and of course volunteers.
Get in touch via email:    or  online contact form here
Project management: Pia and Peter Cerveny

This is how we use the donations
- Organisation of annual medical camps in Nepal and India
- Improvement of the health infrastructure, e.g. electricity generators, water purification, sanitary equipment as well as equipping dormitories and classrooms, and improving individuals’ living conditions by providing warm clothes, shoes, etc.
- Of further importance are the funds for health care and operating theatres.
Overall, the KHCP oversees around 700 people aged 6 to 86, and we take great care of training the younger generations in working methods. This way a network was created between the East and the West and amongst the different institutes. The project aims at autonomy of the institutes as well as collaborative activities. Knowledge is passed on.
By now, some of our institutes have acquired the ability to organise their health care autonomously and from now on their scope will be widened to include their local environment.
Our students help their community by establishing medical camps that are open to anyone and by their social work.
As a next step, students are to receive a basal medical education in order to benefit themselves and others.

KAGYU MONLAM
Since December 2008, in cooperation with our health care professionals, we have been organising large medical camp activities as part of the annual Kagyü Mönlam. This has been a great success, counting over 4000 people annually. This activity is to be widened to Nepal by 2011. The helpers on location come from all continents of the world. The medical camp will also form a substantial part of the Monlam in the future, supported by the Kagyü Mönlam committee, the Mahabodhi Society and by local doctors and their hospital.
At the Mönlam, all institutes from the Himalayas collaborate to facilitate communication with representatives, ensuring that the best possible support and modern health care is provided in all the institutes.
Following this, we will provide a small hospital unit that may even be usable all year round. With the kind help of Beru Kyentse Rinpoche, this hospital unit will be part of Rinpoche’s Karma-Gompa. At present we are working on the design of such a unit.
Furthermore, in the medium term, we will be building a hospital complex in the surroundings of other Karmapa institutes. We are in the planning phase and are hoping for the necessary support. We are constantly looking for medical advisors as well as donations for these projects.

Activities in Europe
- Since 2008 we have been on a continuous exchange with the department of medicine at the UKE University of Hamburg, Germany. This dialogue was established by Sherab Gyaltsen Rinpoche, who was invited for a health check at the time and who connected this with a Buddhist-philosophical exchange with the doctors of the palliative unit.
- With the help of the doctors from our Sangha, we offer medical support to our lamas on their European trips. Stays at health resorts can be part of this.
- The KHCP and the Czech Sangha invited Mipham Rinpoche and Mayum (Karmapa’s parents) to a one week water cure in Marienbad in 2009.
- Lama Tsültrim Namgyal was equipped with a new hearing aid by our ear specialist.
- In general, our lamas have the opportunity to be examined during their European tours by our health care professionals in the Sangha. We organise this according to their tour plans.
As discussed with His Holiness Karmapa, the KHCP travel reports and the teamwork of the project are to give a greater insight and connect the East and the West.
If you would like to invite us for a presentation evening, just get in touch with us. We are happy to come to centres, companies and institutions to show films and inform.
From the depth of our hearts, we would like to thank all donators, helpers, translators and our team of health professionals for all their idealistic work. We hope that it will be of use to all of us.
Best wishes, Pia and Peter – KHCP Healthcare Project e.V.
Email:    or  online contact form here