Name: Namgyaling Tibetan Settlement.
Location: Chhairo, Mustang, Nepal
Altitude from Sea level: Around 2670 meters.
Brief History:
Tibet lost its territory in 1959. From then on, hundreds of Tibetans flew into the territory of Nepal which is the nearest neighboring country. They took shelter in the nearby local villages. This settlement was built purely for the Tibetan refugees.
During the early 1960s, the Red Cross Society bought this very land and allotted to them. Many of them worked in the road making such as the present Jomsom airport. Some of them even practiced barter trading across the border and the nearby areas.
Present:
Today, this settlement has around 40 families with total population of 200 people. Most of them have their origin from the Tibet, Ngari and Tsang provinces of the old free Tibet. They practice their culture, language, religion and preserve their unique identity.
This is a community shop and guest House.
Education:
School building and School head Master in office and teachers room
Under the management and guidance of Snow Lion Foundation (SLF) which mean Education Ministry of Tibetan Govt. in Exile, Kathmandu, there is a primary school up to grade four registered under the name of “SHREE SARASWATI ENGLISH PRIMARY SCHOOL” education ministry of Nepal. This very school was established in 1988.
After grade, students go to Pokhara to continue their studies. This is English Medium School and all subjects are teaching in English with Nepal and of course Tibetan language, religion, history etc.
Left: Dr. Tenzin Dharke (President of HGO) and right: Head Master of School
Group photo with Class teacher and group photos with His Holiness Dalai Lama
Occupation:
The Tibetans do farming (self-sufficiency) on the land allotted by the Red Cross. Main crops for cultivation are Potato, Millet, Maize, Wheat, Beans and apple farming.
Recently, few people have started running small souvenir shops on rent from the local villagers, For the trekkers and tourists, there is a lodge- cum- restaurant in the heart of the settlement run by the community.
Language and Religion:
Tibetans here practice Buddhism. Old Tibetan traditional practices are still followed. Also all people speak Nepal and, most of younger people speak English too.
Contribution from Volunteer to Community:
This settlement is under the Tibetan Government in Exile, they have community members and local assembly as well as general manager as head of the settlement that is looking after the wellbeing of the community as well as rules and regulation etc.
Volunteer will specially work at school by teaching and helping anything they need in office or in classrooms or other curricular activities. They have full time teachers and the headmaster personally requested me to recommend those volunteer who are interested in teaching drawing, music, dance etc.
This is Tibetan refugee settlement and all students of this school are pure Tibetan from same community and they have regular classes in day time but evening and morning also they have special activities like Morning Prayer, self-study time at evening. Most of curricular activities are held after class at school and community hall.
Volunteer will teach them drawing, sing and song with dance after class and morning but in the day time volunteer will also get classes ( its depend on situation), also volunteer can participate in the activities of community like farming, cleaning, special community gathering as festival and religious ceremony, etc.
Volunteer will stay at community lodge and all shopping and lodging and food expenses will directly contribute to the community welfare. As Tibetan are very hardworking, cheerful, kind hearted, warm with very welcoming guest as well as Tibetan have very rich culture and faith, compassion and practicing of religion ceremony.
I assure you that this volunteer trip will change your life and it will be life changing experience for individual.
How to get there:
We have two option, they are:
01st Option: by bus /or Jeep :
From Kathmandu to Beni by bus (approximately 11 hours) and next day by Bus/jeep to Marpha(chhairo) ( approximately 9 hrs)
02nd Option: by bus and air:
From Kathmandu to Pokhara by tourist bus (approximately 6 hrs) then next day by flight to Jomsom (approximately 45mins) after breakfast hike to Chhairo(Placement)(approximately 4 hrs)