On Saturday 18 April, Rinchen Dolkar and I travelled from Ladakh to Dharamshala via Delhi for the extraordinary privilege of meeting His Holiness the Dalai Lama and receiving his blessing. It's the kind of day you know, even as it's happening, you'll be turning over in your mind for years to come.
I told His Holiness about Himalayan Children Charity — how we support children throughout Ladakh, and about our ongoing commitment to Jamyang School in Leh, a school he himself founded. Explaining our work to him, in person, was a moment I still find hard to put into words.
With extraordinary gentleness, His Holiness touched my face in blessing — a simple gesture filled with compassion and kindness that I will carry with me always.
It was an unforgettable experience, not only for me personally, but for Himalayan Children Charity as a whole. His Holiness was genuinely pleased to hear about the work we do, and about the children and families we support across Ladakh.
Thank you, as ever, to everyone who makes this work possible — sponsors, families, schools and friends alike.