The Pureland Project’s purpose is to support and encourage sustainable living rooted in human-nature connection. We provide sustainability and wellness education and resources to Tibetan nomadic people while sharing their wisdom of sustainable practices in the United States.
The Pureland Project believes that caring for the land is intrinsically connected to caring for the people and cultures rooted in it.
We work at the intersection of Indigenous cultural heritage, environmental justice, and ecological stewardship, supporting communities in sustaining cultural traditions, traditional knowledge, and relationships with the natural world.
Our work recognizes that healthy lands and thriving cultures are inseparable. By supporting Indigenous knowledge, community-led stewardship, and regenerative approaches to education, economic, health and food systems, we seek to protect what has endured while helping create a more just and sustainable future.
Our Story:
HIs Eminence Garchen Rinpoche
The Pureland Project began through the vision and compassion of H.E. Garchen Rinpoche, a Tibetan Buddhist master from Nangchen, Tibet. After spending 20 years imprisoned during the Cultural Revolution, Rinpoche dedicated his life to benefiting others and supporting the people and culture of his homeland. After returning to Tibet in 1998, Rinpoche established four schools in response to requests from local villagers.
In 2005, Rinpoche asked student meg ferrigno to move to Tibet to help care for and support his community and school projects. Through relationships and conversations with students, teachers, villagers, and community members, the seed for The Pureland Project was planted as a way to connect people and resources with locally identified needs while honoring the knowledge, culture, and priorities of the communities themselves.The Pureland Project received 501(c)(3) nonprofit status in 2011.
In 2012, PLP opened Ahimsa House in Philadelphia, expanding its work beyond Tibet, maintaining focus on culture, education, and compassionate service.
Rinpoche continues to encourage his students and community to support his homeland through The Pureland Project. Today, The Pureland Project carries that original spirit forward, supporting Indigenous cultures globally, sustaining relationships between people and land, and advancing environmental and social justice.
Board of Directors
The Pureland Project’s purpose is to support and encourage sustainable living rooted in human-nature connection. We provide sustainability and wellness education and resources to Tibetan nomadic people while sharing their wisdom of sustainable practices in the United States.
Khenpo Samdrup
Board Chair
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meg ferrigno, PhD
Founder, Executive Director
Emily Bigelow
Board Secretary & Treasurer
Victoria Imperioli
Board Member
Geoff Barstow PhD
Board Member
Michael Imperioli
Board Member