News and Updates from Charities
supported by the annual Golden Sufi Center UK Charitable Trust Christmas Collection
For over forty years, we have contributed a Christmas Collection for charities in India. The funds have been divided between The Kiran Society, The Leprosy Rehabilitation Center (KKM), and The Heart of Asia.
We have received so much from India through Bhai Sahib and Mrs. Tweedie that we wish to continue our annual Christmas contribution.
If you have any questions about how to offer a donation to the annual Christmas Collection, please contact:
In the UK: ukoffice@goldensufi.org, in Europe: euoffice@goldensufi.org, and in North America: contact@goldensufi.org.
Please find below details for each charity, including updates, photos, and general information.
UPDATES: KIRAN Society | KKM Handweaving | Heart of Asia
KIRAN Society
A Centre for Inclusive and Special Education, Therapeutic Rehabilitation, Skill Training, and Holistic Development
The word KIRAN literally means “ray of light.” KIRAN Society is a non-profit, non-political organization working in an inclusive way for the holistic development of children and persons with and without disabilities, and from marginalized sections of the society so that they are able to take care of their social, physical, and spiritual needs and thereby become fully integrated into society.
Founded in 1990 by a small group of people from various social, cultural, and religious backgrounds, KIRAN Society has continued to work based on the idea of togetherness, enriching everyone’s talents and abilities. In 1994, KIRAN Society was registered under the Societies Registration Act. As the small rooms of the ashram in Nagwa were becoming too cramped and insufficient, planning began for the KIRAN Village. In 1998, the KIRAN Village was established in the village of Madhopur, where KIRAN Society found its new home.
KIRAN Foundation Switzerland, was founded in 2003. Through the Foundation, KIRAN has been able to find donors and supporters to provide many of the necessities to run the KIRAN Village and the KIRAN Society successfully in all of its endeavors.
2024 Update
* Newsletter: July – November 2024
* New Year’s letter 2024: Insights about recent visits to some of KIRAN’s villages (PDF, 190kb)
2023 Update
* Newsletter: Beyond Boundaries: Kiran Newsletter July -October 2023
* Areas of Kiran’s work:Health, Education, Livelihood, andHigher Education
* Photos: Photo Essays from Kiran
2022 Update
* Annual Report: KIRAN Annual Report 2021-2022 (PDF 4.7mb)
* Newsletter, Ray of Hope:January to March 2022(PDF 10mb)
* Video: Visit Kiran’s YouTube Channel
KKM Handweaving
KKM Handweaving was established in the early 1960’s by Agnes, Mrs. Tweedie’s friend, to create self-sufficient settlements and community for lepers in India. They continue in their commitment to providing medical care, education, work, and self-reliance for the various KKM Handweaving Member communities. In recent years our contributions have assisted with much needed maintenance of older buildings, including adding solar power, hand-pumps for clean water, and telephone lines. Even simple computers have been installed, which are solar powered, and aid in tracking their production and shipping. One community wrote to say that this year their old cow died, and the KKM was able to provide money for a new cow, which has already started giving milk. Overall the member-workers are getting on in age and their capacity is limited, but they still wish to contribute to the handweaving work as is possible. Continuing their work aids in their self dignity, as it enables them to be self-earning. Our donations helped support their aging member-worker’s medical needs, and allows them to continue to work and support themselves as they are able.
Update, Winter 2024
KKM Handweaving Society Half Yearly Report (October 2023- March 2024) (PDF 4MB). This report shares individual stories of medical treatments, introduces young graduating professionals to support the KKM Colony, provides further insight into current projects and shares a collection of photographs.
Update, Winter 2023
KKM Annual Report 2022-23 Final (PDF, 400k) This document shares the annual report, together with letters from the various communities supported by KKM through providing medicines, food, electricity, water and other services, as well as educational support to the children of the communities for their schooling and for children who are in various training.
KKM Handweaving Society Half Yearly Report (October 2022- March 2023 (PDF 5mb) This report shares letters and stories of individuals in the various communities supported by KKM, including the aging community receiving medical care and assistance, as well as stories of the children’s schooling and studies.
Update, Winter 2022
KKM Report October 2021 to March 2022 (PDF 3.1mb) This report shares information on their new farm project of ginger cultivation at KKM premises, some new innovations with the hand-loom materials, as well stories and photos of those supported by KKM’s ongoing work.
Additional Resources
Video: A visit to KKM (opens in YouTube, 2 minutes)
Blog with Photos: A historic outline with early photos of the founding of KKM, including with Agnes: http://kkmhandweaving.blogspot.com/
Photos: Through their website, KKM offers an extensive photo gallery from over many decades: KKM Photo Gallery.
The Heart of Asia
Supporting Vulnerable Communities in Tibet
Heart of Asia is a small, dynamic British charity, run entirely by volunteers, dedicated to providing much needed support for vulnerable communities in remote areas of Asia. Heart of Asia’s goal is to support vulnerable communities through working with, and empowering, local people. Among other things, we support two small orphanages, and we have funded simple accredited health care training in both Tibetan herbal and allopathic medicine, provided small medical emergency funds and distributed basic health care books and simple birth-packs. They work primarily in the environmentally challenging conditions of Derge County, Kandze Prefecture, Yushu and Nangchen in eastern Tibet. They also respond to needs in other Himalayan regions. Please visit the website for further information: www.heartofasia.org
Update, Winter 2025
The Newsletter Heart of Asia 2025 (PDF, opens from Website) includes descriptions of activities and projects in 2024.
Update, Winter 2024
The Newsletter Heart of Asia 2024 (PDF, opens from website) includes descriptions of activities and projects in 2023 and 2024.
In 2024, Heart of Asia continues its food and medical support for the remote Gebchak nunnery and Wangdrak Rinpoche’s retreat centre. The nuns (mainly from nomad families) undertake advanced Tibetan Buddhist yoga and meditation practices. The Yushu Orphans Program continues to provide 76% of the funds that are needed to sustain the children who lost their families in the 2010 Yushu earthquake until they graduate. Each year, the children get together to enjoy a delicious picnic as a large family. This year, Heart of Asia again supported 4 nomad families to return to nomad life.
You can also read more about the projects on their website.
Update, Winter 2023
Newsletter: Heart of Asia 2023 (PDF, opens from website). This report includes activities and projects in 2022 and 2023, including Nomad Returners, which provides support to help nomads return to, or remain in, nomadic life, and the stories of individuals and families supported; the Yushu Orphans Program, which continues to provide 77% of the funds to support children who lost their families in the 2010 Yushu earthquake; and Health Care for the Gebchak Nuns, a remote nunnery and community of around 300 nuns of this lineage. You can also read more about these projects on their website.
Video: Please enjoy this beautiful film about a nun from Lhasa who goes on a pilgrimage to Gebchak Nunnery (from Tibet, the Path to Wisdom, opens in youtube).
Update, Winter 2022
Newsletter: Heart of Asia 2022 (PDF, 1.2mb)
Photos: Yushu Earthquake Orphans, Then & Now, This album juxtaposes photos of the children now (at their picnic in Sept 2022) and shortly after the 2010 earthquake. Heart of Asia’s biggest commitment is to Wangdrak Rinpoche’s Yushu Orphans, who lost their families in the devastaing 2010 Yushu Earthquake. They presently provide 77% of the funds needed to sustain the children until they graduate. The contribution covers the annual cost of food, clothes, house rent, electricity, a cook and helper’s salary, school requirements and simple medical expenses. The children in Yushu are all healthy and ploughing forward through school, their community largely untouched by Covid. Dolma, the children’s much-loved house mother, remains a mainstay of the children’s daily lives, arranging their nutritious meals. Further information in the newsletter PDF, link above.
Current Projects: Click for details on HOA’s current projects, which include Return to Nomad Life, Yushu Earthquake Orphans, and the Gebchak Nunnery Food and Health Care Fund.
Additional Resources
Heart of Asia on Instagram