Wild Yaks' Annual Report of 2012

Wild Yaks’ Annual Report and Plan for Moving Forward

Khydup Gyatso

September 9, 2012

In July 6 2011, my wife Julie and I established Wild Yaks, an organization set up to preserve and promote Tibetan children’s education. At the same time we launched a website under the same name. Wild Yaks’ primary purpose is to address educational and social needs of the international Tibetan community through producing a variety of educational materials and by promoting Tibetan children’s education and creating services in the field of education.

In past year and two months, we have compiled more than 20 publically shared illustrated stories for children ages 3-8 year old of children.  Some of our titles are:  The Consequences of Pride; The Peacock and Crow; The Dog and Cat’s Dispute; The Smart Goat and Wolf; Torture of Wealth; Greedy Wolf; A Cat’s Exaggeration; The Deceitful Cat; The Tiger Rider; The Honest Merchant and Manipulative Thief; The Honest Girl; An Old Man’s Wisdom; A Sheep family and a Wolf; Unity is Power; The King and the Spider; Smart Wolf; Three Selfish Friends; A Smart Frog and The Destiny of a Disloyal Goat. The majority of visitors to our website are from North America and from Tibet.

We have also served parents and children with over ten other categories of Children’s education such popular oral stories; stories composed by modern Tibetan writers; popular stories translated into Tibetan from other languages; cartoon videos created inside and outside of Tibet; funny anecdotes; children’s songs; new vocabulary and other learning materials. In the last a year and two month, over 20,000 people have visited our website.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank people who have given us support in terms of collecting and editing stories and in many other ways. Amdo Thong Gyal, Mewa Sonam Gonpo, Mewa Tenzin, Tsako Dondup, Tsotsan Gelek, Balong Tenpa, Doyee Chopel, Ngawa Yonten, Amchock Gonpo Dondup, Penpo Tender, Ngawa Sonam Rinchen and my sister-in-law Stephanie Beattie. Especially I would like to thank to my wife Julie because I believe without her support all of this would still be a dream.

I would like to thank to other supporters and contributors.  The prominent Tibetan poet and writer Sungchuk Kyi wrote the story called the Greedy Wolf and sent it to us.  Alak Lunong Yeshi Gyatso wrote a new children’s story called The Wooden Man’s Journey to Lhasa at our request. Mr. Sonam Gyatso sent us a translated story from Czechoslovakia.

In the last fourteen months, we haven’t received any financial support and all expenses were from my own pocket. Although Meiwa Tenzin donated $20, we are saving it for one of Wild Yaks’ future projects.  Wild Yaks’ was born into this word with an intention to provide a small service to the education of Tibetan children and other children in the world.  The present situation of Wild Yaks is still just like a child in a daycare center. In order to serve others, it is important to nourish Wild Yaks through the collaboration of like-minded Tibetan education supporters. Therefore, we have decided to form a volunteer based editorial board. We are in the discussion process with well-respected individuals who have a vast amount of experience in the field of children’s education. Finally, I would like to extend my gratitude to everybody who has given us support directly and indirectly and has helped sustain our work.  Tashi delek!