With this report we can deliver great news. In January this year, we finally decided to build a new school in the village of Lhuri in Upper Dolpo. We have been supporting the “Shree Tripitak Basic School” in Lhuri since 2021.
Our special thanks go to Gaby and Matthias Wahl, who are financing the construction of the school in memory of their son Alexander Wahl, who passed away last year.
The village of Lhuri in the Upper Dolpo, between Saldang and Nyisal, consists of the three-village parts Ke, Lhuri and Sungjer, all at an altitude of around 13,000 ft. The school in Lhuri was closed during the civil war in Nepal (1999-2006) and did not reopen afterwards. The government built a small school building a long time ago, but it is now in a very dilapidated condition and is not a safe environment for children’s education.
Dawa Phuntsok, a youth from Lhuri village who attended the school in Kathmandu, recently reopened the school with our support. Last year, 23 students attended the school. Three teachers were available for teaching and supervision. Since the children have not had any regular lessons up to now, there has not been any class assignment. Of the 23 children, 14 children were in the care (nursery) and 9 children in kindergarten/preschool. The plan for 2022 is that 11 children are in care (nursery), 5 children in kindergarten and 7 children in the 1st grade. With each additional school year, the next higher class will be started, so that class 5 can be put into operation in 2026. One additional teacher will be hired each year, making a total of 6-7 teachers.
In the long run, an increasing number of students is to be expected, since the children from Sungjer and Ke are also attending the classes. In particular, the children from Sungjer will sleep at school because it is too far to go home.
We want to start construction of the new school complex in the local architectural style this year and by the end of the year we will have built eight rooms:
- A kitchen
- Two dormitory rooms
- 4 classrooms for Nursery, Kindergarten, first and second grade
- An office room for the teachers
The crucial question is whether we can get enough wood approved for construction. Wood is a very scarce commodity and is regulated by the government.
If everything goes according to plan, we will construct the remaining buildings in the coming year, including the sanitary facilities and a school wall. Then we hope to have enough wood for the interior design, such as the school desks. We may also have to postpone some construction activities until 2024. For this year it is important that we lay the foundation for the new school.
We also fund ongoing operations and have made a commitment for at least 20 years, barring any extraordinary event. The funding of the school building is largely secured, but the annual operation expenses must also be ensured for the teachers, teaching equipment and game materials, food, school clothes and the high transport costs from Kathmandu to Lhuri.
We are very pleased that we can tackle this project, especially because a local and former student from neighboring Saldang, where we finance the winter school, took the initiative.
We would be very happy if you continue to support us with our new undertaking. Thank you for your generosity and your trust in our work.
Another special thank you goes to the architects Ursula Schmid in Munich/Burghausen, who designed the plans for us free of charge and gave us many good tips for the construction.
Lhuri School Area
Locals with students and teachers
Lessons in 2021
