Charity
charitable work
Kyabje Dzogchen Rinpoche, Jigme Losel Wangpo, rebuilt the reknowned 300 year old Dzogchen Monastery, in exile close to Kollegal and 180 km from Bangalore in Southern India according to the directions of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Work started in 1985 and the main temple and study college (shedra) was inaugurated in 1992 by His Holiness. 20 years later, in January 2013, one of the most important projects in the preservation of Tibetan culture and the Dzogchen lineage was completed: An extensive restoration project of the main temple according to the ancient designs of the Ajanta and Ellora caves.
Dhondenling Tibetan settlement around the monastery was founded in 1974 by around 500 Tibetan refugees. Today, it has a population of around 7000 refugees in 22 villages and it is the 3rd largest such settlement in India and also the most remote, resulting in very poor infrastructure. The refugees live under simple conditions leading to a lack of hygiene and the spread of diseases like tuberculosis.
Together with other international professionals, Henriette Müller offered voluntary work on a regular basis from 2000 to 2018. In 2003, she was one of the founding members of a charitable society (Shenpen Deutschland e.V.) which was founded in Berlin to support the Dzogchen Shri Senha Charitable Society which runs Kyabje Dzogchen Rinpoche's many projects aimed at improving living conditions for the refugees and to organize teachings. Useful links:
Download of Shenpen Deutschland flyer