Wellcome to the pages of the Shechen School!
Shechen Charity Orphan School is privately run charity home and primary school for orphans of Karze prefecture in east Tibet. The purpose of the school is to provide traditional family living environment for orphans and to give them basic education alongside training in practical vocational skills. The school is based on ethical values and promotes Tibetan culture and tradition hand in hand with understanding and appreciation of the modern world. The founder and president of the school is Gangshar Rinpoche, a young Buddhist master from Shechen Monastery in Derge County. The school has been operating since 2006.
-- Gangshar Rinpoche, the founder and director of the charity school for orphans
Glimpses of life at the school
Before and now - comparison of old and new in Shechen school
Tsolha sent us old and new pictures of Shechen school, from which is obvious how much the school progressed and improved.
Tthe old iron gates are replaced, because it was difficult to open and close them and because of the hard wind they were dangerous. The old dining hall was too dark and too small for all the children and cooks to fit in, so when it was not raining and snowing, children ate outside. In the new dining hall they have a lot of space where they can cook and eat healthy and delicious food.
In the old and simple bedroom two children slept in one bed. They also didn't have a place to put their stuff. New bedroom is clean and comfortable and children finally have enough space. The school area never had plants and trees, so they planted trees bythemselves, which represent their dream about nicer and greener future.
Children are so happy because of better living conditions in the school and have even more energy and will for studying.
Report from Shechen school
Tsolha (Rinpoche's sister) sent us photos and school report in which both of them are thanking the sponsors for their help.
" I am very gratefull to all the sponsors who are helping the school from the very beginning. The only way that I can repay your kindness is to continue with hard work and do my best to improve living conditions of children and that one day, when you'll come here, you can see changed and brilliant lives of many young Tibetans." Gangshar Rinpoche
" Thank you from the bottom of our hearts. We wish all caring and kind people who helped us and are still helping us in hard times, all the best. Because od you we firmly believe in bright feature. We pray for everybody who's helping and take care of us. Let your future be bright and happy. Every day and our growth is mixed with your care and your love." Tsolha
Despite of very cold winter, children are less sick than the year before. Children moved into newly built bedrooms. New dining room was also built.
Teachers taught really well for the last 2 years, so the majority of kids achieved good grades. They released a book of essays from all children in Shechen school for which they received high praise. Children's book of essays was published in 2000 copies and sold out within a few days at a Buddhist university Sirdha. Readers and khenpos from Sirdha praised essays and they said that children writing skills go beyond all expectations.
Teachers live two by two in one room in very simple living conditions.
Children help with cleaning the snow in the yard, they carry out firewood and clothes from the sponsors from the truck, the older children help younger children with washing their hair. When they have a break, the kids play in the yard, lots of them are studying in front of the class.
Older children are learning the art of calligraphy. As the level of children's knowledge is higher, they added the sixth grade. Due to lack of space, they have classes in a tent, even in the winter.
Lot of schools where Tibetan students can study Tibetan and other objects in their own language are closed or they significantly reduced the volume of objects. Nomadic students in remote places face the most difficult situation . In Shechen school they are trying very hard to keep the school and to provide quality education.
News from Tso Lha
Bedrooms and dinner hall are under construction. If things go well, children will be moved to new rooms at the end of November.
Due to the very cold and long winter, two children got tuberculosis and are being treated at a hospital in Chengdu.
Yeshi is staying in Chengdu for his treatment after having second head operation in Bejing. He is still not well and it seems that he will never fully recover.
Members of the Slovenian Association of Tibetan dog owners visiting the school
Author of the photos is Primož Peer.
Dr. Christopher Hillman visiting the children in Shechen school
