Gratitude Across Continents
Dawa Geljen Sherpa, a Nepalese Sherpa, undertook a journey of more than 4,500 miles (7,242km) to Teesside in the UK. His mission was to personally thank the children of Barley Fields Primary School in Ingleby Barwick for their dedicated fundraising following a devastating earthquake in Nepal in 2015.
Barley Fields Primary had established a partnership with Shree Garma School in Nepal as part of an international initiative to aid those impacted by the natural disaster. The 2015 earthquake resulted in approximately 9,000 fatalities and nearly 22,000 injuries, causing extensive damage to many structures, including Shree Garma School.
Rebuilding and Educational Support
The Teesside school organized various fundraising activities, such as bake sales, to generate money for the reconstruction of classrooms at Shree Garma School. Dawa Geljen Sherpa founded the charity Classrooms in the Clouds - Nepal (CITC Nepal), which focuses on constructing earthquake-resistant classrooms and promoting continued education for girls.
Recalling the moment the earthquake struck, Mr. Sherpa described being in a café when everything began to shake. He stated, "Houses, schools, towns and villages were all destroyed in minutes. Everything was falling and it was so frightening and devastating."
Fostering Global Understanding
Rob Shildrick, Deputy Head at Barley Fields Primary, explained that the collaboration with an international school aimed to broaden the children's understanding of different cultures and countries. Students at Shree Garma School, situated approximately 41.6 miles (67km) from Mount Everest, communicate with their counterparts in Teesside through video messages, sharing insights into their daily lives.
Mr. Shildrick noted the stark differences in the children's experiences, with some Nepalese students walking for hours to reach school. He emphasized the importance of his students learning about the challenges faced by youngsters in other parts of the world. Shree Garma School serves about 500 children, from nursery age up to 16, and is currently undergoing construction of a new two-story block designed with earthquake-resistant technology.
Expressing his profound appreciation, Dawa Geljen Sherpa conveyed his astonishment at "the kindness of strangers so many miles away." He concluded, "Their fundraising and friendship has made a real difference to the lives of hundreds of children in remote communities in Nepal."
Source: Sherpa travels thousands of miles to thank children for help after earthquake