Please follow this links for a Slideshow from Reuters India regarding the flash floods in Ladakh
The clip below, from YouTube, is of an Indian TV station news bulletin on the damage caused by mudslide the to the school
Even the playground was damaged by the flood
15h00 London time, Sunday 8th August 2010
Phil Cornwell (school’s UK project office) spoke today to Sonam Angdus (Construction Manager), Anokhee Shah (Arup Resident Engineer), and to Regina Ulwer and Pankaj Bansal (volunteers) in Ladakh.
The IT room was devastated and all the computers will need to be replaced.
The Administration courtyard suffered the brunt of the mudslide. As shown in one of the photographs below the mud reached the roof on the wall nearest to the school entrance, entered the Principal’s office, and completely flood it with mud that reached waist high level.
|
Heavy downpours triggered flash floods and mudslides in Ladakh on Friday 6th August 2010. Choglamsar and Leh were the worst affected areas. A mudslide flowed across the Druk White Lotus School campus in Shey in the early hours of Friday and all 200 residential children were evacuated to Shey Palace on nearby high ground. There was no loss of life or serious injuries at the school. Official information about the situation in Ladakh is available at www.ladakhflood.org. If you wish to contribute financially to the school’s clean-up, repair and re-equipping, or to help the school community, please use the How to Donate page. |
“The Earth Awards is an aspirational platform for consumer-driven ideas that challenge designers and innovators to build a new economy. It begins with a global search where creatives from all walks of life are invited to submit cutting-edge designs which have the potential to encourage immediate action to drive positive change. A consortium of the greatest creative thinkers of our time makes up the Earth Awards Selection Committee. Their task is to identify viable innovations that have the potential to improve our quality of life. Once the committee has selected the finalists, they will be presented to world industry leaders with the means to bring them to market.” From The Earth Awards Mission Statement
Please follow this link to visit The Earth Awards website.
The Druk White Lotus School and the Earth Awards selection committee
3 members of The Earth Awards Selection Committee are directly involved with the Druk White Lotus school project:
- His Holiness The Gyalwang Drukpa is founder of the Druk White Lotus School and spiritual leader of Drukpa lineage of Tibetan Buddhism
- Jonathan Rose RIBA designed the Druk White Lotus School master plan and is Principal of AECOM and former Principal of Arup Associates
- Sergio Palleroni, co-founder and Director, BaSiC Initiative and Professor and Fellow of the Centre for Sustainable Processes and Practices at Portland State University
BaSiC Initiative and the Druk White Lotus School
The Druk White Lotus School is a BaSiC Initiative Global Community Studio. Global Community Studios “address the challenges and urgent physical needs of marginalized communities around the globe. Offering architectural solutions beyond simple shelter, this program seeks to provide holistic environmental solutions to clients' needs including energy, waste, and water concerns. Students involved in these studios are taught to look beyond national politics to see themselves as global citizens.” In the summer of 2009, students spent five weeks in Ladakh conducting research intimately tied to the region and local skills. Research included the investigatory building of a traditional yak-hair tent which led to construction at the Druk White Lotus School of much needed devices such as tensile shade canopies, a willow pergola, a rammed-earth greenhouse learning centre, and an instructive irrigation-demonstration water fountain.
The research conducted last year on traditional yak-hair tents and the construction of the tensile shade canopies inspired the design and construction, during this year’s visit to the Druk White Lotus School by BaSiC Initiative, of a large tensile shading canopy that will be installed at school during the summer of 2011 and will serve as the Commonwealth/ Live to Love Pavilion at the ‘A Garden Party To Make A Difference’ to be held at Marlborough House between 8 and 19 September 2010 .
A Garden Party To Make A Difference
The Earth Awards is participating in A Garden Party To Make A Difference, “a rare opportunity to visit the historic gardens of Clarence House, Lancaster House and Marlborough House, as well as experience a unique festival in the heart of London. With its programme of comedy, debate, fashion, food, garden and home, this is an opportunity to get involved in one of the most exciting events that the capital will see this summer. Think of it as the Hay On Wye festival, the ideal home show and grand designs with a sprinkling of a summer festival.”
A Garden Party To Make A Difference will also provide an opportunity to view a world-class exhibition in sustainable design of which the Commonwealth/Live to Love Pavilion will be part of.
Tickets for A Garden Party To Make A Difference are now on sale, to buy tickets please follow this link: Tickets for A Garden Party To Make Difference.
Summer Garden Party, Award winning all day food – local beers, amazing live music, family friendly
Artists include:
Hipslinky • Julia K • Mike Dawes + Amy Turk • Watershed • Andrew Morris • Geoff Allnutt • Brassneck • Aimeé • Marco • Des Simon the Keys • Liz Williams • Jaime • WillB & The Bikini Black Special • The Hanging Tree Band • Audi Maserati
A date for your diary:
New branch school in Khachey
Druk White Lotus School, Khachey, opened its doors on 10th April 2010 with Nursery, Lower Kindergarten and Upper Kindergarten classes. The school is located in the Kargil District of Ladakh, about 7 hours' drive from the mother school in Shey.
The school has around twenty students, two teachers (Ms Tsewang Dolkar and Ms Tsering Chozom) and a support staff member. One teacher is a graduate with a strong background in English language and sports, and the other is an undergraduate with a strong Bothi language background. One reason for starting the Khachey School was to provide education in English and Bothi languages in an area that predominately focuses on Urdu. Staff underwent training at the mother school in Shey before the school opening. The school was initiated by and is owned by the local community.
The inauguration ceremony was well attended by villagers and the school has their wholehearted support. They are paying for one teacher and need your support to pay for the other @ Rs12,000 / US$260 / €215 / £180 per month. Villagers are paying half the cost of the Montessori equipment and need your help to pay the other half: Rs42,225 / US$900 / €750 / £620.
Thank you for joining our community.