The short and long term relief objectives for Lamdon School

• The compassionate generosity extended by the international community will enable the principal to extend shelter and relief to many of his students now directly affected by the catastrophe.
• Over 90 of the students at Lamdon School have lost their house or members of their family to the flood.
• Overcrowding has now taxed the school facilities to the breaking point.

Girls Hostel Annex

• Over 150 families petitioned the principal to admit their children to the school’s hostel facilities because of flood damage to their homes or the tragic loss of a family member.
• Mr Eshey Tundup compassionately admitted most of them, but it has created an unsustainable over crowding at the hostels.
• Most of the young girls are now sleeping 2-to-a-bed or on the floor on small mattresses and sleeping bags.

Girl’s Hostel Annex Location

Girl’s Hostel Annex Costings and Plans

To provide immediate assistance for the students and staff:

The rapidly approaching winter of Ladakh is looming for all those who have had their basic residence and possessions destroyed by the flood.  One of the highest immediate priorities of The Lamdon Social Welfare Society is to identify and assist all of the students and staff who need basic accommodation, school uniforms, books and a total waiver of their school tuition so that they may return to school as soon as possible.  The principal, Mr. Eshey Tundup, estimates that the cost of this necessity will be at least $700 USD per student and there are at least 90 of his students in this desperate situation.

Update:

August 20, 2010: The first donated funds have reached the Lamdon School flood relief account and have immediately been utilized to issue two sets of summer and winter school uniforms, books, school supplies and a total waiver of tuition for 25+ students that have showed up at Lamdon School-Leh with little more than the clothes they were wearing on the night of the flood.  This effort will continue and become more complex as students return who are homeless or living temporarily in refugee tents erected by the Indian army.  We must find suitable accommodation for these students (and staff) for the winter which extends from November > March. Funds are immediately and urgently needed to stabilize this personal crisis.  Our provisional plan is to provide basic tented accommodation and meal preparation facilities for 50>100 people inside the large hall on the campus over the long winter months ahead.

To provide food and water to all the students at the school:

Because of limited fuel supplies and the poor conditions of the roads, it is impossible for most of the day students to return home for lunch.  Therefore, hot lunch meals are being provided for virtually all of the 1,500 students at the school.  This is enormously expensive, but very necessary for the short term until at least the winter school break in December.

Update:

This extended meal program is now being executed to as large an extent as possible. In addition, the new solar powered pump and fresh water well which was installed at the school to irrigate the extensive forestation project is being mobilized for the extremely beneficial task of providing clean, safe drinking water for not only the students of Lamdon School, but the Leh community as a whole through tanker trucks that are being filled from this well.

To provide medical care for the sick and injured:

Many of the students were injured during the flood and now many more are becoming ill from poor sanitation, exposure and contaminated water supplies.  Our small clinic on campus is stretched to the limit and funds are needed to purchase large additional quantities of medical and dental supplies.  The pharmacist from whom we formally purchased all of our medical supplies from in Leh had his shop and warehouse completely destroyed in the flood, so supplies must be flown from Delhi.  A large quantity of water purification tablets have already been sent to Lamdon School from New Delhi and we are now ordering additional medical supplies utilizing funds that have been received from donors.

To repair and restore the severely damaged dormitories at Lamdon School – Shey:

A branch campus of Lamdon School located in the small village of Shey was badly damaged during the flood.  The 145 students living in the dilapidated structure of the hostel are in danger from their compromised condition.  The younger students are also constantly traumatized from their recollections of the night of the flood and are fearful whenever there is inclement weather.

Update:

Basic excavations and rudimentary repairs have already been done to stabilize the structures for the short term, but major reconstruction must be undertaken next spring.

To help Anyone in Every way possible:

The mandate of the Lamdon Social Welfare Society is immediately focused on the health and welfare of the students, staff and families of the Lamdon School community.  That said, they are also very much aware and determined to play a major role in the rehabilitation of the entire Ladakh community.  Many locals are coming to the officers of Lamdon Society for help and assistance and it is our duty to help them to have the resources available to be able to extend compassionate support to as many members of the Ladakh community as possible in their hour of need.