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The
Children in the
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The parents of our children in the mountains are
small farmers belonging to the Tibetan speaking Sherpa people. They are
Buddhists. Their forefathers migrated from eastern Tibet to the valleys south
of Mount Everest around five hundred years ago. Their home is now the
north-east of Nepal, adjacent to Tibet. Together with their caravans of yaks
they used to travel north to transport rice and spices from the valleys in
the south to Tibet's inhospitable high plateau. On the return journey the
animals were laden with salt, wool and dried meat: goods which even today are
in great demand in Nepal. The Chinese occupation of Tibet has interrupted
this trade. |
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The
Sherpa live in small villages and isolated hamlets on the southern slopes of the
highest mountain range on earth, the Himalaya. Their small farms are situated
at altitudes between 6,000 and 9,000 feet above sea level (2,000 to
3,000 metres). Their fields are on man-made terraces or on the more gentle hill slopes. They grow wheat, potatoes, and
vegetables for their own use. In the summer months one or two members of the
family take the animals up to the high mountain pastures, where, at an
altitude of 12,000 to 14,500 feet (4,000 to 4,500 metres), they
look after their yaks and cattle until the end of August. |
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In the
trekking season some of our children's fathers and elder brothers work as
guides for trekking tourists or in expeditions. But only very few are lucky
enough to find this kind of employment. Hardly any of the fathers and only
one of the mothers of our children can read or write. Until a generation ago
these skills were a privilege reserved for the monks. Even today not all of a
family's children are allowed to go to school. Girls are often taken out of
school again after two or three years as their help is needed at home. |
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This boy
comes from a very poor family background. He has to contribute to the
family's income by working as a porter. His dream of education will never
come true. Our children
are well aware that an opportunity to get school education is a valuable
chance. Some even come on their own initiative as teenagers to attend the
first and second classes with their younger brothers and sisters. As hardly
any families are in a position to afford sending their children to boarding
school we ask you to sponsor a child so that these children and young people
can get the education they long for. 20 Euro only per month are needed
to send a child to school in Phugmoche: that
includes teaching, board and lodgings. |
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