By Fiona Walker

Montessori preschool students Lindsay and Eleanor hold the school’s “sharing” collection, intended for the children of Tibet.

Over dinner, my 4-year-old daughter asked me to send some of her vitamin drops to the Tibetan children so they could “get well.” Surprised by Eleanor’s request, I asked her what she knew about Tibet.

It turned out that my daughter’s preschool, as part of their lessons covering the world, had been learning about the people of the area known as the Tibet Autonomous Region. As well as seeing where in the world this region was and learning about its geography, the preschoolers were told about the lives of the children living there. The information given was simple but clear. The children get sick there because they lack access to basic healthcare, nutrients and hygienic living conditions. These are things that we all take for granted that keep our children healthy and strong.

At this level, vitamin supplements were pinpointed as key to helping the children of Tibet. This message stuck with Eleanor and her classmates so one “Sharing Day” at school in October was dedicated to collecting infant and child multi-vitamins. The vitamin donations totaled $500.

Before this collection, the director of our preschool had contacted a close friend, Dr. Nancy Harris, the founder of a charitable organization called the Tibet Child Nutrition Project (Terma Foundation).

As a result of their conversations, the preschool adopted this organization as their ongoing service project.

The Terma Foundation kindly provided the school with literature for the parents on the plight of the Tibetan children. Through this liaison the vitamin donations were transported, in early November, along with other basic, vital, medical supplies to Tibetan Villages.

I believe the contributions from this small preschool will make a dramatic difference to the Tibetan children’s lives. In more than 199 villages through out the TAR it has been noted that 52 percent of all children studied, under the age of 7, are chronically malnutritioned and severely stunted. Sixty-six percent suffer from rickets, which can lead to an increased risk of death by pneumonia and tuberculosis. In later life rickets, which leads to bone deformation, can cause complications or even death of women in childbirth.

My daughter is not aware of these shocking facts, but she has grasped the idea that there is a problem and she can help fix it, Along with her friends, Eleanor has made another child’s life better. We can do the same.

This year there is a shortage of 2 million doses of vitamins. In addition to medical supplies the Foundation needs an all terrain vehicle to safely transport the supplies and volunteers to the villages in this isolated region. Now more than ever, personal contributions are vital to help the children of Tibet.

As you give your children their vitamin supplement today think of the children, living at the top of the World, and how you can help them.

For more information about the plight of the Tibetan children, or to donate to the Terma Foundation, call Hannelore Engelman, Montessori School of Los Altos, 493-7200, or e-mail smartkids@sbcglobal.net.