Republica sat down with him to learn more about what he’s been doing in the last six years since he’s started going there and what it is that motives him.[break]
How did you get interested in Dolpa?
I actually studied Fine Arts and I wanted to be an artist. I participated in group exhibitions and even won some awards in art contests. But I was also interested in social work. In 2004, a German NGO brought children from Dolpa to Kathmandu and I agreed to teach them for six months.
The children were so different. They were excited about things like cars, white boards, markers and if a plane flew by all of their heads would turn at the same time to look up. All forms of modern technology were new to them. Through them I learned a lot about Dolpa and since the organization was taking people there to teach, I went along go.
What was your first time going to Dolpa like?
It was an adventure! I had never been outside of the Valley and my family was reluctant to send me because at that time there was a lot of Maoist activity happening. The trip to Dolpa takes eight to nine days, my first time we were stuck in a pass due to bad weather and I’m sure I only survived because I had something I needed to do.
When we arrived, Dolpa was empty - it seemed deserted due to the conflict. The people first called me ‘Romba’ which means outsider because I wasn’t part of the community. They spoke Dolpali (which is like Tibetian) which I had to learn. At first the community wasn’t cooperative but then you start to build relationships and when they love, they love a lot!
Tell us about your teaching experience there.
The school I first taught at, Shelridrukdra Primary School had been established five or six years ago. I used to live in a hostel with students from other villages. The children used to be afraid of teachers so I tried to make teaching more fun. I applied available resources and took trainings in Kathmandu.
The resources there were so limited – I didn’t know a lot, but I did know about things outside of Dolpa so I didn’t just teach there!
What else did you do?
I teach, but there was work to do regarding health, and the rights of the people on top of education. My main aim was to make them more aware so while meeting them I had to try to teach them as well. Every Friday I would walk five hours to a different village to distribute stationary to schools. All of this stationary has to be sent from Kathmandu, so far it’s all been donations from friends and well wishers that I take along with me and share with the kids.
I also distribute medicine – the government has appointed female community health volunteers but most of them only go to lower Dolpa so I would take polio drops and some light medicine to upper Dolpa. I benefit from doing this as well as I learn about hygiene and since the health post is very far away, a lot of people still come to me for medicine.
What is Upper Dolpa like?
The Saldang VDC in Upper Dolpa is one of the most remote places in the world. Just getting there takes eight to nine days. There are no trees, at 43, 000 meters it’s the world’s highest human settlement. Almost no technology has reached there. There’s no internet, to send letters we had to ask trekkers who were passing by to deliver them. You feel like you’re in another world, like in the 12th century. I’ve walked up to eight hours to make a satellite phone call and I even paid Rs 200 per minute!
Teaching there is sometimes difficult. The older children don’t have time for school, they’re busy taking Yaks to China or they go to Lower Dolpa to trade. Yarchagumba finances a lot of Dolpa, it’s good because it brings money but it also brings crime.
Another problem there is that a lot of foreign aid gets misused. A lot of government teachers don’t go to the more remote places they’re supposed to; on top of that they will take money from the government and from the projects. The people there rely heavily on foreign aid and government, they run away from their own responsibility.
To combat this, you’ve started your own school – could you tell us more about that?
So much money, time, and effort go to waste there, so I’ve started Yeatser Primary School in the Saldang VDC in Upper Dolpa. Many other areas need school, so if I stay in one place I can’t do anything. I want to do run this new school without any foreign donation. The other schools I taught at were either French or German funded, but for this school I want it to be Nepali funded. We can do it ourselves, and we should.
Even if I don’t get funding I’m willing to work without a salary. The love I get there gives me energy to do more. The biggest wealth I have is the appreciation I receive, and without the financial support and moral encouragement from my friends and family none of it would be possible – what I am, I credit them.
(To make a donation to Binod or the school, contact Sangita Bajracharya at meet2sangeeta@yahoo.com)
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