Attention: Volunteering Opportunites

Hello! I am receiving many inquiries into volunteering in Ladakh this year and thank you for writing to us!

At the moment we are busy planning and fundraising for some reading rooms in other areas of the Himalayan region. It looks like we’ll require some talented people with art and language skills September onwards.

So if you are interested, please email avalokitesvaratrust@avalokitesvaratrust.org with the subject: Volunteer 2016 and I shall send you a volunteer form if we are interested in taking it further. It’s difficult to reply to each individual, so please understand that we shall be in touch on a suitability and availability basis.

We also may require volunteers with a design or architectural background. More news on that soon.

Thank you!

P.S. The best and preferred way to be in touch is via email

LITTLE BUDDHAS IN THE WOODS

Little Buddhas in the woods

Little Buddhas in the woods

On a magical sunny day, in the month of August (2015), we decided to spend a day with the young monks of  the Chemdey Monastery in the village of Sakti. Our friends, artist, Abhishek Singh, musician and drum-jammer Kumi Masunaga and her lovely daughter Aya, came with us to share their talents, their skills and to spread joy! We were also accompanied by my little daughter Samira, my husband, our Ladakhi friends and Sushil, a Mumbai-based photographer who captured some glorious moments!

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Assembling hula hoops

The young monks from Chemdey Gonpa school participated in ice-breaking musical activities that Kumi had designed for them. Abhishek introduced them to a few art activities, took them through the process of creating their group artwork and showed them stunning visuals from his comic book. Aya demonstrated how to ‘hula-hoop’! We also set up a book corner in the school.

The young monks were keen to learn and listened carefully to the process, enjoyed drawing and colouring, asked questions and at the end, proudly exhibited their artwork in the woods!

Kumi is a Japanese percussionist and a drum circle facilitator who lives in Hong Kong with over fifteen years of performing, teaching, and facilitating experience. She has worked with a range of ages and cultural backgrounds, designing, planning and executing programmes. For more- www.drum-jam.com

Aya is natural performer. She sings, dances and has lead her “Circle Game” playshop for groups of children at events. She has acted in youth musicals, theatre play and some TV commercials in Hong Kong. She speaks English, Japanese and basic Cantonese and Mandarin. Here engagement with the children we visited, has been both endearing very valuable!

Abhishek Singh is artist,animation film-maker and graphic novelist who currently lives between his studios in Brooklyn, New York and Mumbai. Whenever possible he retreats for a meditation trek in the Himalayas. For more – www.abhishekartstore.com

Photo courtesy, Sushil, Kumi and Abhigya

In the slideshow you will see- Chemdey Gonpa, the village of Sakti,  the monks at play and at work, receiving their Ladakhi copies of ‘Chuskit Goes to School’ , a group photo and more.

Avalokitesvara Trust creates reading rooms for children so for International Book Giving Day , we decided to start a book-collection drive. We received an incredible response from all over India. Books were carefully chosen, ordered and shipped to Dharamsala for the young readers of Norling Creche & Kindergarten. We are happy to have enhanced their little library with good quality books. To have played a role in encouraging the joy of reading and bringing smiles to their faces!

We got together to open packages of delightful books and celebrate International Book Giving Day at the Norling creche and kindergarten. A group of 15 volunteers, aged 8 to 10 years were very eager to create a new library upstairs. They happily carried all the old books and categorised them into small, medium and large books. We had a little contest to see which group ( red, green, yellow, blue, white colours of the prayer flags) could count the most books in the least time. It was chao tic and so much fun!! And they finished counting the books in 9 minutes (they’d decided on 15 minutes as the target) After this exercise, they realised that their existing books needed to be categorised into levels and broader subjects. So we created colour codes for levels of reading, for Tibetan, science and for teacher reading material. After four hours of activity we finally displayed all the new additions on to the empty shelves.

The next day, we played a few games. An improvisation of ‘Simon says’, became ‘Norbu says, Sangmo says..’ and the library room was filled with laughter! To calm everyone down, we sat in a circle and concentrated on our breathing. This wasn’t any easy task as a few of them were curious to know what was to follow but we managed to bring back our focus and recollect the activities of the previous session and the task at hand. Setting up a library is no small job and the children once again, tidied up the piles of old books. After all this work, they had a tea break and then finally, chose a book each and sat in a corner or lay on their tummies to immerse themselves in their new book collection. It was very satisfying to see them enjoying the books with quiet rapture. We added a few finishing touches and called it a day by taking a group of books for the little ones downstairs to create a small toddler library. Now that we’re ready, we’ll be inviting ALL the children from ALL the classes to their new reading rooms. We can’t wait!!

Labouchere Betting Systems For Baccarat Players In Australia

Baccarat appeals to Australian players because the rules are easy to learn, the rounds are quick, and the house edge is relatively clear. The Labouchere system adds a structured staking method to the game, giving players a way to plan bet sizes instead of choosing amounts at random. It does not change the odds, predict the next outcome, or turn baccarat into a guaranteed source of income.

The method is also called the cancellation system or take-away system. A player writes down a sequence of numbers, places a stake equal to the first and last numbers added together, and removes those numbers after a win. A loss adds the wager to the end of the sequence. The idea is to complete the sequence and win the amount represented by its original values.

Australian players should treat this as a budgeting framework rather than a baccarat prediction tool. Online gambling rules, payment protections, and operator availability can differ from the arrangements offered by a casino in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, or Brisbane. Checking the operator’s licence, terms, withdrawal conditions, and responsible gambling tools is as important as understanding the betting system.

How The Labouchere Method Works

A simple sequence might be 1, 2, 3, 4. The first wager combines the outside numbers: 1 + 4, producing a stake of 5 units. If the bet wins, those two numbers are crossed off, leaving 2 and 3. The next stake is 2 + 3, or 5 units. A further win removes the final pair and completes the sequence.

When a wager loses, the stake is added to the end of the list. Using the same opening sequence, a 5-unit loss creates 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. The next wager is therefore 1 + 5, or 6 units. A second loss would extend the list again, increasing the next required stake.

A unit should be a small, clearly defined amount rather than an impulsive percentage of a bankroll. For instance, a player might decide that one unit equals AUD 2, making the opening 1, 2, 3, 4 sequence a target of AUD 20. The sequence should be written down before play begins so that wins and losses are recorded accurately.

Applying The System To Baccarat

The Labouchere approach can be attached to Banker or Player wagers, but it should not be applied to Tie bets as if they were equally sensible alternatives. Tie outcomes usually carry a much higher house edge, and their payouts differ between platforms. Many experienced baccarat players prefer to avoid Tie wagers altogether or keep them outside a planned staking system.

Banker bets commonly pay even money less a commission, often 5%, although commission-free variations use different rules. Player bets generally pay even money. These details affect how quickly a sequence is completed, so the payout shown in the game rules must be included in any calculation.

A baccarat shoe can produce streaks, alternating results, and clusters that look meaningful on a scorecard. Those patterns do not create a reliable forecast. Each hand remains governed by the game’s rules, and previous Banker or Player results cannot make a particular side “due.” The Labouchere system changes stake size, not probability.

Where Australian Players Can Compare Platforms

For players evaluating an offshore casino, the advertised offer is only one part of the decision. Need For Spin Australia promotes more than 8,000 games across slots, live dealer baccarat, crash titles, virtual sports, and other casino categories. Its published positioning also includes AUD deposits and withdrawals, crypto payment options, mobile access, demo games, VIP rewards, 24/7 support, and a 250% welcome bonus with free spins.

The platform presents itself as operating under a Curaçao licence and targeting Australians. That is different from being licensed under Australia’s domestic framework, so players should understand the jurisdiction, complaint process, identity checks, wagering rules, and withdrawal limits before depositing. The current terms should be read carefully through https://need-for-spincasino.com/ rather than relying only on promotional summaries.

Brand Publicly presented attributes to compare Checks for Australian players
Need For Spincasino Presented as one of the leading brands in Australia, with 8,000+ games, live dealer options, AUD and crypto payments, mobile access, demo games, VIP rewards, 24/7 support, and a 250% welcome bonus with free spins Confirm Curaçao licensing details, bonus wagering rules, withdrawal limits, processing times, and whether the service accepts players in the relevant Australian state
Joe Fortune An established online casino brand whose current games, bonuses, payment methods, and jurisdictional availability should be checked on its official platform Review the current licence information, excluded locations, identity checks, minimum deposits, and withdrawal conditions
RocketPlay An online casino brand with offers and casino content that can change by market and promotion Confirm whether Australian registration is available, which payment methods support AUD, and how bonuses apply to baccarat
Fair Go Casino A casino brand whose advertised catalogue, promotions, and player terms require direct verification before use Check licensing, responsible gambling facilities, game providers, payment limits, and dispute procedures
Ozwin Casino An online casino brand for which current bonuses, game selection, payment routes, and Australian access should be verified directly Read the latest terms for wagering requirements, verification documents, processing times, and restricted products

Promotional claims can change, particularly around welcome bonuses and free spins. A comparison should therefore focus on checkable conditions rather than the largest headline figure. A high bonus may have a substantial wagering requirement, maximum cash-out rule, expiry date, or game contribution restriction.

Managing Risk In A Labouchere Sequence

The central weakness of this betting progression is that losses make the sequence longer and the next wager larger. A run of unsuccessful hands can therefore create a required stake that is uncomfortable or unaffordable. A casino table limit can also prevent the next Labouchere wager from being placed, leaving the sequence incomplete.

Before starting, set a session bankroll, a maximum number of units, and a hard loss limit. If the bankroll is AUD 100, it would be unwise to create a long sequence whose later wagers could consume most of that amount. A shorter sequence reduces exposure, although it also lowers the amount that can be completed through successful cancellations.

A stop-win rule can help prevent a completed sequence from turning into another round of unnecessary play. The same applies to time limits. This is particularly useful for mobile play during a commute in Melbourne or after work in Brisbane, when quick access can make it easy to continue beyond the original plan.

Bonuses, Payments, And Local Rules

A welcome bonus should be assessed through its full terms rather than its headline percentage. A 250% offer may require qualifying deposits, eligible games, a wagering multiple, a minimum odds or stake condition, and a deadline. Free spins may apply only to selected slot titles and may not be usable on live baccarat.

AUD payment support can make budgeting clearer by avoiding repeated currency conversion. Crypto deposits may be fast, but their value can change before a withdrawal is completed, and transaction records may be harder to interpret. Players should use payment methods in their own name, retain confirmations, and check whether a platform applies separate limits to deposits and withdrawals.

Australia’s Interactive Gambling Act 2001 affects the provision of online gambling services to Australian residents, while offshore operators may sit outside the consumer protections available from locally regulated services. State and territory approaches also differ, and banks or payment providers may apply their own controls. A player in Adelaide or Hobart should verify current access and protections rather than assuming that a website’s availability means it has Australian approval.

A More Mindful Approach To Online Play

A structured gambling routine can sit alongside a broader interest in education, creativity, and community activities. The same discipline used to record baccarat stakes can support a household entertainment budget, where gambling remains a limited leisure expense rather than money intended for rent, food, travel, or school needs.

That distinction matters for a charitable audience. Spending on a casino session should never reduce a planned donation or the funds needed for children’s learning resources. Stories such as girls’ craft workshops show how practical creative opportunities can support confidence and continued education in Himalayan communities.

For anyone who chooses to play, the most reliable use of the Labouchere system is administrative: define a small unit, record every hand, avoid Tie bets unless their cost is fully understood, and stop when the preset limit is reached. The practical takeaway is simple: use the sequence to control a fixed entertainment budget, never to chase losses or assume that baccarat outcomes can be predicted.