(Winter-)Schools in the remote mountains of Nepal

Preliminary remarks: I am writing this report at a time of very regrettable unrest in Kathmandu and other parts of Nepal. The situation is still difficult to assess, so we can say little at this time.

After successfully running three school projects in Upper Dolpo since 2016 (Saldang, Nyisal, and Lhuri), we were able to launch our fourth school project this year. Saptakoshi Primary School is located in Yarle-4, in the rural municipality of Chharkatangsong, Upper Dolpo.

Background Information

The school was founded in 1977 specifically for children from four villages: Dhu, Yarle, Thimnyar, and Punghak. Although the school was founded 47 years ago, it was not in operation for a long time until 2022. The total population of the four villages is approximately 335 people living in about 60 households.

As is common in most villages, the state only partially funds the school's operations - in this case, two teachers and some of the support staff. The additional teachers needed have been paid for by the villagers for the past two years. Because Upper Dolpo is a very poor region and people have few opportunities to earn a living, they will not be able to finance private teachers in the future. For this reason, the school was again threatened with closure.

In the long term, a total of 3-4 privately funded teachers will be needed, as the school is to be expanded to include grade 5 (currently grade 3). The goal of this expansion is to retain existing students and attract new ones by addressing problems that often lead to dropouts after grade 3. This means that children have to move to Kathmandu or neighboring villages and are separated from their families.

The school in Yarle is a year-round school, which is also not a given in Upper Dolpo.

Pre-conditions for support through HUMAN Foundation

In the summer of 2024, our partner organization DTCF in Kathmandu asked us whether we could cover these costs. We have been working together excellently on a wide variety of projects for 10 years. Therefore, our reputation in this region is very high.

After a thorough review of our financial situation, we agreed to the request. It is always important to us that we support projects long term, i.e., for at least 20 years, as it is not easy to find new sponsors. We are committed to a five-year agreement while monitoring how the school develops and will extend the agreement in case of positive results.

What happens in 2025?

Initially, we have been funding the school operations since January 2025. By a fortunate coincidence, a partner organization in Switzerland (myidol Foundation) provided us with the funds to rebuild a building in very poor condition. This will provide four new classrooms. A small part of the old building is still to be renovated.

This helps the children and villagers greatly, and we are all confident that the school will develop positively. Currently, 35 children attend the school.

We are happy that we can give the children in Upper Dolpo the opportunity for a good education, as there are simply no alternatives as long as the families in these villages are happy and want to live there.

A huge thank you to you as part of our donor community for your tremendous support.

The 2024 school year and the 2024/2025 winter school sessions were successfully completed at our three schools in Lhuri, Saldang, and Nyisal in Upper Dolpo. All schools are located approximately 4,000 meters above sea level. Winter schools end in April.

A total of approximately USD 36,000 was spent on school operations (USD 20,000) and construction work (USD 16,000 in Lhuri). We employed 10 teachers and ten support staff.

Winter Schools in Saldang and Nyisal

Upper Dolpo is snow-covered and not accessible by road. Getting there requires a multi-day hike. In winter, families move to lower elevations, leading to school closures and interrupted classes. The Winter School program was created in response to this gap in educational continuity and provides structured learning during the winter months when most schools are closed.

The main goals of the Winter School program are to:

• minimize learning gaps during the winter holidays,
• improve literacy skills among primary school students,
• promote emotional well-being, social responsibility, and independence,
• promote cultural preservation through language, art, and religious practices,
• encourage community participation in children's education.

The children are divided into four groups according to their grade level (Nursery to Grade 6). Classes are held six days a week for four months between 9:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. When the weather is nice, the children sit outside with benches and tables because it is warmer. On particularly cold days, it is very uncomfortable in school, and they were taught either in the kitchen or simple greenhouses, which are somewhat warmer. Nepalese, Tibetan, and English languages, mathematics, and general knowledge are taught, supplemented by dance, singing, cultural rituals, and hygiene measures.

The learning methods used consist of activity-based learning, storytelling with a focus on reading comprehension and vocabulary, as well as interactive games and group work. Individual support is available for students with learning difficulties. In addition, village celebrations are held with the participation of the schools, such as the Losar Festival (Tibetan New Year) with communal cooking, painting competitions, and sports activities.
Monthly Assessmentsare conducted to monitor academic progress. In the first week of April all students successfully passed a final evaluation and showed improvement.

The villagers also contribute and provide the food we buy from them, as well as free heating materials (dried cattle dung) and other unskilled work paid for by us.

75 children attended the two schools, with more than half of the children staying overnight at the school.

Summer School in Lhuri

Before the start of school, over 30 teachers from Dolpo received teacher training, funded by all foreign organizations operating in the Shey Phoksundo area. The training was rated as very helpful by all teachers.

School 2024 began on April 22nd after the long winter break. The children eagerly anticipated their first day.

Our dedicated team of teachers and staff made great efforts to create a welcoming and inclusive learning environment where every student can succeed. All children participated in various activities such as projects, presentations, and group discussions, which promoted teamwork and critical thinking. In addition to the curriculum, which corresponds to the Nepalese standard, sports and games are important components of the semester and promote health, discipline, and teamwork. Our teachers play a central role in guiding the children through lessons, offering support, and addressing individual challenges.

However, the school year also brings with it some difficulties, such as the expectation of positive results, effective time management, and dealing with social challenges. Despite these obstacles, the school provides a supportive environment where students and teachers work together to achieve growth, learning, and development. As with the winter schools, there were social programs such as the Shey Festival, a tree planting event, a painting competition, and hygiene measures.

A total of 21 children attended the school. The main reason for the slight decrease is the fact that we have not yet been able to offer overnight accommodation at the school. We plan to address this shortcoming in 2025 by building a kitchen and a large dormitory and hope to increase the number of children by 2026 at the latest.

We are very proud of our donor community and very grateful for the extraordinary support.