Kathmandu, Feb 8: Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Nepal Dr Thomas Prinz today visited the Winter School 2023/24 in Kathmandu, and met with 11 “bright” students from Chharka in Upper-Dolpa, one of the remotest areas in Nepal.
Every year between December and May, the Chharka Bhot Basic School (CBS) shuts due to harsh temperatures of up to -30 degrees forcing them to seek alternatives to continue their studies.
To continue their school education, students from grade 8 and 9 leave their home-town during winter and embark on a cumbersome journey to Kathmandu where they are enrolled in a boarding school managed by Dolpo Tomorrow, a nonprofit organisation supporting CBS, and financed by Die Bambusschule e.V., a Germany-based nonprofit organisation devoted to improving education and healthcare in Nepal and Laos.
The journey from Dolpa to Kathmandu was not that easy. After a week-long hike through the rugged terrains of Nepal, this year’s batch of students arrived in the capital by the end of November, and immediately took up their studies for the winter months. The 11 students will reside at the hostel until the end of March, studying, exploring and experiencing the city. By March, they will make their way back home to Chharka.
On the occasion, Ambassador Dr Prinz provided gifts to the students, which Dolpo Tomorrow regarded as an extra touch of warmth and encouragement to their experience.
Dolpo Tomorrow has extended its gratitude to the German Embassy and Die Bambusschule e.V. for the ongoing support to CBS, including the recent completion of its washhouse in 2023. This contribution is believed to enhances the learning environment and promotes better hygiene for the students, it said.
CBS is a community school located in the village of Chharka, Dolpa providing access to cost-free and quality education to the children of Chharka and nearby villages.
Located at an elevation of 4320 meters above sea level in the upper part of Dolpa District, Chharka-Bhot is one of the highest, most remote, and inaccessible villages of Nepal.
The school has over 70 students from nursery to grades 9. The students are from Chharka and surrounding villages.
