Machig Labron Nunnery

Machig Labron Nunnery – Bendigo, Australia

Director: Ven. Tsapel

The building work, which started in March, is progressing well. The nunnery legal set up, new website and fundraising strategy have been keeping our team busy. Funds, from a few big donors including a bequest and FPMT Ordained Sangha Fund, and also many regular loyal donors have helped funds grow, over the long planning period. Thanks to each and every one of you! We still need AU$560,000 to complete our build by early 2025.

On the winter solstice we plan a presentation & lunch celebration to launch our website and fundraising strategy. Atisha Centre will provide the venue. Atisha held our building project for many years until our status as an FPMT affiliated Nunnery was finalised last March. We are excited now to tell our story as we launch www.machiglabdron.org.au …. Help us if you can in whatever way. We also thank to our web designers mindfuldesign.me who specialise in spiritual websites and Martin Strom, from the board of UECW board, who kindly sponsored that design work.

Ven. Nangsel reports:

“It’s extraordinary how quickly things have progressed over the last month. The slabs for both the accommodation block and gompa were poured and the framing and roof trusses for both structures is up. The roofing materials arrived today and the roof will be finished next week. See photo attached. The gompa and accommodation buildings look fantastic nestled into the surrounding bush with the Great Stupa part of our view and just a few minutes walk away. There is a lot of interest in the project with community delighting with us in the speed and quality of the buildings and all keen to see it completed.

Fundraising has gone well so far. The total build cost is AU$1.4m and the nuns have raised around $900,000 to date. We still need AU$560,000 to complete. Quite an amazing effort but still a way to go and we need some support to get it over the line with building completion scheduled for January 2025. Ven Tsapel’s done an absolutely amazing job and its very heartening to see.

Please rejoice with us and join us in making prayers that we continue without obstacles. it’s truly inspiring. I think Rinpoche would be very happy.”

We have had a very kind response from Roger and the FPMT board who helped with US$63,000 (AU$92,190) from the Helping Ordained Sangha Fund. That has helped us greatly. We also have some raffles and other fundraisers in the pipeline, and our website launch is happening on the 22nd June. The Machig Labdron Board has been working very hard on legal requirements, website and fundraising.

Our total costs for the build and utility connection are AU$1,511,000 (US$1,008,600)see the budget in my last email to you. To date we are not fully covered. We are still need AU$560,000 (US$374,000). The building is scheduled to be complete by early 2025 (late January if all goes well). I would rather repay a debt than have to have to complete the job ourselves as funds are raised.

Additional funds would be most helpful if you have any contacts. And we are also looking for some no-interest-loans to tide ups over. With more time to pay back the money we should be fine to repay it. If you can help on our behalf that would be extremely helpful.

We are really happy with how far we have come to date and the builders are doing a great job. The building is taking shape.