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!!

Understanding Tax On Gambling Winnings In The Netherlands

Winning money through an online casino or sportsbook can raise an important practical question: how much of the result can you keep after tax? The answer depends on the type of game, the operator’s location and license, and whether the gambling activity falls under Dutch rules for games of chance. Understanding these details helps players avoid unexpected payment requests or filing obligations.

The Dutch phrase belasting over gokwinsten covers several different situations. A player using a Dutch-licensed operator will generally encounter a different arrangement from someone playing with an offshore platform. LalaBet, operated by Casbit Group N.V., states that it works under Curaçao and Anjouan licensing rather than a Dutch KSA license, so users should review the applicable terms and current Belastingdienst guidance before playing.

Gambling situation Usually responsible for tax Main point to check Sensible action
Dutch-licensed online casino or sportsbook Usually the operator Whether the provider holds a current KSA license Keep account records and read tax information
Foreign operator within a relevant EU/EEA framework Depends on the service and current rules Operator location, license and Dutch tax treatment Check the provider and Belastingdienst
Offshore operator outside the EU/EEA The player may have a reporting obligation Net monthly result and applicable rate Keep deposits, withdrawals and game statements
Casino prizes or other games of chance Rules vary by prize and game type Prize value, organizer and Dutch connection Verify the specific tax category
Sports betting and casino activity together Treatment can differ by product Separate transaction histories Keep casino and betting records apart

How Dutch Gambling Tax Generally Works

The Netherlands applies a specific tax regime to games of chance. The calculation is not always based simply on every individual win. Depending on the situation, the relevant result may be determined over a period such as a calendar month, with qualifying stakes deducted from winnings. A player therefore needs a complete overview of deposits, bets, prizes and withdrawals rather than relying on a single winning transaction.

Tax rates can change through legislation. The rate was increased to 34.2% from 1 January 2025, and further changes may apply in later years. Because online gambling rules are updated regularly, older forum posts and informal calculators can be misleading. The official Belastingdienst website remains the most reliable source for the current rate, declaration method and deadlines.

For a player using a Dutch-licensed operator, the provider generally handles the gambling tax. That does not mean every possible prize or financial consequence is automatically covered. A separate issue could arise if gambling income becomes part of a business activity, or if a person’s wider tax position includes assets or income that must be reported under another category.

Why The Operator’s License Matters

A Dutch KSA license signals that an operator has been admitted to the regulated Dutch online gambling market. Licensed companies must meet requirements concerning player protection, identity checks, advertising, responsible gambling tools and financial controls. Their tax arrangement is also structured around Dutch regulations, which usually makes the player’s administrative position more straightforward.

LalaBet presents a different profile. Its platform states that it operates under Curaçao and Anjouan licensing, not under a Dutch KSA license. That distinction should be visible in a player’s decision-making because a foreign license is not equivalent to authorization for the Dutch market. It can also affect who is expected to account for gambling tax and which complaint or dispute route is available.

This does not automatically determine the tax result for every user. Residence, the operator’s legal entity, the game being played and the applicable Dutch rules all matter. Before depositing, a user should inspect the licensing information, terms, payment conditions and any tax wording. Clear records are especially important when a platform serves several countries through web-based mobile access.

Keeping Track Of Wins And Losses

Good record keeping is the simplest way to prepare for questions about online gambling income. Save account statements, deposit confirmations, withdrawal receipts, bet histories and monthly summaries. Screenshots can help, but downloadable statements or provider-generated documents are generally easier to organize and verify later.

Keep casino activity separate from sports betting where possible. Slots, live casino games, virtual sports, crash games and sports wagers may appear in one account, yet their records can be reported or assessed differently depending on the rules. LalaBet advertises a broad selection of around 4,500 games, including these categories, so a monthly spreadsheet can make the results easier to understand.

Mobile access also makes it tempting to treat gambling as a series of quick transactions. A purpose-built lalabet casino app can make account access convenient on iOS and Android, but convenience should be matched with careful monitoring. A useful record includes the date, product, stake, payout, fees if any, and the resulting balance.

Practical Checks Before Playing

Tax is only one part of evaluating an online gambling platform. A player should also consider payment security, identity verification, withdrawal conditions, customer support and tools that help control spending. Bonuses and cashback can change the apparent value of an offer, but wagering requirements may make the benefit less generous than the headline amount suggests.

Cryptocurrency payments deserve additional attention. Digital-asset deposits and withdrawals can create a separate trail of exchange rates, wallet transfers and transaction fees. The gambling result should be recorded in euros using a consistent method, while crypto gains or losses may raise additional tax questions depending on the individual’s circumstances.

These checks support a more responsible approach and reflect the value of clear information in education. Organizations such as Avalokiteśvara Trust emphasize access to books, learning resources and practical knowledge for children and young monks in Himalayan communities. The same principle applies to financial decisions: understandable records are more useful than assumptions.

Habits That Reduce Tax Confusion

  • Confirm whether the operator has a Dutch KSA license or a foreign license.
  • Read the current tax section in the operator’s terms before making a deposit.
  • Export monthly statements showing stakes, wins, losses, deposits and withdrawals.
  • Keep casino, sports betting and cryptocurrency records in separate categories.
  • Check the latest Belastingdienst rate and filing instructions instead of relying on old articles.
  • Set a fixed gambling budget and treat bonuses or cashback as conditional, not guaranteed income.

A player should also remember that a withdrawal is not necessarily the same as a taxable win. Moving money from a gambling account to a bank account shows cash flow, while the relevant tax calculation may depend on winnings, qualifying stakes and the period in which they occurred. Likewise, a losing month does not automatically cancel a reporting duty created by a different type of activity.

When the legal position is unclear, professional tax advice is safer than guessing. This is particularly relevant for people who use several operators, play from multiple countries, receive substantial prizes or hold cryptocurrency connected with their gambling account.

The practical takeaway is straightforward: identify the operator’s license, record every transaction by month and verify the current Dutch rules before assuming that a payout is tax-free. For LalaBet users, the stated Curaçao and Anjouan licensing makes that verification especially important.