Vet ten: November 18th, 1976

NEWS FROM INDIA

Barry Leach and his wife, Thea, are on an inspection tour of
Tibetan refugee resettlement projects in India. They send the following

report:

We are happy to find encouraging improvements since our
visit in 1974, especailly in the settlements based on carpet
weaving and other handicraft production. However, most of these
lack capital .and depend on pre-paid orders to keep the looms
supplied with wool. We will bring back samples of carpets,
chair-mats and batiks in the hope of fostering more purchases in
Canada.

The agricultural settlements still face grave difficulties.
Under the emergency regulations the prices of crops have fallen;

as a result the Tibetan farmers share their Indian neighbours'
difficulty in paying off loans for the purchase of seed and

fertilizer. On the other hand, it must be recognized that these

regulations have brought much-needed stability to Indian food

prices.

Since Japanese Air Lines allowed us a generous 77 lbs.
of baggage each, we dragged two large kit-bags full of clothes
donated by members of the College faculty and staff up to Mussoorie.
As a result, several of the creations with which Carol used to
grace the Surrey switchboard and some fine samples of George's
purple shirts are now proudly paraded through the foot-hills of
the Himalayas! Incidentally, we have learnt that parcels now
arrive intact in India, so we hope all members of faculty and
staff will remember the regufees' needs when they have that post-
Christmas wardrobe clear-out. Boys clothes and shoes of all
sorts are especially needed. Most of the hill-settlements are
between 6 and 7 thousand feet up and, as we discovered, they get
very cold by November.

 

We met and photographed all the children sponsored by
members of Douglas College faculty and staff and by members of the
public in the College Region who have responded to the lectures
and film shows on overseas aid given by the Institute. All these
children have asked us to extend their warmest greetings, love
and thanks to their "parents" in Canada.

Barry Leach