International Program Alumni Profiles and Happenings
Sabriye Tenberken
Sabriye, originally from Swisttal, Germany, participated in the International Program in the 1987-88 school year. After university in Germany, she traveled to Tibet and eventually founded, with Paul Kronenberg, what became, in 2002, Braille Without Borders and today includes a school for the blind as well as a farm and cheese factory for vocational training.
Here’s what Sabriye’s been up to:
In January 2009, Braille Without Borders welcomed its first class of students at the International Institute for Social Entrepreneurs. Here’s a description of the curriculum from the BWB website: “Over a one year's course the participants will be practically trained in management, fundraising, PR activities, project planning, computer technology and English, communication and soft skills. After this training they will be in a position to speak for themselves and help to change the attitudes towards marginalized groups through setting up social and/or environmental projects in their own regions or countries.” Read the first edition of the IISE magazine, The Spectacle.
In 2003, her book, My Path Leads to Tibet: the Inspiring Story of How One Young Blind Woman Brought Hope to the Blind Children of Tibet was published.
In 2006, Blindsightwww.blindsightthemovie.com was released. It documented her Himalayan mountain climb with 6 Tibetan teenagers. This film has received awards including the Berlin International Film Festival Panorama Audience Award.
Most recently, she has had 2 additional books published in German, Das Siebte Jahr: von Tibet nach Indien (The 7th Year: From Tibet to India) and Tashis Neue Welt (A New World for Tashi).
Sabriye most recently received high honors in December of 2008 from the government of China being named one of the 15 “most influential foreigners for their contributions to the country's development over the past three decades.”
Click on the links below to learn more about the many accomplishments of Braille Without Borders and Sabriye!
