Relationships | Rumtek Nunnery

Valuing Our Friendships

Since leaving Tibet, Karma Chokor Dechen nuns have been very grateful to international friends and sponsors who have helped them to establish the nunnery. The nuns maintain strong friendships with sponsors and celebrate every visit.

KCD nuns are very grateful for support from a range of individuals and groups, from their local community as well as the international Kagyu community and some secular charitable organisations. The following long term sponsors have been pivotal in the establishment and sustainability of the nunnery, coordinating several streams of fundraising for the nuns over many years.

The KCD nuns are always delighted to meet new friends and form new supportive relationships, so if this sounds like something you or your organisation would like to explore, please come to visit us, or contact our Abbess, Ani Tsultrim (see how to get in touch on our Contact page).

Grace McLeod

Grace McLeod, an American student of Buddhism and strong supporter of HH 16th Karmapa, was the very first international sponsor of KCD Nunnery. She met HH 16th Karmapa in 1976, and he invited her to join him in India, where he introduced her to the original Rumtek nuns. Her fundraising was instrumental in building the first dedicated facilities for the nunnery, allowing them to finally move out of temporary accommodation into permanent, purpose-built premises. The nuns say that without Grace, there would be no Karma Chokor Dechen nunnery. She is remembered as "Ama-la", "honourable mother", the mother of KCD Nunnery.

Lama Karma Chime Shore

Lama Karma Chime Shore, pictured here with Ani Minjur and Ani Karma Tsultrim Palmo in 2014, was a student of The Venerable Namgyal Rinpoche, and first met the nuns in 1997, shortly after the passing of Ani Karma Chotso. Lama Chime was one of the founding teachers of the Wangapeka Retreat Centre in New Zealand and the Origins Centre in Western Australia, and has brought groups from both centres to visit the nuns regularly, developing a very strong friendship with the KCD nuns. From 1998, Lama Chime and his Dharma network have coordinated a yearly fund to buy food, utilities and health care. The Origins Centre is able to receive and pass on donations from new supporters who wish to assist in their mission to provide food, healthcare and welfare for the nuns. You can add to the Origins fund here.

Dhagpo Switzerland Association

In 2022, key members of the Dhagpo Switzerland Association met with KCD Nuns while studying with Lama Choying Rinpoche at Nedo Chudo Chokorling Monastery nearby. Thus began a close friendship and in 2023, board member and founder of Dhagpo Switzerland Fabienne Berlinger started a fund to cover the teachers' salary for the nunnery. Fabienne now brings groups to visit the nuns regularly, and hopes that in time the fund will grow to enable extensions to the nunnery school library and teaching supplies. You can donate to the Friends of Rumtek Nuns Education Fund here.

Pictured: Lama Dorje Dreulma, Martina, Adriana, Ani Tsultrim and Fabienne (from the Dhagpo Switzerland group) in 2021

Karma Chokor Dechen Nunnery

Rumtek, Sikkim

Valuing Our Friendships