Core Practices

Education Beyond Schooling

KEY PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES

As part of our model of educating each child's heart, mind, and body through learning, reflecting, and engaging pedagogy, the following are the core programs and activities at Jhamtse Gatsal Children’s Community.

Familial Care

Jhamtse Gatsal raises children from trauma and adversity backgrounds in a safe and loving family environment. We believe that steadfast familial support fosters learning and healthy development in children. As part of the family model, children also get an opportunity to learn vital home and financial management skills.

K-12 Education

Jhamtse Gatsal provides high-quality, meaningful learning experiences for our children in grades PreK to 12, who are first-generation academic learners. Our curriculum includes life skills, academics, and vocational training in organic farming, carpentry, and masonry.

Gap Year Program

The “anthropause” triggered by the Covid-19 lockdown allowed us to start a Gap Year Program for our graduating children to help them deepen their Jhamtse roots before stepping out into the world. The program allows children to learn, reflect and engage with their Jhamtse family and the local community to find or hone their potential before choosing their career paths.

Post-Secondary Education

As a fully residential community, we guide and support our children to help them choose their career paths and achieve their dreams. Currently, 22 graduates of Jhamtse Gatsal live and study at prestigious colleges and universities across India.

Primary Healthcare

Our on-campus clinic meets the immediate healthcare needs of our community members, including children, adults, and animals. It also provides healthcare support to the neighboring villages through the visiting doctors, dentists, and veterinarians.

Nutrition

We provide our children and staff members with three nutritious meals and one healthy snack daily. Our current limited but hygienic kitchen and dining facilities are on the verge of a much-needed transformation. Our kitchen team has full autonomy to plan and create nourishing meal plans for the whole community.

Chores and Responsibilities

The children at Jhamtse Gatsal are active participants in all aspects of community life. From a young age, they are taught cleaning, cooking, and taking care of younger siblings and their elders as a part of our family model. The children are raised to be self-reliant, responsible adults who will serve as contributors to society rather than be a burden on it. The daily chores and responsibilities cultivate a roll up your sleeves and pitch in attitude in children; they are taught to seek ways to help rather than waiting to be told what to do.

Cultural Preservation

Children at Jhamtse Gatsal are taught to honor and respect their cultural and spiritual practices from a young age. They speak in Monpa with their housemothers; they wear their cultural dresses once a week; they are taught traditional songs, dances, and instruments; and they learn meditation and chanting.

By high school, children are taught monastic debating skills and begin analyzing some key Buddhist texts on Mind Training and Compassion. Lakpar, which roughly translates as “helping hands that increase in value through service,” is the backbone and spirit of the Monpa community and Jhamtse Gatsal. The Lakpar attitude of service is embodied by children’s active participation in all aspects of community life.