LINGSHED AREA DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION
The Lingshed Area Development Foundation was founded by Geshe Ngawang Jangchup in November 2004. Registered as a non-profit organization, its purpose is to make both modern and Buddhist education available to the children of the Lingshed area in Ladakh, Northern India. The vision is for the future generations of Lingshed not only to be able to break the poverty cycle through education, but also to maintain Buddhist spiritual development in the area.
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For a modern education through secondary level, the children needed to attend good quality schools in Leh district in Ladakh. To reach Leh, the children would have to trek for about a week from Lingshed, crossing several high mountain passes. This journey is made even more hazardous during winter. The answer to this is to build a hostel near Leh to house the children and provide care while the children attend school. A children hostel was thus started in Leh district in Ladakh with 6 children initially. Situated in Choglamsar area, the location is opposite the palace of H.H. The Dalai Lama.
To date, the foundation is supporting 62 children between the ages of 6 to 16 years old. All the children study in the best schools in and around Leh and all the costs associated with their education, accommodation, food and health are borne by the Foundation. The Foundation is operated in a participative and democratic way, with the children managing most of the day to day functions, guided by the hostel staff. This helps to build leadership skills in all of them.
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This was the beginning of the Choglamsar Residential Hostel in Leh, Ladakh.