__The mountain village Gompadara is situated submontagne to the
Himalaya range at a height of 2.100 metres in the Indian federal state
of West Bengal. To get to the next city Kalimpong, which has 40.000
inhabitants, it takes over 90 Minutes by Jeep – and often the passage
is impassable due to heavy rainfalls. Electricity was introduced to
Gompadara five years ago, running water was not available until one
year. To reach the next school in a neighbouring village the children
had to take upon themselves eight kilometres of walking – and sometimes
the exhausting burden of the steep way could also be dangerous in
unfavourable weather conditions. In addition the neighbouring school
only offers two lessons per day.
Since the establishment of the Munselling School in March 2007 about 140 children are now able to join regular school lessons and are also
provided a warm meal every day. There are also plans for a separate kindergarten building.
The Munselling School is a cooperation of the Indian Nyingmapa Mahabodhi Charitable Society, the Sonnenstrahl Kinderfonds Trust and the Padma Trust for Children.