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In the heart of the old Tibetan quarter in Lhasa, just a ten minute
walk from the Jokhang temple, is the Dropenling Handicraft Center.
Dropenling means “giving back for the betterment of all sentient
beings.” The program is the brainchild of the Tibet Artisan Initiative
(TAI), a project of the Tibet Poverty Alleviation Fund a Boston-based
organization founded in 1997 to help Tibetans in Tibet.
Some of Dropenling’s most popular products include their hand and
finger puppets. A professional costume designer was brought to
Dropenling to work with a group of seven tailors to develop these
wonderfully animated animals. From top to bottom and tip to tail, the
woolen appliqué detailing is more than captivating. The group started
with snowlion and tiger puppets as they are commonly found throughout
Tibetan art, and make great characters!
In 2007, Dropenling became a self-sustaining business whose profits are
re-invested into further support of the Tibetan artisan community. In
addition to providing a steady market to Tibetan artisans through the
Dropenling store, TAI has developed a number of other economic
development programs that address problems and issues faced by the
artisans today.
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