In the pristine hills of the Tawang district in Arunachal Pradesh, a small village smiles with the hope of a better future. And a Padma Shri awardee has been a pioneer in bringing that hope.
From constructing to running a special residential school and orphanage for the children of the district, Lama Thupten Phuntsok is ensuring a home for the kids. What started in a small shed-like school with only 17 students is a flourishing temple of education today.
“Students from the school have become lawyers, engineers and IAS officers too. It was my hometown and I felt responsible to do something for the children here,” he says in a conversation with The Better India.
Presently, the school gives food, shelter and clothing to more than 300 students. In need of constant support, you can help Lama Thupten too. Here is how.
Coming back home
Lama Thupthen recalls, “It all started on October 30, 1998, with 17 very needy and poor children. The establishment of such an institution in this area was necessary due to the dire conditions and lack of resources.”
Born in the same area, he went to Mysuru in Karnataka for higher education. “I was born and raised in Tawang district, in a remote border area in Arunachal Pradesh. My early education was at a local monastery before moving to South India for higher studies,” he says.
While he was completing his graduation there, he spent 12 years in Mysore. “I studied Buddhist philosophy and Tibetan language, ultimately earning my PhD in the same,” he shares.
“Upon returning, I witnessed many challenges in the local community such as the absence of gynaecologists, leading to maternal deaths. Numerous road accidents were leaving children orphaned here. The village facilities were extremely poor, and malnutrition was rampant. These issues led to a significant number of orphans in the area with nowhere to go,” he says.
The children would often end up living with their relatives who lacked the means to raise them, he explains.
In a bid to address this dire situation, he decided to open an orphanage and a school. At that time, he was working as a teacher in a school in the area.
“I worked for around seven years while nurturing this dream and saving for it. I used my personal savings from working at Tawang Public School for seven years,” he says.
He continues, “I purchased a piece of land from local owners, and with the help of the local army authority, we levelled the ground and constructed small huts using mud, stone, and tin sheets. We started with eight rooms and employed three teaching staff, including myself. We taught every day, covering subjects like Buddhist philosophy and the local language.”
These kids who stayed with their relatives often lived as housemaids or caretakers for their cousins. “Initially, we faced difficulties in convincing them to send their orphaned children to us. However, these children were in a very poor condition suffering from malnutrition and neglect,” he says.
Despite these challenges, Lama Thupthen managed to gather 17 children by 1998.
The school, Manjushree Vidyapeeth, presently is a home to more than 300 students.
“The awareness about our orphanage grew, and more people started sending their children to us. Despite no government support until 2015-16, we managed to raise funds through foreign sponsorships and my personal travels for fundraising. By 2010, we had around 57 children,” he says.
He adds, “Our perseverance paid off and now we have over 300 children, separate dormitories for boys and girls, an academic block, and around 37 staff members.”
He shares how even the Dalai Lama visited them twice, once in 2003 and again in 2009, appreciating their efforts.
The children that the school takes in come from various age groups and backgrounds, often with no prior education.
“We provide them with vocational training in fields like tailoring, wood carving, plumbing, and hotel management, helping them secure employment,” he adds.
Over 300 children thrive in the school!
Talking about the various hurdles and challenges he faced running the school, Lama Thupthen shares, “The local army station provided additional support with dry rations and clothing. We had no electricity, no drinking water, and no proper roads. We fetched water from a nearby stream, boiled it for drinking and cooking, and used firewood for it. Life was tough, but we persevered.”
He adds, “In 2003, the Dalai Lama visited our place and generously supported us financially, covering teacher salaries for five years. Gradually, we requested and received electricity from the government.”
The changemaker and the school has received several awards for his social work, including the Perry Award and a gold medal from the state government. The national government also recognised their efforts in child and women welfare and awarded him the Padma Shri in 2007.
The school teaches all the subjects and is affiliated to CBSE up to class 10. The school even has computer courses to help students with vocational training.
“Many of our former students have now grown up and are working in various fields, including medical, banking, and government sectors,” he informs.
He shares, “After completing their schooling, we help our students pursue higher education in various colleges. Some of them study in Delhi, Mangaluru, and other places, specialising in fields like nursing, engineering, and hotel management.”
In recent years, the infrastructure in our remote area has improved significantly and we are better off from where we started, he shares.
Currently, the school cares for children from 34 districts, including Tawang, West Kameng, and East Kameng districts, providing them with education and a brighter future.
How can you help?
Lama Thupten does not need to be the only one keeping the school running.
The school is always looking for support in cash or kind. You can help them by donating a small amount which will sponsor a child for a month. It will include their education, food, clothing and shelter.
“The cost of supporting a child is Rs 600 per month for Indian sponsors and $1 per day for foreign sponsors. We rely heavily on foreign sponsorships and individual donations for funding,” says Lama Thupten.
(Edited by Padmashree Pande; All Images Credit: Lama Thupten)
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