Lamdon School is in Leh, the capital of Ladakh. It was founded in 1973 to educate children beyond primary stage, and to preserve the Ladakhi cultural heritage.
Under the auspices of the Lamdon Social Welfare Society — an NGO established in 1970 by a group of young, dedicated Ladakhis with the main aim of promoting education and health — the school started in a rented building with just 12 pupils and one teacher. The Society's members saw education as the main tool for dispelling ignorance, and for preserving the cultural wealth of Ladakh. They stressed the importance of learning the Ladakhi language and culture, alongside mathematics, science, English, Hindi and social science.
With the tireless efforts of the Lamdon Society, the blessings of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, and the support of well-wishers, Lamdon School has firmly established itself as the leading educational institution in Ladakh.
Who the school serves
There are around 1,200 children at the school in Leh, most of whom are Buddhist. Many come from poor families and remote areas; a few are orphans. Without external funding, some would have no chance of a formal education beyond primary level. Around 400 students currently have help with their fees, and the school continues to look for donors to support those most in need.
The school has two hostels to house children from remote areas, who return home from November to February when the school closes. Lamdon serves an area so remote it can be virtually cut off from the outside world during these months — children making their way back to their families can face days of walking in harsh conditions.
Aims and values
Lamdon's stated aims include providing quality education and equality to all, preserving and promoting Ladakh's cultural heritage, teaching the Ladakhi language as a compulsory subject, instilling good values, and providing free education to children from poor families through sponsorship.