Supporting the Nuns of the Karma Chokor Dechen (KCD) Nunnery Welfare Security Fund – A Three‑Year Safety Reserve Who the Nuns Are The Nuns of the Karma Chokor Dechen (KCD) Nunnery — the “Nuns of the Karmapa” — uphold the living Dharma culture of the Karma Kagyu lineage. Their practice, service, and cultural responsibilities support the activity of H.H. the 17th Karmapa Thaye Dorje and preserve a precious tradition for future generations. Learn more about the nunnery at:https://www.originscentre.org/rumtek-nunnery.html, and https://www.rumteknunnery.org Our community has assisted in supporting the welfare of the nunnery since 1998, helping ensure the nuns can live, practice, and serve safely.
Ongoing Support Streams For more than twenty‑five years, the nuns’ daily welfare has been supported through three streams:
Dharma centre shop and incense sales
One‑off donations
Monthly pledges, which provide stability and predictability
These streams remain vital to supporting the nuns’ everyday needs.
The Three‑Year Welfare Security Fund A long‑term commitment to the nuns’ well-being As our relationship with the nunnery has matured, so has our understanding of their long‑term needs. We are now establishing a Three‑Year Welfare Security Fund — a dedicated reserve to ensure the nuns’ basic welfare can be maintained for three full years in the event of disruption or emergency. This fund is:
A savings reserve, not a spending fund
Held in trust by the Origins Centre for the exclusive benefit of the nuns’ welfare security
Used only in consultation with the nunnery and following the direction of the Abbess, Ani Tsultrim
Administered in accordance with the charity and governance requirements of Western Australia
All costs are covered pro-bono by the Origins Centre Inc., ensuring every contribution goes directly to the nuns’ welfare security fund.
Target and Purpose (values in Australian Dollars $AUD)
Target amount: $54,000 (based on current costs of $1,500 per month × 36 months)
Current balance (as of February 2026): $27,000
Remaining to raise: $27,000
Any excess funds received will remain in this welfare security account.
Once established, the fund will be ethically invested, with returns helping offset rising living costs. The Abbess Ani Tsultrim has expressed her appreciation for this initiative.
Contributions to the Security Fund To preserve the continuity of the nuns’ ongoing daily support — sustained through our three existing support streams — the Welfare Security Fund is reserved for larger contributions, typically $5,000, $10,000 AUD, or more. It is also possible, of course, to bequeath a gift to the nuns in a will. These contributions strengthen the Karma Kagyu refuge and help ensure the continuity of the Karmapa’s Dharma culture for future generations.
Practical Welfare Support All financial support — whether through the ongoing streams or through the Security Fund — contributes to the nuns’ wellbeing. Daily welfare support covers:
food and utilities
clothing and bedding
health care
travel to family
any practical need as directed by the Abbess
The Abbess refers to all these supports as “fooding” — the practical foundation that allows the nuns to live, practise, and serve safely.
Supporting the Feminine Sangha A central part of the nunnery’s work is providing safety, education, and stability for women and girls seeking refuge as nuns. Some who enter the nunnery as young girls may not remain long-term nuns, but they leave with strong foundations — education in Dharma, practical skills, English and numeracy, and self-reliance.
Learn More or Offer Support If you would like to learn more about the Welfare Security Fund or explore ways to contribute, please visit our donation page https://www.originscentre.org/support-rumtek-nunnery.html, or contact Chime or Anne: Lama Karma Chime Shore – [email protected] Anne – [email protected] Your support — large or small — helps ensure the nuns’ safety, health, and long‑term welfare.
A Shared Commitment We offer this support with appreciation for the nuns’ work and with a wish to help sustain their practice, and culture of service to H.H. the 17th Karmapa and the wider Dharma community. We join you in feeling gratitude for the wonderful dharma teachings of Tibetan Kagyu culture and look forward to a deepening relationship. We pray that all our efforts overflow into generations yet to come.
Project Details Welfare Security Fund for the Karma Chokhor Dechen Nunnery – Rumtek, Sikkim Project organised by Origins Centre Inc., Balingup 6253, Western Australia Phone: (08) 9764 1109 Email: [email protected] Incorporated Registered No. A0780226A ABN: 86 382 637 602 Charitable Collections License No. 20708