My name is Christian. I was born and raised in Germany, and have been living in the Netherlands since 2004 with my wife Tatjana and our two sons. When I met Cecilie and her mother Siri, I was first touched by their dedication for the cause. As I learned more about the project, and after having met Pema, I started to understand the incredible hardship that these girls go through in this almost unknown part of Northern India, and how they need help to break through the vicious circle of poverty, lack of education and ill health. Working as an executive in a large global company, I travel a lot, and have come to realize how many are less fortunate than us, how education is the key to personal and community development, but also how working together can make a real difference. I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute to the development of the Tara Bodong foundation.

My name is Debbie Wirtjes-Lewis. I grew up in Trinidad and Tobago and now live in the Netherlands with my husband and two daughters. I am a former journalist and now work as a communications consultant. I continue to follow global events and I am continuously plagued by a feeling of helplessness when I see the extent of suffering around the world. That is why I am grateful to Siri and Pema-la for allowing me to help them make a difference to these girls and their families. The fact that Lumla and other villages like it are thousands of miles away, shouldn't exclude it from our compassion and support. What we can't see does not mean it doesn't exist. This project proves that no matter where we are, or how much or how little we have, there is always a way to bring comfort and help others.

My name is Vincent. I am a Dutchman by birth. My wife and I have a son and a daughter for whom we are able to provide a good start in life from a basis of safety, comfort and education. Looking around in the world it is obvious that for many young people this is not the case. By talking with the volunteers of the Tara Bodong Foundation I understood how they transform their compassion into enthusiasm, energy and ideas to create tangible results and potential for change in the Himalayan region. When I was asked to give a helping hand it felt like the natural thing to do. My intention is that through our support and cooperation with local stakeholders we will continue to make a difference in the lives of young people. With the wish that they will grow up to be happy adults who will serve and contribute to their local communities.

My name is Tatjana and I live in the Netherlands with my husband and our two sons since 2004. Before having children, I worked for many years as a marketing professional in the travel and services industry. When I met Cecilie and later Siri and Pema, I felt immediately connected and moved by their story. Seeing how much hardship the girls in the remote villages of Lumla are facing, it came very naturally to me to become part of the Tara Bodong group. Using  my skills and former experience for something truly meaningful, and to work together in a team of wonderful people makes a real difference to my life, and hopefully to some of the girls in the Himalayan Region in the future.

My name is Silvia Trevisanato, an Italian mum living abroad since 2001. I worked as an architect in Italy and in the US. I came to Holland in 2005 and I met wonderful people, among those I met Siri Weirum and Lama Pema Dorjee. They touched my heart and I trust them completely. I found in them my way to help less fortunate human beings. I help Tara Bodong when needed and as much as I can.

I hope all together will succeed to improve the quality of life of those young girls in Lumla only if just a tiny bit.

My name is Renée Wirtjes, originally from Trinidad and Tobago, but have been living in the Netherlands since I was three years old. I received my Bachelor’s degree in Econometrics & Operations Research at the University of Amsterdam and am now pursuing a Master’s in Finance. From a young age I have been hearing stories from my mother (Debbie Wirtjes-Lewis) about the girls in Lumla, and also met Lama Pema Dorjee a few times. This inspired me to help the Tara Bodong organisation as much as I can in my spare time. My goal is to inspire more students to support this foundation, and bring marketing skills from a student's perspective. Hopefully we can give these girls the future all girls deserve.

My name is Vartika Bisht, and I am from Kinnaur, Himachal Pradesh, India. I am a human geneticist in the Netherlands, where I moved in 2021 for my PhD and now continue my research on early detection of diseases. I met Debbie and Silvia through a choir I used to attend, and hearing Debbie’s story about Tara Bodong and its mission to support girls’ education in the Himalayan region deeply moved me. Having grown up facing many adversities myself, the stories of these girls feel very close to home. I am incredibly grateful for the people who believed in me and stood against the grain to give me a fair opportunity, and with Tara Bodong I hope to help give these girls the same fighting chance, so that stories like mine one day become ordinary.