Since our establishment in June 2022, the primary recipient of our funding has been a flourishing Dharma Centre in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in central Africa, the Centre d’Etudes Tibetaines in Lubumbashi.

The long-term vision for this project is the establishment of the first Tibetan Buddhist Monastery and Nunnery on the African Continent, to be named ‘Kagyu Samye Ling’. BSF is deeply committed to the ongoing support and development of this project. 

Speaking in May 2024, Francis Kabwe Kyungu, the principal founding member of the Centre d’Etudes Tibetaines, explains how this Buddhist community has developed over time:

“In the beginning, around 2003-2004, we used the communal room of my small two-room home for practice. Then, in 2006-2007, we were able to build a small hall attached to my home to use, as more people were coming, and to be able to welcome teachers. Then, slowly,  slowly more and more people came, so in 2016, Maman Brigitte gave us an adjacent piece of land to build our first temple. ”

“Many of our friends in Europe and America supported this work and the community undertook the construction together. Now this is proving too small. It was here that we were able to welcome Drupon Rinpoche for his first visit in 2018, which was also the year the 5 children went to Nepal, and then again for his second visit in 2019.”

“During this visit, Rinpoche asked us how he could help,  and he suggested building a school, as providing education seemed a good way to start, but most people in the community requested that a monastery be built first. Rinpoche agreed and then sponsored the purchase of a piece of land on the outskirts of Lubumbashi for the monastery.” 

“The greater vision is to also build a school, a hospital, and a nunnery, and so, in 2022, Rinpoche sponsored the purchase of a larger piece of adjacent land. To date we have managed to build a perimeter wall on the monastery land which will soon be completed, and are currently arranging for a borehole to be dug. We hope that building on the main temple will commence later this year, and for this purpose Rinpoche blessed the land during this year’s visit, and also conducted a refuge ceremony there.”

“Having seen the amazing transformation of the children in Nepal, many parents have expressed the wish for their children to become monks, and so during this year’s visit, Rinpoche gave ordination to the first group of 40 young monks. He advised them to work hard, so that when they are old enough, they will also have the opportunity to study in the Buddhist university he has created Nepal.”