Why Food for the Poor Nepal Began in 2021

Five years ago, after radiation therapy and several cancer operations, Jan de Ruiter visited His Eminence Pabongkha Rinpoche, Lobsang Thubten Trinley Kunkhyab, in Kathmandu, Nepal, seeking spiritual advice.

Pabongkha Rinpoche is the current incarnation of one of the great lamas of the twentieth century. The previous Pabongkha Rinpoche was the root guru of Kyabje Ling Rinpoche and Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche, the two tutors of His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama.

During our meeting, Pabongkha Rinpoche explained that sponsoring food for poor people helps sustain and extend their lives. According to the law of karma, the positive result of supporting the lives of others returns to the sponsor as a cause for a longer and healthier life.

At that time, I had undergone radiation therapy and two major operations for intestinal cancer, during which part of my colon was removed. A third operation was later required to remove a squamous cell carcinoma from my head.

As a long-time student of Tibetan Buddhism, I had complete faith in Pabongkha Rinpoche’s advice. Inspired by this teaching, I established Food for the Poor Nepal as a registered non-profit foundation through which others could join in sponsoring food for poor people.

By supporting this project, sponsors help provide daily meals to those in need while also participating in a practice of generosity that, according to Buddhist teachings, creates positive karma for both the recipient and the sponsor.

Food for the Poor Nepal was therefore created not only to provide food for those who are hungry, but also to offer sponsors an opportunity to practice generosity in a meaningful and practical way.

The Inspiration of Lama Gangchen Rinpoche in 1992

The roots of Food for the Poor Nepal go back many years before the project itself was established.
In 1992, during a teaching in Milan, Lama Gangchen Rinpoche expressed his wish that food should be distributed to poor people in Kathmandu. At that time, I could not imagine how this vision would one day become reality.

For more than forty years, Jan de Ruiter was a student of Lama Gangchen Rinpoche. Throughout those years, I witnessed his extraordinary compassion and his constant concern for the welfare of others. His teachings inspired countless people to transform compassion into practical action.

Several years before the creation of Food for the Poor Nepal, Lama Gangchen Rinpoche encouraged members of the Dutch Sangha to establish Wise Projects Foundation. The foundation was created to support humanitarian and charitable activities inspired by compassion and service to others.

Years later, after receiving advice from Pabongkha Rinpoche in Kathmandu, I recognised an opportunity to put both teachings into practice. Inspired by Lama Gangchen Rinpoche’s long-standing wish and supported by Wise Projects Foundation, Food for the Poor Nepal was established.

Today, Wise Projects Foundation manages the financial administration of the project and supports its long-term continuity. Through the foundation, sponsors from around the world can participate in providing daily meals to poor and vulnerable people in Kathmandu.

The Food for the Poor Nepal website was created to make this work visible and transparent, allowing sponsors to follow the progress of the project and see how their support is transformed into meals, care, and hope for those most in need.

In this way, the wish of Lama Gangchen Rinpoche continues to benefit people every day.

A simple act of compassion can bring hope, dignity, and peace.

Food for the Poor Nepal supports people experiencing homelessness and extreme poverty in Kathmandu.

Our Mission
To support very poor women, children, men, and people with disabilities in Kathmandu by providing a daily nutritious meal, served with respect, compassion, and dignity.

Our Vision
A Nepal where no one is left behind and no one has to go to sleep hungry — a Nepal where people can live with dignity and hope.

What We Do
We reach people in the most vulnerable situations, including women, children, men, and people with disabilities.

Our Approach

Community Engagement

We work together
with the local community in Kathmandu through awareness and outreach that encourage compassion, shared responsibility, and mutual support.

Nutritional Focus
Every day, we prepare fresh vegetarian meals — a wholesome combination of rice, lentils, and vegetables — cooked with care and respect.

Local Partnership
Meals are prepared by our restaurant partner, Persia’s Biryani, in Kathmandu and distributed by our local team, ensuring that support is practical, reliable, and close to the people who need it most.

Sustainability
With the help of our sponsors, we distribute 80–100 meals every day, providing consistent, life-saving support to those in need.A simple act of compassion can bring hope, dignity, and peace.
Food for the Poor Nepal provides support to people experiencing homelessness and extreme poverty in Kathmandu.

1,10 € – 1 meal Food for Peace
7,70 € – 7 meals: Food for Peace
34,00 € – 31 meals: Food for Peace