Thrangu Rinpoche founded Shree Mangal Dvip School (SMD) in 1987 with the aim to provide free education for the children from the high Himalayas of northern Nepal, many of which are lacking even the basic human needs of access to clean water and sufficient food.

The SMD main campus is situated close to the ancient Buddhist stupa of Boudhanath (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), about 10 km northeast of central Kathmandu, Nepal. We offer nursery to grade 11 (in 24-25 we will offer Grade 12) 10 to over 500 students ranging from the age of five to early twenties. To accomodate the 11s and 12s, we’re offering classes on shift.  After finishing Grade 10 there are two possibilities for SMDers: a. they can take a Gap Year to help other students (including nuns and monks) as they have been helped  b. or, they can go directly into Grade 11, either at SMD (or, if we do not offer the academic stream they are interested in) at a specialist high school (mainly Fine Arts and Law). The senior students remain with us go to early shift classes, then help SMD in administrative, teaching and mentoring positions. Over 80 graduates have won scholarships to finish their high-school certification at top independent schools overseas.

365 days a year, we house and provide for more than 400  boarding students from mountain villages; they are joined from Sundays to Fridays by around 200 day students from across the Kathmandu valley, including nuns and monks from Thrangu Tara Abbey Nunnery, and Thrangu Tashi Choling Monastery. We also have nuns from Tek Chok Ling Nunnery (Khenpo Tsultrim) and lay kids sent by Mingyur Rinpoche. We also offer training and employment to almost 100 teachers and support staff.

The children are given a secular education enriched by instruction in the “lama language” (Tibetan) and Himalayan culture. Our classes are instructed in English and follow the current Nepal government school curriculum (math, science, English, Nepali, social studies and computer studies). Important to the foundation and aim of our school is that our students receive the teachings of the Buddha with the inclusion of daily prayer and meditation.

The young monks and nuns have a more rigorous schedule. They study Dharma texts and learn practices and rituals when they return to their monastic setting at the end of the school day.

Watch Nelha’s story for an introduction to the school and campus: