Be a Voluntourist with 17000 ft Foundation in Ladakh

Transforming lives in rural Ladakh

Transforming lives in rural Ladakh

Who We Are:

We are a Team of Senior Corporate professionals turned Social Entrepreneurs, with a deep connect to remote Ladakh

What we do:

Bring attention and focus to the remotest and toughest areas of Ladakh

Our Name & Logo:

17000 ft – is the altitude that we crossed on foot, to reach our remotest beneficiaries. The stacked pebbles are a way of showing a safe path to

travelers in the remote areas of Ladakh.

17000 ft: Transforming lives in rural Ladakh

17000 ft Foundation

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Voluntourist@17000ft

All you needed to know about being a Voluntourist with 17000 ft

LadakhMeans "land of high passes”

Renowned for its remote mountain beauty and Buddhist culture

Also called "Little Tibet", as it has strongly been influenced by the culture of Tibet

A majority of Ladakhis are Tibetan Buddhist, with most of the rest being Shia Muslims

The cheerful and gentle Ladakhis have made the region very popular with the tourist with their hospitality

Altitude: upwards of 10000 ftTemperature: -40OC to +30OC, in inhabited areas

Severe winters shut down schools for 3 months of a year.

Many villages shut down for 5 – 6 months of a year.

How do you travel to Ladakh ?

– By road from Manali or from Srinagar

– By air, highest commercial airport in the world, at Leh and a new airport at Kargil, with high cost of airfare

Ladakh is home to about 3,00,000 population spread over 65,000 sq. km.

Ladakh Dashboard

Ladakh - InfrastructureMost villages are reachable by road, however some can still only be reached by a trek

– Distances between villages can amount to a few hours on remote stretches.

Villages are very scarcely populated , with some villages have less than 5 homes!

Most villages are only powered by Solar power, allowing them light for 3 – 4 hours in the night

Most villages do not have cell connectivity and depend on one satellite phone for emergencies

Very limited public transport ( only major villages connected )

Ladakh – Life and CultureMost villagers depend on sustenance farming and very few crops grow in the area

Some settlements are home to nomads or “Changpas” who travel for 9 months of a year– Changpas have livestock of Pashmina sheep, goats and yaks

The only industry in Ladakh is tourism, which runs for only 5 months of a year

Other jobs are Govt. jobs, the Indian Army and BRO ( Border Roads Organization ).– Teaching is also an very viable option that many consider

Unemployment is high as there aren’t enough jobs for all

Ladakh – EducationLadakh has 70,000 school going children and 963 schools !93% schools are rural and extremely remote Most schools have student strengths of under 25 across grades!PTR is as low as 6 students to a teacher!Schools remain shut for the extreme winter months of Dec, Jan and Feb, though they function till Nov, when temperatures can drop down to – 15 degrees

Ladakhis value education and go to any lengths to ensure a good education for their children

Rural SchoolsSome Realities

Ladakh redefines the word ‘Remote’

The only way to reach Village Lingshed 2 day trek over many 17000 ft passes. It has one school, 105 children.

Middle School, Photoksar

Village Photoksar – Situated at the edge of a cliff

About 80 homes, one school

M/S Photoksar@11,348 ft – 64 students

Durbuk Block – Remote and ignoredA small border school with 22 students, about 8 hours away from Leh

Nubra Block – Govt. P/S Nungstate@11,052 ft (Only 10 students)

A little school with just 10 students

P/S Spangmik@14,087 ft (Only 4 students)

A little school along the famous Pangong Tso lake

M/S Buk Chushul@14,360 (49 Students)

49 students ranging from Nursery to grade 8 !

P/S Phalonglay@13,341 ft (9 students)

This school has 9 kids from nursery to grade 5 !

Every school that 17000 ft visited had children in attendance

P/S Skilkhor – A school in Nubra valley@9,934 ft (110 students)

Children of remote villages are very shy

Yet they love the exposure they get interacting with travellers

Education – At the top of the value system for a Ladakhi

Some images of teachers and parents and the lengths they go to, for a

decent education

22Teachers and students make this journey regularly

23The Famous Zanskar river – freezes in Jan / Feb

24Families cross this river every Feb to reach their children to school

25Teachers leave in Dec and come back in Feb – Some are air dropped

26A typical scene – waiting hours to hitch a ride

ShortcomingsCurriculum: Teacher Capability

•Mostly non-graduates•Only 1/3rd have any formal training•Struggle with English as a medium•Teaching method: “Chalk, Talk and Stick”•Classroom Management skills lacking•No exposure to non-standard pedagogy•No Computer Literacy

ShortcomingsCurriculum, Student Abilities & Outcomes

•Govt. Schools follow English based J&K Board•Most students in remote villages are first

generation learners•Students struggle with English as a language

and are taught 3 languages from grade 1•Can comprehend spoken Hindi/Urdu and

English.•Focus is on only Subject Books & rote

learning

•High dropout rates at Grade 5, 8, 10 and 12•Dismal performances at High School, hovering between 28 – 33%

for the past three years

ShortcomingsInfrastructure: School & Classrooms

Not enough classrooms, leading to classes being taken outdoorsMost do not have furniture – kids sit on the floor on torn carpets and rugsMany have broken classrooms, some are taught in tentsLimited resources - no libraries, laboratories, games or teaching aids

Govt. Middle School, Tukla@12,420 ft (18 students)

Lack of classrooms takes education outdoors

P/S Raichun, Turtuk@9,486 ft (43 students)

43 STUDENTS, AND TEACHING OUT OF TENTS.

Most schools have no classroom furniture


Infrastructure problems – In need of repairs

Broken sunroom glass – a common sight in most schools

ShortcomingsInfrastructure: Playground and Sports facilities

• Ample open area, however:• No Playground for small

children• No basic Sports Equipment

• Despite a strong interest in cricket, football and ice-hockey, many schools do not have access to equipment or training

ShortcomingsInfrastructure: Residential School Hostels

• Extremely overcrowded• Sometimes 12 – 16 to a

room

• Limited or no internal heating• Temperatures drop to -35

in winters

• Poor or no lighting• Floor bedding:

• Inadequate quilts/mattresses

• No Storage area• No Study Area in winters

Middle School, Lingshed

Students in their hostel room – some have 16 students to a room!

Early morning wash routines in hostels

Boiling water for the children in the hostel

Children’s clothes being dried – M/S Lingshed

Hostel mothers take care of the children

ShortcomingsInfrastructure: Kitchen of Residential Schools

Existing Situation:

• Complete dependence on kerosene• Soot and dust buildup on

walls and ceilings• Inadequate aluminum

utensils• Inadequate washing of

utensils due to cold water• Dining in the open in all

weathers

The inside of a typical school kitchen


No dining room – children eat outside


Ladakh has 963 schools over 65,000 sq.km.

Over 90% of them are rural, remote and struggling

17000 ft FoundationWe are a registered Not for Profit (Sec 25 Company) setup

to improve lives in rural Ladakh

A look at some of our work

Infrastructure – Furniture, Playground and Repairs

Colourful Classroom FurnitureM/S Lingshet – a school across a 2 day trek

Flexi arrangements in class

ABS with steel frames

Provided as per school strength

Regular inspection and repairs

Classroom FurnitureLamdon Jamyang Khaltse School @9,804 ft - (120 students)

Playground for little children M/S Satho @14,422 ft - (127 students)

Classroom furniture for these little children

Rebuilding a classroom Skidmang Nunnery @14,955 ft – (22 students)

A school at the base of a glacier, reachable after a 4 hour trek

We’ve setup libraries in 100 schools!

And our team conducts Reading programs in these schools every

month

17000 ft’s efforts: Library Program

250 – 400 books as per strength

Titles to be rotated annually

Monthly visits by 17000 ft

Book list standardized

DOE approved module

17000 ft’s efforts: Library Management

Sorting as per level

Color coding with labels

Each school teacher to be provided on-site training along

with children

Module approved as formal training for all teachers by DOE

Happy children with their new books!CRS Puga @14,545 ft - (122 students)

Teachers with their new 17000 ft LibraryM/S Tialing @14,287 ft - (23 students)


We have conducted LEGO creativity workshops at 30 schools

A brilliant success everywhere – The children loved it

A student shows off his creationCentralized Residential School, Puga


Creativity aboundsM/S Tharuk – 13,169 ft - (91 students)


The girls get creativeM/S Tukla @12,420 ft - (18 students)


Teacher Training and Capacity Building

Conducting teacher training for new teachers in collaboration with DIET

Teacher TrainingConducted at Leh in -25 degree temperatures

100 Headmasters inducted

350 teachers trained in various methodologies

6 month training cycle

Library Management

Phonic English pedagogy

We’ve sent tourist volunteers to many remote villages

In Year 1 alone, we conducted 130 Volunteer Weeks, over 80% of them into

villages that never receive visitors

Volunteer Kedar conducts Science ExperimentsM/S Chulungkha @9,547 ft - (67 students)

Voluntourist Yosha conducts reading programsP/S Pun Pun @12,818 ft - (13 students)

We have mapped each and every school of Leh District

369 schools – All visited and mapped by 17000 ft Foundation – It took us 3

months to visit each of them

Leh District – 369 schools all mapped and assessed by 17000 ft

17000 ft is on a mission to increase attention towards these villages through Volunteer

Tourism - Voluntourism

Most of these 200+ villages receive visitors rarely and would benefit

greatly from visits

Volunteering at a local community by contributing your skills, time and resources has many benefits

– Rural communities benefit from the contribution, as well as the interactions and exposure

– Volunteer Community benefits by being able to contribute something tangible to a community in need and feel good about the cause

Structured engagement Opportunities

–Matching skill sets and interests with real needs

Voluntourist@17000ftAn opportunity to contribute, a chance to work together

Library Reading Programs

Science Experiments

Art & Craft Workshops

Subject Help

Material Donations

Sports and Co-curricular Coaching

Voluntourist@17000ft…what you can do. Limited only by imagination

Don’t just be a touristBe a Voluntourist

Even a 10 day planned vacation can be extremely beneficial

Voluntourist@17000ftStandard10 day Program - On site Plan

Day 1 – Day 3 ( LEH )• Day Travel to Leh from

Delhi• Day 2 – Induction at

17000 ft office• Day 3 travel to village

Day 4 - Day 7 (Voluntour)• Stay at local

homestay• Volunteer at

remote school

Day 8 (Back)• Day 8 travel out of

village back to Leh

Day 9+(Optional - tourism)

A 10 day Voluntour trip to Ladakh with 17000 ft

Day 1 : Arrive at Leh check into a good mid-range hotel. Rest acclimatizeDay 2 : Orientation and training at 17000 ft Leh office and local sightseeing.Day 3 : Travel with 17000 ft facilitator to remote village. Stay at local home stayDay 4 – Day 7: Volunteer at local schoolDay 8 – 9: Tourism at popular destinationsDay 10: Head back out of Leh

Voluntouring at a local schoolConduct a workshop at the local school– Reading Programs

– Science Workshops

– Art/Craft Workshops

– Library Setup

– Infrastructure Setup (Needs fundraising by Voluntourist Group)

Schedule built into school timetable– Conduct workshop for 2 - 3 hours everyday

– Assigned periods and classes like a regular teacher

– Help teachers during the rest of the day

– Conduct tuition / homework help by eve

– Play and interact with the kids as much as possible

Workshops – How to know what to do?

17000 ft has conceptualized and pre-built workshop modules in keeping with local needs and curriculum

Training and orientation on workshops given to Voluntourist on day 2

Modules come with attached kits – Which will be handed to you before you leave for school

You will be accompanied at all times by a trained 17000 ft Facilitator for the duration of your program at the school

What you will take with youChecklistsProgram Module BookletsFeedback FormsProgram Kit ( Library Setup/Science/Art & Craft)Training Modules for the school (if any)Video Modules on your laptop/tablet (if you have brought one)Other hardware and material required for your program (library rack, books etc.)

How should you prepare yourself

Talk to the facilitators in our office before you leave

Take some time to go through our Program Modules and understand them thoroughly before you leave

Browse through the books in our Library at Leh and familiarize yourselves with our Library Management System

Watch the videos given to you and familiarize yourselves with them

Know Your School

Make every attempt to know your school before you go.If you would like to take more giveaways besides the kit that you will be carrying, here is a list of what you can take– Small board games for the school

– Simple sports and play equipment is very welcome

Remember to take enough for the whole school

Voluntourist@17000ftWhat are the costs involved and how is my money being spent ?

A 10 day Voluntouring trip into rural Ladakh will cost you just a little more than your regular 10 day trip into Ladakh

The cost of the Voluntouring Program can be given as a donation to 17000 ft Foundation which is exempt from Income Tax under Sec 80G of the Income Tax Act.

Over 75% of your Donation goes directly into Program costs (training, education kits, travel to remote school, home stay at village and a donation to 17000 ft Foundation), while is the rest goes towards Administrative expenses

Voluntourist@17000ftWhat are good dates to be a Voluntourist?

17000 ft releases Voluntouring dates just before the beginning of the Academic Year of Ladakh (late Jan to early Feb)

Good Voluntouring dates are usually between May to Sep, though if you can brave the cold, we would love to have you even during the winter months, as there is a dire need of Volunteers for tuitions– We have special Voluntouring Programs for Dec, Jan and Feb.

School Holidays and dates leading to School exams are blocked from Voluntouring, as this tends to disrupt work at the school

Please watch our FB Page for updates on Voluntouring Dates

What we expect from our Voluntourists

To be the force multipliers of our vision to enhance education and increase exposure in every remote village school to Ladakh

Voluntourist@17000ftWhat we expect from you

To respect the rules of the local schools and curriculumTo understand and respect the local customs and sensibilities for the duration of their stay at the local villageTo make every effort to keep the commitment that 17000 ft has given to the local school on your behalf

To have fun and take back life changing memories!

What we expect…

Conduct the programs as representatives of 17000 ft

Make every effort to maintain the schedule, structure and requirements of the program

Fill in and return the program feedback forms – this will help us improve our programs

Take a lot of pictures and videos and allow us to use the same, with due credit to you!

FAQ About Voluntouring

Some more answers to your questions

Few basic questions answeredIs it safe to travel in Ladakh in high altitudes– Ladakh is absolutely safe. All travelers however, are advised to take Diamox one day prior to

travel and rest for the first two days on arrival to acclimatize properly. The acclimatization is absolutely mandatory.

After arriving in Leh, then what ?– 17000 ft will take care of everything for the team from picking up at the airport, to stay,

travel, food, project execution and even suggest tourism options as required, to a final drop off

Are we expected to trek to reach our schools– Not at all, there are roads leading to most villages today and trekking is not recommended

for anyone unused to it. You will travel by bus/car as the case may be

What kind of accommodation can we expect?– A decent hotel at Leh, and very basic room at the local home stay. Large groups traveling

together could also expect to stay in tents at the village

FAQ - Some more…What about food at the remote villages– Food is very basic and you can expect “daal”, rice, sometime eggs, or in rare occasions, even

chicken/meat. Ladakhis are very hospitable and it is recommended to eat with the local home-stay family

How will we know what to do at the remote school ?– Your team will undergo a basic orientation/training on day 2 at Leh, and detailed

written/video based documentation on the work you can expect to do. Your activities/workshops will already be built into the school schedule, but you can expect changes and customizations after reaching the site.

Is there an age limit for Voluntouring?– Yes, we do not take Voluntourists below 15 years of age, and that too, only accompanied by

an adult

Is there a limit to the group size that can Volunteer at a school ?– Yes, we ordinarily do not send more than 2 – 3 Volunteers to a school for Workshop

modules. However, for infrastructure projects, larger groups can be sent to schools

FAQ - And then some more…What kind of conditions can I expect at the remote village– You can expect to be out of telephone coverage for the five days of volunteering, though

every village has a Satellite phone for emergencies. At any cost, you will never be more than 4 – 6 hours away from emergency medical care

Are there any restrictions for foreign citizens?– Yes, some very remote villages are out of bounds for non Indians. However, permits are

required even for Indians to travel to remote villages.

Will the children understand English/Hindi ?– Yes, Ladakhi children and adults understand Hindi and English, though the very young

students may not comprehend either and respond only to Bohti, the local language

What weather can I expect and what clothing should I bring– No matter the weather, be prepared for changes in temperatures and do bring a light

jacket and sweater, even in summer

FAQ – Contd..Besides a 10 day, what other Voluntouring Options do you offer?– We offer a 10 day Voluntouring, and 16 day Internships (created for students requiring the

experience). Durations above 16 days are also treated as Internships without Tourism. Besides, these, we have other specific activity based Voluntouring Programs which we run from time to time.

Can I combine my Volunteering with a trek that I want to do in Ladakh– Of course. We can customize your Voluntouring, based on your other tourism needs, for

e.g. choose schools near trekking routes.

Will I be given a certificate of Volunteering for my work at the remote school?

– 17000 ft provides Internship certificates to those who have interned at our office or at a school and have successfully fulfilled the requirements for internship.

Some village views

A view of a remote Ladakhi village

Yet another view of a village

A view of a remote Ladakhi village

One of the “nicer” Ladakhi guest houses


A typical Ladakhi homestay


Your homestay hosts


A Ladakhi homestay in a more rural region


Some views you are bound to see

A typical monastery in rural Ladakh

A must visit – The Gompa

A view of the inside of a monastery

The more interior villages of Ladakh – home to Yaks


And some incredible lakes

No matter how much we prepare you, be prepared only to be humbled and inspired !

Ladakh has 963 schoolsOver 85% are Govt. schools

93% of the schools are rural

With over 70,000 students living and studying in an area which most people don’t know exist

We have a mandate to work in every remote school of Ladakh

And we can’t do it without your help!

So come be a Voluntourist with 17000 ft Foundation!

Sujata Sahu – Founder Director– Senior Corporate IT Professional, and an educator and facilitator, she holds the Education

and Technology Portfolio @17000ft– Email: [email protected]

Sandeep Sahu – Founder Director– A Senior Advertising and BTL professional with extensive knowledge of Ladakh – he heads

Strategy and Planning @17000ft– Email: [email protected]

Dawa Jora – Director– Heads Operations & Logistics at our Ladakh Office – Email: [email protected]

Our Team

Contact Us

Web – http://www.17000ft.orgFacebook – http://www.facebook.com/17000ftTwitter – http://www.twitter.com/17000ftCall – 094692-17000 (Leh)

– (0124)4062882 (Gurgaon)

Email: – Voluntouring – [email protected]

– General Enquiries – [email protected]

http://www.17000ft.org/

http://www.facebook.com/17000ft

http://www.twitter.com/17000ft

mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

Pratham Education Foundation – As their J&K implementation partners for Pratham’s National Projects in that region, 17000 ft also collaborates with Pratham in knowledge, resources and learning for their programs

Akshara Foundation, Bangalore – Our technology and knowledge partner for the implementation of our Library Programs

Department of Education, LAHDC, Leh (Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council) – An understanding to implement 17000 ft projects in all the remote Government Schools of Ladakh

DIET (District Institute of Education and Training)- 17000 ft is the official Training Partner of DIET, LAHDC, to impart Teacher Training to all its Teachers and Principals for “Library Management Systems” and “Phonic English Pedagogy”

Partnerships & Collaborations

www.17000ft.org



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