(Winter-)Schools in the remote mountains of Nepal

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.