Yangrima eNews > December 1997

Dear Friends, Namaste!!

It is difficult to decide where to begin writing about the past year. There have been so many things happening that in trying to mention them all, I would like to apologize for anything that I might have forgotten or inadequately covered.

In February, when the new school term started, it was also a new dawn for me as the Principal. After working nine years for the school, this was my first lime as the school principal.

This year we decided to start class nine (after waiting for two years), thus becoming a secondary school. It was a major milestone in Yangrima School history, which started as a primary school with only seven children. It is a new achievement to be able to educate our children in the village until they finish their secondary education. It has also meant a deeper commitment.

In spring, the students organized a fabulous school picnic and an excellent cultural show for the parents. Everyone involved at the cultural show will remember Sanu Gopal, for his tireless efforts at making the show such a big success. A visit to Yangri Mountain by the school was also an amazing experience.

During the monsoon season, we tried a new experiment by closing the school for a short period to see if the school children would help their parents on the farms. The finding was very positive. We are now thinking about ways to make the winter holidays shorter (from six weeks to four weeks), thereby giving holidays when there is work in the fields. However, the main problem is that it is too cold in the winter to be in the classroom. Better insulation and some stoves would solve this problem but the cost has to be met.

In the autumn, the school received an invitation to participate in the district level inter high school cultural program competition and we were awarded the first prize.

Thereafter, we went to the national level competition, which was held at the National City Hall in Kathmandu. Our children, some of whom have never been to Kathmandu or seen electricity before, performed at the indoor stage in front of about a thousand people. It was a wonderful experience, even though arranging the visit of thirty-five children for one week in Kathmandu, with an extremely low budget (of less than 200 US$) was an additional challenge. I want to thank Santa & Rangan for giving most of their holidays to help prepare for the competition. I am sure the experience was as meaningful to them as it was for the children. I also want to thank Gunhild Jensen from the Danish Folk High School Association for sponsoring the educational tour, which was organized during the Kathmandu visit. As well, I thank Puma Lama, principal of Ideal English School in Kathmandu, for providing us with the school bus during our Kathmandu visit.

A very special thanks to Simon Shirley, a Rudolf Steiner teacher from England. who was just passing by Sermathang but after visiting the school spent most of his time helping us in our preparation for the big show in Kathmandu. His warm encouragement and company shall remain with the children and us for a long time.

In November. we had the pleasure of hosting some very experienced teachers from Denmark. Our few days together in Sermathang has resulted in connecting three of our classes with their classes in Denmark. and a beginning for more exchanges between the two.

I also want to thank all of you who are continually sponsoring the children at Yangrima and who are helping with other projects at the school.

As we come close to the end of this year, we feel very happy that 1997 has brought some more warm people close to us. At this moment we think about you and send you our best wishes and good energies.

Sincerely Yours
Gopal Lama
Principal