Disaster Relief
Thrangu family monks flew 28 relief flights into Manang with funding from Sowers Action Hong Kong. Other good hearted folk in Switzerland and Canada have been providing rations in rural communities in Tsum and Sindhupalchok. Helicopters are a lifeline for high altitude people, but renting them drives costs exponentially. As usual, the state seemed to have no presence in the high Himalayas. See Kathmandu Post article, “Floods continue to wreak havoc in Manang.”
25 New Senior Students
25 recent grade 10 SMD graduates have volunteered to give service for a year in various posts, from teaching, to office work and more. After a week of online training, they set off for their new posts. Many have written to assure us that they arrived safely and are excited about this new phase in their lives. SMD Seniors are in high demand — they speak, read and write Tibetan, Nepali and English, and they have had some training in what the Buddha taught.
Online Classes
Almost all our students are in the Kathmandu Valley so they can access online classes. None of our students are allowed to live at SMD as schools have been ordered to close through the pandemic. We have tracked all 15 of our kids who are not able to get instruction as they had to stay in their villages where there is no internet service. The kids are all safe, but cut off by landslides. We currently also have 10 nuns among ours students who normally attend as day students. They are from Tek Chok Ling, Khenpo Tsultrim Rinpoche’s nunnery close by SMD.
Prakriti Lama, SMD Teacher
SMD Teacher Prakriti Lama
SMD teachers have been doing a wonderful job. They really ‘stepped up’ last year when we pivoted to online classes. When school started this year, Dev Raj designed an easy-to use platform, which made teaching and learning a little easier for everyone, and allows access for Munu, our Academic Supervisor & Senior Admin to visit classes. Prakriti Lama teaches Class 4a. She has 26 children in her care. Her classes are absorbing, and the children are engaged and ‘on target’. Prakriti’s online classes are just as excellent as her in-person classes. (A tall order, as any teacher knows.)
Phurba Rinchen M825 at childrens’ park
Monks
In the early morning, before classes, Phurba Rinchen M825 cradles one of our rescued cats, Sherab, on the teeter-totter. All our school-aged monks and their teachers are able to continue living in boarding and attend classes because they are in robes – that means they are not governed by the ministry’s school closure regulations.
COVID-19 in Nepal
More of our staff have been sick with COVID-19. SMD Registrar Niraj is just recovering after a severe bout. His partner, Miss Sonam (our Kindergarten teacher) tested positive but has been without symptoms except fatigue. Their one month old daughter Sonam tested positive and was in ICU for some days. Baby Sonam is back home, mending and (we are glad to know) putting on weight. Across the nation, vaccinations are going on, but ICU beds are full.
In Case You Missed It …
10% Customs Tax On Books – Again: Please do not send new books until the law changes again. Pricing anything out of the hands of the Customs officials is challenging. We gladly receive used books, addressed to SMD.
No outgoing mails: The Nepal Postal System cannot handle outgoing mail. Incoming mail is ok. Please remember to use children’s admission numbers in all correspondence — it really helps us.
Video: Tsewang Gyurme Lama B508 made this film while he was on scholarship at the Inter Community School Zurich, tracing his route to his mountain village. Watch video
Graphic Art by Tenzin Norbu Lama, SMD senior