Upper Hamlet/ Son Ha Update
We are delighted to share that there have been many happy developments at Upper Hamlet/ Son Ha these past months.
Several smaller projects were completed in 2020 and early 2021.
The wheelchair-accessible guest room was completed in the Stone and Friendship building. There are now two beds on the ground floor; the upper level has a dormitory with ten beds.
The path that was built around Upper Hamlet before the pandemic was extended through the forest to Son Ha making it easier to go back and forth on muddy, rainy days. Made by local craftsmen of beautiful local stone, it is ideal for walking meditation.
The construction team (brothers and a knowledgeable lay friend) worked on the initial analysis for how best to address the hamlet’s infrastructure needs into the future -- electricity, water, and septic. Shortly, they will be selecting the firms to prepare the designs and plans, and the first phase of work will begin later in 2022. Environmental sustainability is a top priority.
We met the matching gift challenge.
We are deeply grateful for your past support of Upper Hamlet/Son Ha and other needs of our community. And thanks to our donors’ timely generosity, we were able to meet a matching gift challenge from an anonymous donor. Your gifts and the match generated USD $1.25 million (€1.1M) which is going towards the design, development, and initial construction. Estimates from builders will give us a better sense of the total costs.
Construction will resume in 2022.
As you know, much work is needed throughout the hamlet to bring buildings up to code, add housing for retreatants, and expand the hamlet’s environmental sustainability initiatives. And everything must proceed with the local government’s approval. Moreover, it is important to keep the quiet, rural feel of the hamlet that is so essential to the retreat experience.
Three projects are ready to begin:
Installing solar panels in the parking lot at the entrance. A series of canopies (carports) will be constructed so that cars can park underneath the solar panels.
Expanding the area for tents and camper vans, adding another toilet block, and building small wooden huts.
Bringing the current septic system up to code and adding additional capacity. This work must be completed before the government will grant permits for the other work. And, water conservation is an important component of the hamlet’s sustainability efforts.
We are planning for the future.
As you likely know, there were long waiting lists for Plum Village’s retreats before the pandemic. In the works are plans to renovate guest accommodations in the Stone building to bring them up to code. The brothers are getting quotes for three approaches to this project.
There are also plans to start modular construction of new guest houses close to the Transformation Hall. The idea is for each unit to sleep 12-15 people. A modular construction approach allows for more units to be added as funds become available.
Thank you for your generosity!
You have helped Upper Hamlet and Son Ha work towards its aspiration of having a beautiful, sustainable community that can welcome all who want to attend and operate in harmony with nature. The brothers feel your generosity and love for them and in turn, hold you in their hearts.
If you would like to hear more about Upper Hamlet’s plans, please email giving@tnhf.org, letting us know where you live so that staff in the US or Europe can be in touch.
A lotus to you, a Buddha to be,
Your siblings at the Thich Nhat Hanh Foundation International
P.S. Plum Village Monastery is re-opening! They just posted their schedule of on-line and in person retreats. Please visit their website for details.
The Thich Nhat Hanh Foundation International is the fundraising arm and a communications hub of the international Plum Village Community. We were established by Sister Chan Khong, Thich Nhat Hanh, and other senior monastics ten years ago. We raise funds for priorities established by the monastic elders and care for our donors from around the world.