


	Mission History Teachers Students Newsletters


	History Culture Religion


	Volunteer in Sikkim Make a Donation

The School

History

• In September 2002, a small group of local Sikkimese teachers and a few Dutch volunteers founded the Sikkim Himalayan Academy and the Amsterdam based charity organization called Kinderen Van Sikkim.

• Their goal was to provide good education opportunites to the children in Sikkim who are not able to attend public schools. Many families, especially those in remote areas, simply can not afford to send their children to public schools.

• A large house in the rural village of Bariakhop was rented and many people worked hard over the winter to transform the house into a suitable school. Classrooms and a kitchen were built. Also, the upper 'attic' level was transformed into a dormitory for boarding students. Each bed and all the desk were hand made by local carpenters.

• Most of the funds for the initial building phase were provided by private donations from members of Kinder Van Sikkim. Other private donors from Europe and North America have also made contributions.

• In March 2003, the school was ready and its doors were open to its first 20 students. Many of the original students came from remote villages and board at the school while other 'day students' return to their family homes each day.

• The inagural year of the school ran from March to November.