It can be very difficult to be a refugee, especially if you continue to have children. Different countries have different rules and not all of them accept everyone born there as a citizen. Those who are willing to take in people who were born between countries still usually require someone to verify their nationality or origin and this is not always done for free. The Tibetans were required, to receive identity papers for their children, to not only enroll them in monasteries but also to sign over their inheritances. The parents were rightfully afraid that the high lamas would just take the money and leave the children without means to travel to countries where they could gain permanent residence so they made one provision, that money would remain in the individual accounts unless the children left the monasteries. This was because the high lamas were dubious of the sincerity of these families in putting their kids under monastic orders and they felt pretty sure that once they got a legal right to be somewhere they would get up and go on with their lives.
Its hard to start with nothing, but if you dont have a right to spend money thats the same as nothing, and if you get the right but lose the money you are better off. But you might have to work, and that is a four letter word.
(Dad chose Donny for his project for a lot of reasons, not the least of which being she was drop dead gorgeous and already had a pre-existing relationship. Those who said they were copying her will probably be in bad shape, but because they were copying her, the path out was made for people like her and those who copied her but now want to say they aren't like her should have realized that sooner)
*I know that doesnt sound like much, but there are people who will accept couch potatoes in return for their food stamps, and in some places there are community kitchens and food pantries, I've had to do it in the past, its kinda weird and sometimes you'd rather stay in a shelter, but thats an option too*
