Druk Padma Karpo runs an active cooperation programme in order to mobilise the best people and resources from within Ladakh, the rest of India and internationally.  We work with educational institutions (notably from India, the UK and the USA), corporate partners, NGO's, individual experts and volunteers.  Participants from many countries bring their knowledge, experience and material resources that add value to the life of the school and the students

Organisations

The following organisations have contributed to the success of our school:

• Aditya Birla International School, Bangalore
• Anant National University - Dr Pramath Sinha, Provost
• Arup
• Aseem Foundation, Pune
• Autodesk
• BaSiC Initiative, USA
• Childreach International
• Goldenmile Learning, Mumbai
• IAHV Read Library
• JetAirways
• kontentreal
• La Ngonpo Project
• Lille Fro Foundation
• Live to Love, International
• Mayacamas Landscape Architecture, CA, USA
• Mind Mingle, Delhi
• Mountain Kingdoms
• Nature Conservation Foundation, Bangalore
• NEEV Academy, Bangalore
• New Lives, India
• Nirmal Bhartia School, Delhi
• Ogilvy & Mather, Los Angeles
• Peaks Foundation, UK
• Podar World School, Gurjarat
• PRAVAH
• SEEDS
• Snow Leopard Conservancy, India
• SP Jain Institute of Management & Research Mumbai
• St. Christopher School, Letchworth, UK
• University of Cambridge Primary School, UK
• University of Greenwich, UK
• Vinod Chopra Films

Partner - Drukpa Trust team in England

Drukpa Trust is a registered charity in England, number 1178756, and has been involved since the inception of the school project in the 1990's

The Trust has six trustees and one part-time employee:

Chair: Dr Steven Robert Todd
Deputy Chair: Annie Smith
Jonathan Rose RIBA
Treasurer : Di Cook
Wendy Cornwell
Roland Reinardy
Project Manager: Rachel Glynn

You can contact Drukpa Trust via the project manager by emailing: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Copyright

Druk Padma Karpo School would like to thank the following for allowing us to reproduce their work on this site:

• Arup
• Graham Brandon
• Jennifer Chandler
• Philip Cornwell
• Wendy Cornwell 
• Julayne Farmer
• Rachel Glynn
• Chinch Gryniewicz
• Ian Hazard
• BaSiC Initiative
• Sebastian Kaminski
• Michael Kern
• Connor McGrath
• Dick Polak
• Rupam Ray
• Roland Reinardy
• Christian Richters
• Sudhir Sinde
• Annie Smith
• Robert van Sluis
• Emilie van Wijnbergen
• Katerina Zographou

If you would like to reproduce any material found on this site, please contact us so that we can help you organise the appropriate permissions or licences

Responsible Tourism in Ladakh

Mountain Kingdoms (UK) has an ethical tourism policy and its clients offset their carbon travel footprint by investing in the Druk Padma Karpo solar energy system

Supporters can make donations through the Educational Development Fund (EDF) to finance:

• Extra Teachers
  • especially in specialist areas such as the local language (Bodhic) and IT.
• Resources
  • including books, learning materials and sports equipment.
• Teacher Training
  • this is a crucial area since our Ladakhi and Tibetan teachers are young and enthusiastic, but few have been trained in modern educational methods.
• Hardship Fund
  • in cases of exceptional need, the Fund can pay for children’s clothing and equipment; assistance is always given as material help - the school buys the items needed for the child and does not give money to the families concerned.

How to Help:

Donations can be made online or by downloading a print-and-mail form. You can find out more on our How To Donate page.

In order to reach out to families in remote areas, and to offer disadvantaged children the chance of a high-quality education in their own culture, the school offers a number of sponsored places. This is one of the most important humanitarian functions of the school.

Residential Children

The cost of sponsoring a residential child covers all the child's needs, including: schooling, books and stationery, uniform, accommodation and care on-campus, three good meals a day, casual clothes, medical and dental care, school trips, and so on. If full residentail sponsorship is too expensive for you alone, you may sponsor a child together with somebody else.

Day Children

Alternatively, you may sponsor a day pupil, which may include bus transport to and from school.

What do sponsors recieve?

"We hope you will enjoy happiness from giving a child a chance to flourish."

Each year you will receive a copy of the child's end-of-year school report,and a photograph. The children are encouraged to write to their sponsors.

How to Sponsor:

If you would like to sponsor a disadvantaged child, please contact Mme Sarla Chhewang, our Sponsorship Coordinator.  Mme Sarla will be happy to let you know how to proceed and answer any questions you may have.

Druk White Lotus School is in the final phase of constructing facilities to take students from Nursery through Secondary (High School) level, class 10 (UK 'GCSE' level; age 16+). 

a “just in time” construction delivery system

Additional classrooms, laboratories and other facilities have been constructed each year to facilitate the on-going education of the students already enrolled as they move up the school – a “just in time” construction delivery system. We constantly need to keep ahead of the students' needs.

2012 saw the completion of the defensive measures to protect the school from any future mud slides, plus two additional Secondary School classrooms and the North block of Residence 4.

The current priorities for 2013 are: (1) to construct the South block of Residence 4, to accommodate remote area students, (2) to complete two IT-enabled classrooms, (3) build a block of latrines, (4) build foundations ready for the 2014 construction season.

In 2014 we want to build the final classroom and a staff room, a dining hall and kitchen extension, upgrade the central courtyard, landscape the site and create sports facilities, and to create the associated infrastructure. In the future there may be an Auditorium/Library that will lie at the very heart of the school (please see the computer simulation below of the planned Auditorium/Library).

How to Help:

Investments can be made online or by posting cheques. You can find out more on our How To Donate page.

Our school is a not-for-profit institution and receives no direct public funding. Families and sponsors pay socially-affordable school fees, and additional funds can provide high-quality staff and material resources that 'make a big difference'.  You can join the journey by investing your passion, energy, expertise, time and money:

•  Volunteer your expertise and time

Please e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. attaching your CV/resume if you are interested in volunteering. Volunteering at the school takes place between May and September.

By offering their time and expertise, and paying their own expenses, volunteers make a significant contribution to the life of the school and its students. Nearly all the international support for the project is provided on a voluntary basis, including the work of the Arup Design Team.  

Ian Hazard, Construction Coordinator:

Ian Hazard is an Architect from Arup Associates who spent six months with us as a volunteer. Why not find out more about volunteer opportunities in Ladakh?.

Saving more permanent teeth

The condition of students' teeth in Ladakh tends to be poor, due to a combination of diet (too many sweet things) and lack of dental hygiene. We are paying a lot of attention to preventive care in order to protect the students’ permanent teeth. Dentist Michel Guinet and his partner Corinne Barbier from Tahiti visited the school in April (their third visit) to offer fissure sealant treatment to the children. They treated around 140 permanent teeth on this occasion. They were joined this time by Jean-Philippe Bréard, a dentist from Grenoble, France.

Through the generosity of donors in France, Tahiti and UK, we were able to purchase a portable dental unit and related equipment, which they were able to use. You can see from the photos that we are still saving up to buy a dental chair! Michel, Corinne and JP demonstrated that toothbrushing and nose blowing can be fun! In addition, dentists from the dzi Foundation, USA, returned to Leh and kindly treated some of the children who they had checked last year.

Students from Alton College, UK, raised funds for the school and then came to Ladakh in summer 2009 to build an exercise trail and experience a challenging trek in the Markha Valley. The school recently employed a Physical Education teacher.

We are cooperating with the ladies of Gya village to transform their pashmina, sheep and Yak wool into stylish knitted goods that visitors will wish to buy and wear. This 'win-win' situation will bring pleasure to the owners, and generate income for the ladies of Gya and for Druk White Lotus School.