Pureland Project
About Pureland Project
Pureland Project starts with the basics that shape daily life, a school meal, a clinic visit, a language lesson, help for an elder who needs food or medicine. Its village schools in eastern Tibet teach Tibetan, Chinese, English, math, science, and P.E., while its health and outreach work reaches remote communities with maternal care and dental support. The organization also brings Tibetan sustainability, meditation, and traditional knowledge into programs in the United States, so the exchange goes both ways.
What stands out here is how closely the work stays tied to Tibetan nomadic communities. Pureland Project supports children, women, elders, monks, nuns, and remote villages through practical programs like schools, health outreach, dental clinics, and elder sponsorship, while also creating cultural exchange with Native American communities and U.S. participants.
Programs
The concrete work this nonprofit runs. Each program may later become a fundable project.
Gar Education Schools
Supports four elementary schools for nomadic communities in eastern Tibet, with instruction in Tibetan, Chinese, English, math, science, and P.E., plus meals and school supplies.
Traditional Tibetan Medicine Internship & Clinic
Provides maternal and child health care through a Traditional Tibetan doctor, medical training for local women, and outreach in remote communities.
Dental Project
Runs pop-up dental clinics and dental hygiene support for nomads, monks, nuns, and other remote communities.
Language Intensives
Offers winter Tibetan language instruction in multiple locations with college students, Khenpos, and school teachers.
Elder Project
Provides monthly sponsorship support for Tibetan elders for food, clothing, and medicine.
Indigenous Bridge Project
Offers travel scholarships that connect Tibetan and Native American communities through cultural exchange.
Pureland Travels
Organizes tours and pilgrimage trips that include service learning, cultural exchange, and dental mission travel.
Garchen Institute Tibet
Offers Eco-Dharma courses and skill-shares in yoga, meditation, philosophy, natural medicine, traditional arts, and sustainability.
About this work
In their own words — what they do, who it reaches, and what your dollars actually fund.
Mission
The Pureland Project supports sustainable living rooted in human-nature connection, provides sustainability and wellness education and resources to Tibetan nomadic people, and shares Tibetan wisdom and sustainable practices in the United States.
Who they serve
Tibetan nomadic communities in Tibet, including children, women, elders, monks, nuns, and remote villages, along with people in the United States who participate in its cultural and educational programs.
Their impact
- Supported 3 local Tibetan schools.
- The schools have graduated over a hundred students.
- Around 95% of youth attend the village school in Gargon.
- About 70% of graduating students continue on to middle school.
- One health team completed over 800 patient visits in 2005.
- Three dental missions have seen almost a thousand patients.
- Thirty local girls were accepted into the women's soccer and basketball camp.
- Two women from the maternal health program attended Chinese medical school.
How your donation helps
- School lunches
- Books, clothes, soap, and toothbrushes for students
- Medical intern support
- Food, clothing, and medicine for Tibetan elders
- Tuition fees for women studying in Chinese medical school
- Dental care supplies
- Travel scholarships for cultural exchange
- Support for health outreach workers
Our story
Pureland Project began in 2005, when Meg Ferrigno moved to Tibet to serve Garchen Rinpoche’s school projects and work with fellow teachers and villagers on the organization’s early ideas. The group later received 501(c)(3) status in 2011, and Ahimsa House opened in Philadelphia in 2012. What started with village school support in eastern Tibet grew into education, health, language, and cultural exchange programs.
Stories
The people behind the work.
In their words
Education is a cornerstone for peace and freedom.
The Pureland Project promotes physical and spiritual well-being through recognizing human interdependent relationship with nature.
Our aspiration is to support sustainable living practices in Tibet and the Americas.
Events
Winter language intensives
annual, winterAnnual Tibetan language instruction offered during the winter school break in seven locations.
Pureland Travels tours
throughout the yearService learning trips, pilgrimages, and cultural tours offered throughout the year.
Women's Soccer & Basketball Camp
JuneA program for middle school girls focused on soccer and basketball training.
Computer Bootcamp
10 daysA free 10-day computer course for local community members.
Ways to help
Concrete needs and volunteer roles Pureland Project has shared.
Current needs
- A fence for Gyalsum school
- A toilet for Gyalsum school
- More classrooms for the growing school program
- More dormitories for the growing school program
- Tuition support for women in Chinese medical school
- A functional healthcare facility in the existing clinic building
Partners & funders
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about this nonprofit and how its work happens.
What do the village schools teach?
They teach Tibetan, Chinese, English, math, science, and P.E., and they also provide meals and basic school supplies.
How does the maternal and child health program work?
It supports traditional Tibetan doctors, trains local women and outreach workers, and focuses on safe pregnancy, childbirth, and care at the village level.
What does the Indigenous Bridge Project do?
It offers travel scholarships that connect Tibetan and Native American communities through cultural exchange and visits to each other’s homelands.
Similar nonprofits
Other international relief nonprofits in TX.