Continued... We have been supporting Karmu for nearly ten years, since she first started school at the age of 9. Living in an extremely remote village in the Himalayas, on the border with Tibet her hopes of an education were equally remote.

Through our sponsorship and support from our guests Karmu was offered the opportunity to attend the Marshyangdi Boarding High School, in Kathmandu, where she received a high quality education in a loving community. The school also provided a safe environment that embraced her Tibetan culture.

With excellent results and having successfully passed the entrance exam and interview Karmu has now been awarded a scholarship to attend the Academy in Kathmandu to study Commerce. Karmu has also been offered an internship with the Dolma Foundation to further benefit her business skills.

Karmu is the essence of purity and is simply delightful. Her compassionate gentle nature is captivating and enchanting and having a deep sense of gratitude for her own education, her desire to help other children receive an education is paramount. Karmu also loves One Direction, fashion, taking selfies, watching you tube music videos and the colour pink!

We will continue to sponsor Karmu through college to enable her to continue her journey to reach her life goals.

Marshyangdi Boarding High School

In 1993, Sonam Lama built the Marshyangdi School to provide a safe place for the children of Nepal to receive a quality education.It provides an education to 210 students from all over the country. Some attend as day students from Kathmandu, but most students live at the school as boarders as they come from remote villages in the Himalayas.
Since it’s inception, Marshyangdi School has has strived to serve the poorest of the poor students by finding them foreign sponsors to fund their education. Many of the students come from villages and lives that are not able to meet those basic needs.

For over 22 years, Marshyangdi School has provided thousands of Nepali children, with a high quality education; in a loving community and environment that provides health care, food, housing, and a sense of family, together with a belief in themselves that they have the ability to succeed in reaching their life goals.

In 2015, before the devastating earthquakes struck, every Nepali student in tenth grade took the Secondary Learning Certificate exams. Only 47% passed the exam. One hundred percent of Marshyangdi students passed, as they have since the first year of the school, and 95% passed in First Division, or with distinctions. This is an outstanding and rewarding achievement.

The earthquakes in the spring of 2015 rocked the school. Five beloved students died, and others lost parents, siblings, and other relatives who provided love and financial support. The rented school buildings are still standing, but damaged and not safe. Thus, the committed goal of the Friends of Marshyangdi School, is to build a new, earthquake-safe facility in Kathmandu that can host twice as many students. Their goal is to buy land and build earthquake-safe structures for learning, living, playing and eating. Currently, the school rents space in Kathmandu where the buildings have been crumbled and compromised by the 2015 April and May earthquakes.

To find out how you can help visit: https://marshyangdischool.org/

2019

Having graduated from high school Karmu is now studying business at college in Kathmandu. Like all teenagers Karmu is learning the intricasies of becoming independent; living independently and getting to grips with the next stages in her education. We continue to support her though the Dolma Foundation and get regular updates on her progress. During the term breaks she returns to her home on the Tibetan border and enjoys time with her family and helping in their small tea house. Karmu has a loving and supportive family relationship. Her older brother was also educated with the assistance of international sponsors and the Dolma Foundation.

2017

Karmu is embarking on the next stage of her education having recently left school with a very glowing report and achievements. Earlier this year Karmu took the final tenth grade Secondary Learning Certificate exams and passed with flying colours. We’re all so immensely proud of her and congratulate her on all her achievements

2015

Karmu continues to thrive! Her recent report card consists of all A's and B's and she is doing particularly well in English, Maths & Science. Gershwins received a letter from Karmu and her headmaster, in which he says of Karmu, "Karmu is doing her best with her studies and is improving very well. She is giving her best and enjoying it along the way. Her parents are proud and happy and they encourage her to do the best whenever they visit. Thank you so much for making these changes possible in Karmu with all your wonderful kind help. It always encourages us to do much better and work harder. We very much appreciate all your continuing love and inspiration for the wonderful future of Karmu. Thank you so much."

Karmu – Update April 2013

Gershwins has continued to sponsor Karmu’s education for the past 5 years. Karmu first went to school at the age of nine. She attends a boarding school in Kathmundu, a 2 day journey by foot and local transport from her home village in the Himalayas. Being Tibetan and living in Nepal it was important for Karmu to attend a school where Tibetan culture is not only recognised but also practised so that she would retain her Tibetan identity.

Karmu’s village is high in the Himalaya Mountains close to the Tibetan border. Displaced by the Chinese many Tibetans live in Nepal, some of whom live in remote mountain villages where they are free to continue their traditional Tibetan lifestyle. In these areas education is not readily available and many children rely on sponsors.

Through friends who set up the Dolma Development Fund Gershwins chose to sponsor Karmu. Since starting school Karmu learnt quickly and within a year was able to write a letter in English telling of her progress.

Karmu continues to thrive and is enjoying her studies which reflects in her outstanding results. Her Headmaster regularly sends updates and her term report cards which show that she is doing exceedingly well with a special interest in music and science, not to mention languages, of which she speaks three.

Due to the world economics many sponsors have had to pull out and the children live in fear that their much valued education will soon come to a dramatic halt. Gershwins have made a commitment not to let Karmu down and to continue to support her education. We know how much Karmu appreciates being sponsored and Karmu and her family are truly grateful for the oppurtunity of an education.

Gershwins previously supported another student. Urken Lama was able to pass his English exams, which enabled him to earn a living as a guide. He now lives in Canada with his Tibetan wife and 2 children. He continues to support his parents and family back in his home village in the Himalayas.

The Dolma Development Fund does wonderful work helping Tibetan children living in remote villages high in the Himalayas of Nepal. Here at Gershwins, we have supported the charity’s work providing water supplies heated by solar power, health care and education in schools where their Tibetan culture is recognised and accommodated. 

Karmu Reaches for the Stars!

Karmu is one of the children we have been able to help, by sponsoring her education and studies in Kathmandu, Nepal.

Karmu had never been to school before and although she was illiterate, within two years she made fantastic progress in her studies - reading and writing English, Nepalese and Tibetan (her mother tongue) and her end of year report was excellent, gaining 78% overall success! Karmu's home is in a village high in the Himalayas, close to the Tibetan border. There are no schools in the region that teach Tibetan culture alongside other studies, so Karmu has to attend school in Kathmundu. But even though it was a two day journey down from the mountains to her new school, Karmu was very excited and quickly made friends. A dream come true.

Through our sponsorship, which started in 2008, she was able to attend school for the first time at the age of nine and in that time has succeeded in many areas of her education. She returns home to her family during the school holidays and stays with friends in Kathmundu for shorter breaks and occasional weekends whenever it is not possible for her to make the long journey home. Both Karmu and her family are delighted with her end of year report and opportunity of an education.

In Karmu's third year of school she really flourished! She loves to sing, listen to music and read. It is through our support that this has been possible. However, our continued support is needed to enable Karmu to continue to attend school and we are grateful for all the donations we receive from our guests during our fundraising events.

If you would like to find out more details about sponsoring Tibetan children by providing an education and helping to keep the Tibetan culture alive, please contact info@gershwins-hairdressing.com

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