Ewam Bhutan Development Fund
Board of Directors
A four-person Board of Directors oversees the management of Ewam Bhutan Development Fund. The current Directors are:
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Vera Claus-Maisel
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Lou Moerner
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Khenpo Ugyen Wangchuk
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Linda Wetmore
MISSION
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Ewam Bhutan Development Fund was founded in 2016 to support Ewam Bhutan a Bhutanese non-profit organization. Our mission is to support the authentic Dharma within the unique religious, cultural and ecological heritage of Bhutan and includes:
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​To build and develop the first coeducational school for Buddhist education, Ewam Bhutan Education & Community Center (EBECC), in Western Bhutan.
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To assist with the education and training of young monks and nuns, their health care and nutrition and to support the education of young people who aspire to become nuns and monks.
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To maintain and build nunnery, monastery and village temple projects in Eastern Bhutan and contribute to the ceremonial and social welfare work of these institutions.
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To raise intercultural awareness on how we can help preserve and grow Bhutan’s unique Buddhist culture of wisdom and compassion.
​​As a 501(c)(3) non-profit charitable organization, all donations made to Ewam Bhutan Development Fund are fully tax-deductible in the USA.
Namchak Tsasum Lingpa
About Ewam Bhutan
Ewam Bhutan, a Bhutanese non-profit was founded in 2011 under the guidance of Gochen Tulku Sang-ngag Rinpoche to support the flourishing of the authentic Dharma, and the lineage of Terton Pedgyl Lingpa. In 2013 Venerable Khenpo Ugyen Wangchuk was appointed President of Ewam Bhutan.
About Venerable Khenpo Ugyen Wangchuk
Khenpo Ugyen Wangchuk is one of the rare advanced level Bhutanese monastics that spends all his time teaching and spreading Vajarayana Buddhism in the USA, Taiwan, Nepal, and Bhutan.
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Khenpo has studied and practiced Buddhism since the age of 7, and in 2001 completed a nine-year course in Buddhist studies, receiving a Master’s degree (MA) in Buddhist Philosophy from the Nyingma Institute Taktse. After completing his studies, he taught for several years, and then, due to his exceptional scholarly ability, was appointed to be the Principal of the Nyingma Institute. In 2006, the title of Khenpo (equivalent to a PhD) was conferred upon him.
In 2009 Khenpo came to Tara Mandala in Colorado, USA at the request of his teacher Tulku Sang-Ngag Rinpoche to assist with the establishment of Do Khyentse Yeshe Dorje’s Dzinpa Rangdrol cycle of teachings at Tara Mandala, and to assist in teaching ritual practices at Rigdzin Ling in Northern California. In 2012 Khenpo began an intensive study of English in order to be able to directly teach and benefit his western students.
2012 was also the year that Khenpo became the President of Ewam Bhutan whose mission is to support the flourishing of Terton Pedgyl Lingpa’s lineage in Bhutan. Khenpo has provided support to rebuild a monastery at Pedgyl Lingpa’s seat, Tashi Choling, in western Bhutan and to build a new three year retreat, Ewam Drubde Kusum Ling in eastern Bhutan.
An expert on the teachings and ritual practices of Terton Pedgyal Lingpa and the KuSum Gongdue Cycle, Khenpo was appointed by Tulku Sang Ngag Rinpoche in 2014 to serve as resident Lama and Spiritual Director of Ewam Ku Sum Ling, in Humboldt County California and to establish these teachings at Ewam Ku Sum Ling Centers worldwide.
Khenpos beautiful voice, compassionate nature, and wonderful sense of humor make his teachings a joy to attend.
