tkctibetan karma carpets
was formed at the beginning of 1999, when we, Mike Rhodes and Alex Burgnon, went to offer humanitarian aid to Tibetan refugees in Nepal with an organization called Airline Ambassadors International.  This is a non-profit service organization of airline employees which dispenses donated aid and lots of love to people all over the world, especially children.  During this trip, we were to assess the needs of the Tibetan people who have trekked over the frozen Himalayas seeking asylum in Nepal. 

Our very first appointment was with Mr. Samdup Lhatse, the personal representative in Nepal to His Holiness, the Dalai Lama. We spoke for several hours, and it was mentioned that our organization would be returning to Nepal several times in the year--suggesting that he consider what we could do for the Tibetan community in an ongoing way.  He returned that what was really needed was the development of a market for the exquisite traditional carpets woven by Tibetans, providing their primary means of self-support.  This endeavour would be out of the realm of Airline Ambassadors, and the topic changed. 

As we toured various Tibetan facilities in Kathmandu and rural Pokhara--the recovery center, elderly homes, schools, workshops, etc.--it became apparent that income would be a great help to these warm, hard-working people.  They receive no government aid because Nepal does not officially recognize them, and the grant money that comes from the rest of the world is generally channeled to the final resettlement of the Tibetan people to India.  We spoke one evening about possibly making these Tibetan-made carpets available to the world over the Internet.  It was a business that we would have to take on for ourselves, but it seemed like a win-win situation for everyone.  At the suggestion of Mr. Lhatse, we set up an appointment with Ngawang Thupten, then the General Manager of the largest and oldest Tibetan handicraft center in Nepal to discuss a possible partnership...and here we are, Tibetan Karma Carpets -- your exclusive connection to the best in Tibetan-made rugs.  Our handicrafts center has a reputation for providing the highest quality in genuine Tibetan-made articles.  They are currently our exclusive supplier.

To our delight, our agreement with was approved by the Central Tibetan Administration of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. We have a warm relationship with our Tibetan counterparts and look forward to a long and successful venture.