Foundation work almost finished

“We are so happy seeing the re-construction – and that the building is designed to resist earthquakes,” says Hari Bikram, the 43-year-old headteacher of Thulosirubari. The construction work in the small mountain village 70 kilometers east of the Nepali capital Kathmandu continues at high speed. “The plinth work has almost been finished,” Shyam Pandit, Nepalese liaison of the German relief organization “Nepalhilfe Beilngries”, writes to me. I wanted to know from him whether the work will be stopped in winter. “No stop. I will continue construction work,” the contractor replied, says Shyam. However, it’s going to be a little slower in the cold season than now.

Students still feel panic

With joint forces

“It is a good feeling to know that our children are getting a good education, and without fear when the building will be finished,” says headmaster Hari Bikram. “Even now they still feel panic. The students say they can hardly wait to move from the TLCs (Temporary Learning Centers, which were made of corrugated iron) to a new safe building. We are so proud of all donators.” The fact that the new school is being built is due to all who have given money for our project “School up!”. I had launched the campaign in June 2015, along with the climbers Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner and Ralf Dujmovits, after the old “Gerlinde and Ralf School” in Thulosirubari had been so badly damaged by the devastating earthquake on 25 April 2015 that it had had to be demolished. “We hope that the new building with twelve classrooms will be finished before the monsoon next summer,” Shyam Pandit writes.

DAV charity event in Cologne with Ralf Dujmovits

Ralf Dujmovits

We have not yet reached our goal and need further donations. You should save a date: The Rhineland section of the German Alpine Club (DAV) supports our “School up!” program with a charity event on 24 March in Cologne. Ralf Dujmovits, the so far only German who has scaled all 14 eight-thousanders, will be talking about his adventures on the highest mountains of the world. We will also present current pictures from Thulosirubari that evening. All revenue from the charity event will go into the project. Online ticket sales via DAV Cologne have already begun.

That’s a nice Christmas gift for a mountain friend, right? And if you’re itching to donate just before the Christmas season, the children in Thulosirubari would be pleased. Here again the bank account of “School up!”:

Recipient: Nepalhilfe Beilngries e.V.
Bank: Volksbank Bayern Mitte eG/Germany
IBAN: DE05 7216 0818 0004 6227 07
BIC/SWIFT-Code: GENODEF1INP
Intended purpose: Gerlinde and Ralf School

A thousand thanks to you all!