Our family is heartbroken by the devastating floods that swept through communities along the Nepal–Tibet border, destroying homes, livelihoods, and taking many precious lives—including our beloved first cousin, Cho Cho Dawa Dakpu Lama Tamang.

Who We Are & Our Connection

We are Yangkey, Choenyi, Tsering, and members of the Gangshar family whose roots are deeply connected to the communities affected by this tragedy. We are raising these funds for our first cousin, Cho Cho Dawa’s wife and their two young children, who are now facing an unimaginable loss and an uncertain future.

“Cho Cho” is an endearing Tibetan term for an older brother. To our family, Cho Cho Dawa was a beloved husband, father, son, brother, nephew, cousin, and friend.

A Father Who Gave Everything for His Family

At 45 years old, Cho Cho Dawa worked as a mountain guide in Nepal’s Langtang region, providing for his wife and two children. His work often took him away from home for weeks or months at a time, but he took great pride in what he did. He was known for his warmth, kindness, generosity, and joyful spirit.

Tragically, the mountains he knew so well and worked in to support his family became the place where he lost his life.

He leaves behind his wife and two young children—a daughter, 11, and a son, 7. They are now facing not only the devastating loss of their husband and father, but the uncertainty of rebuilding their lives without the person who provided for their family.

The picture attached captures Cho Cho Dawa with his family dressed in our traditional Tibetan attire while celebrating Losar, the Tibetan New Year.

Our Family’s Connection to This Community

Our connection to this region goes back generations.

Our father and his family originally came from Kyidong (Kyirong, སྐྱིད་གྲོང་) in Tibet, a place now often referred to as Gyirong in international news. In 1959, our grandparents and relatives were forced to flee Tibet and eventually found refuge and a new home in the border regions of Nepal.

Our father and his siblings grew up in the Syabru besi and Briddhim communities, where they went to school, formed lifelong friendships, and began rebuilding their lives after leaving Tibet. These communities became an important part of our family’s history and home in Nepal.

The school where our father and his siblings once studied was among the places devastated by the floods.

Yangkey was fortunate to visit Syabru besi and Briddhim in March 2014 and again with Choenyi in November 2025. During those visits, she spent time with Cho Cho Dawa, his wife, mother, and brother and was warmly welcomed into their home. The pictures included here were taken during those visits and are now incredibly meaningful to our family.

The pictures also show places we saw and experienced during our November 2025 visit. One shows a hydropower facility along the road to Syabru besi which has been damanged and another shows the homes, guesthouses, and local businesses in Syabru besi, many of which have since been washed away.

Our family was once forced to leave our homeland in Tibet and found a place in Nepal where generations of our family could rebuild their lives. Now, that same community has been devastated by another unimaginable tragedy.

What took generations to build was swept away in moments. But the lives, memories, and stories connected to these places remain.

We Are Grieving Many Losses

Cho Cho Dawa is not the only loss our family is mourning.

His brother, Cho Cho Tsering, is also facing unimaginable grief, as members of his wife’s family were among those tragically swept away.

We are also mourning the many precious lives lost in this devastating tragedy, including relatives, friends, and members of the Tibetan community.

Behind every life lost is a family now facing a future without someone they love.

How the Funds Will Be Used

We are raising funds to directly support Cho Cho Dawa’s wife and two children as they begin rebuilding their lives without him.

The funds will be used specifically for:

100% of the funds raised through this GoFundMe will go directly toward supporting Cho Cho Dawa’s family and, if we are fortunate enough to raise more than is needed for Cho Cho Dawa’s immediate family, additional funds will be used to help other affected families in the Tibetan community of Syabru besi who have lost loved ones, homes, or their livelihoods as a result of this disaster.

Bringing the Help Directly to Nepal

Yangkey will be traveling to Nepal in approximately two weeks and plans to personally deliver the funds raised directly to the affected families. The funds will be used solely for the relief, essential needs, and family-support purposes described above.

We want to make sure the support reaches those who need it most and provides meaningful help during this incredibly difficult time.

Every donation, no matter the amount, can make a meaningful difference.

If you are unable to donate, please consider sharing this fundraiser with your friends, family, coworkers, and community. A share may help this story reach someone who is able to help.

Thank you for taking the time to hear Cho Cho Dawa’s story and for standing with his wife and children, our family, and the communities affected by this devastating tragedy.

From our family to yours, thank you for your kindness, compassion, love, and support.

With gratitude,

Yangkey, Choenyi, Tsering & Gangshar Family

“The basic foundation of humanity is compassion and love.”

— His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama