Our Founder - Mr James Low (Venerable Namdol )
Mr James Low Kim On graduated with a degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Singapore in 1977. He began his career with the Port of Singapore Authority. He went on to join the construction industry, and for the next 12 years, he handled construction projects that included the China World Trade Centre in Marina City and the MRT tunneling works. After that, he moved on to work at the Changi International Airport as a maintenance engineer.
In 1994, Mr James Low joined the Tzu Chi team in their relief work for the disaster areas in Nepal, Hunan and Zhengjiang in China. The invaluable experience made him understand and realize the truth of impermanence. Consequently, he resigned from his job as a maintenance engineer in 1996, became a full-time volunteer in the day while pursuing a 6-year Chinese Medicine Course at Chong Hwa Medical College in the evening. These events inspired him to practise what Dr Chiang Su Hwee professed about the benefits of vegetarian diet, raw food diet, fasting and the importance of the physical and mental enhancement of oneself.
In 1999, Mr James Low together with his wife, Joyce Lye, and fellow Buddhists, set up Kampung Senang with the objective of promoting holistic way of living by respecting life and treasuring nature's splendour within the community. In a span of 6 years, he and his colleagues implemented 8 community care and service projects, emphasizing the attributes of sincerity in service and community spirit of love and care to achieve body-, mind- and soul-harmony in our society as a whole.
From 1988 to 2005, Mr James Low and Joyce Lye organized numerous seminars and exhibitions on holistic (body, mind and spirit) health and the conservation of green environment, as well as healthy lifestyle retreats on purification of the mind and body. To date, they have compiled and edited handbooks entitled - The Buddha's 500 Great Vows, Cai Gen Xiang, Qing Huan Shu Zhi and Bodhi Xin Deng, May All Sentient Beings Be Free Of Suffering, etc for free distribution to the public.
Before 10 October 2009, ‘Farmer James’ could be spot in the vegetable garden for one moment , fetching Kampung Senang's seniors next, to delivering organic food packs to cancer patients and fellow Buddhists there after. In fact, he was the 'mentor of holistic health' in the Kampung family. He worked tirelessly in many roles at Kampung Senang. As such, he could only afford 5 hours of sleep every day. All in all, James hoped to see all sentient beings free from suffering.
In essence, Mr James Low is a mechanical engineer, a Chinese Medicine enthusiast, a farmer, a driver and a cleaner all rolled into one. He realizes that organic raw food diet can indeed unfold our immense potential.
On 10 October 2009, Mr James Low has been ordained as Lama Namdol to vibrate with his compassion & radiant vision of promoting holistic wellness for even more beings in the world.