One of the Illam's long-time overseas supporters!

Gabriele Reifenberg is a long time supporter of the Illam and helped set up HART (Hans and Annie Reifenberg Trust) a charity in the United Kingdom. Gabriele recently told us how she came to support the Illam.

"I met Jean Watson while visiting relatives in New Zealand. It was when I joined a meditation retreat of the NewZealand branch of a Society I belonged to and based in London. We immediately became friends. I even stayed with her in Wellington on a subsequent visit.  So, I got to hear about the Illam, and on one of my frequent visits to India I visited there. Thus, when I set up a Trust (to relieve poverty and advance education in, particularly, central and south Asia) the Illam was  one of the very earliest projects we supported. It has been such a pleasure to see the great developments there, and to know that we can help a little. I know from my time in Ladakh that children from whatever background and circumstances just need to be given a chance, and they will thrive in education and thus in the outcome of their lives.” 

Yet another wonderful story of human connections and support for the Illam!