Tibet has been under occupation by the People's Republic of China for more than 50 years. Countless Tibetans have fled into exile to escape arrest, imprisonment and torture for nothing more than wanting the right to determine their own future.

In the last few years 157 Tibetans have set themselves on fire in protest at the brutal repression in Tibet at the hands of the Chinese government.

Students for a Free Tibet (SFT) is a Tibetan-led global grassroots network of Tibetans and non-Tibetans working in solidarity to end the occupation. SFT's work involves training young Tibetans in campaigning, lobbying governments and international bodies like the UN, campaigning on campuses around the world and taking non-voilent direct action to free Tibet from China. We have been at the forefront of the Tibetan independence movement for more than 15 years.

But we can't do it alone.

SFT relies on people like you to operate. Can you make a donation to help us reach our funding target?

Funding like this is critical to the success of any organisation like SFT. A lot of the money that comes to groups like us from charitable trusts is restricted to specific activities. This is great, but the money that has the biggest impact is unrestricted. It allows us to pay our staff - young Tibetans with the passion, expert knowledge and, importantly, personal experience to have the biggest impact. It allows us to pay rent on our office so our team has a place to work supporting our networks around the world with news, resources and strategy. It allows us the freedom and agility to respond to an urgent crisis. And most importantly, it allows us to take non-violent direct action to speak out when no-one else will.

Knowing your donation will help us pay an electricity bill or replace a 10 year old computer isn't the most exciting reason to donate but it has the biggest impact on our ability to keep Tibet in the public eye, to keep the pressure up on politicians and to keep China on the back foot.