The situation in Upper Dolpo during Corona is not always easy. Nepal still has strict rules. Sometimes it also affects the locals of Upper Dolpo when there is another ban that the locals are not allowed to leave their villages.
The “summer school” in Saldang started again at the end of July and can also be held with short interruptions. The government distributed masks, but they do not dominate the daily routine. The central government in Nepal has actually not allowed schools to run, but the local governments want classes to take place again. However, no teachers are provided by the government, only local and private teachers are in Saldang who are paid by the Friends of Nepal.
It is not currently possible to say whether our winter school period in Saldang and Nyisal will start without any problems.
The farming activities of the local villagers are going as planned, as you can see from the wonderful picture with the green fields.
Unfortunately, we have no news from our school project in Nyisal at the moment, as unlike Saldang there is no phone contact at all.
In summary: the Dolpa-pa are trying to deal with the pandemic in the best possible way, however, feel sometimes unsafe. Overall they can largely go on with their lives “without panic”. We very much hope that there will be no major health problems, but things are currently going quite well. Hygiene is also an issue in Saldang, which is why schoolchildren are encouraged to wash their hands.
Enjoy a little Tibetan dance performance by some of the children.