A DAY WITH MUSTANG KIDS

This scribe had a wonderful time with these lovely kids from Mustang. Photo: LB Thapa

By LB THAPA

Life at a high altitude is not only difficult, but it is also fraught with many dangers. The climate in these areas is harsh, and it turns bad to worse during winter when the temperature dips from -20 ^{0°C to -25°C.} Even daytime the average temperature is not enthusiastic… It ranges from 0⁰C to 5⁰C. One can imagine how difficult life is there. 

The constantly plummeting temperature takes a toll on school-going kids’ health. They are forced to remain in their houses. Skin-biting cold brings life to a standstill around the high Himalayas, and schools are shut for at least four months. However, the good news is that even when schools are shut in Mustang, the local administration has made it possible to run classes until schools are reopened. 

By the effort of Mustang Gaon Palika, all the students of six schools of Mustang Charang Basic School, Manang Basic School, Dhatmar Basic School, Ghara Basic School, Yara Basic School, and Saligram Basic School are brought to Pokhara, where they study in a rented building for four months. They call this school a Samudaik Ghumti School (Community Mobile School).     

Speaking with this scribe, Kamal Neupane, headmaster of Samudaik Ghumti School, Pokhara, said, “In the past when we did not have the facility to run classes in Pokhara, we had to close all schools in Mustang. After winter school closures, kids would move with their parents. This further caused a low student retention rate in schools. However, things became much easier since 2014, as Mustang Gaon Palika had started paying all the expenses of these kids in Pokhara. 

Goma Gurung, a local resident of Rani Pauwa, celebrated her son's birthday with the kids from Mustang. Photo-LB Thapa

A day spent with these kids was a lifetime experience. Photo-LB Thapa

Curious students of the school. Photo: LB Thapa

The students of all six schools study together in Pokhara at Samudaik Ghumti School. At present, there are 7 boys and 14 girls in the school. The school is run from October to February. As the temperature starts increasing from February, these kids once again migrate to Mustang and continue their studies without any interruption, and the purpose of Samudaik Ghumti School is over in Pokhara. 

All the kids studying at Samudaik Ghumti School in Pokhara look thrilled. The classrooms where students study during the day transform into dormitories in the evening. Sounds intriguing, does it not? Yes, this is true. 

Headmaster Kamal Neupane shed more light on this unique situation, stating that the building used for school purposes lacks sufficient rooms. We lack additional rooms that could serve as dormitories. Therefore, we are compelled to use classrooms as bedrooms." 

The school has to pay forty-five thousand rupees for the use of the building for four months. The school is not liable to pay any rent for the rest of the months when it does not operate. 

The majority of the students are from nursery to standard three, but the school has permission to run classes up to standard eight. 

Two lady kitchen staff members stay with the kids during the night in the school. All students get up early in the morning and do homework. Thereafter, they take breakfast and play. While these kids play, two Didis (kitchen staff) prepare lunch for the kids. 

“We ask kids to sit in a row on the school playground for lunch. This is an exciting moment for the kids as they are always hungry and look desperate for lunch. But it is also a challenging moment for us to feed them because some students are small, and therefore we need to help them with feeding," said the kitchen staff. 

Come Saturdays, and it is a delightful time for the kids. All kids wait for Saturdays because they can play to their hearts' content. This activity is not all that the kids eagerly wait for on Saturdays. On Saturdays, when the sun shines hard in the midday, these kids are taken to the river for swimming. Yes, you are right… about swimming! 

The kids take their lunch and play enough; after that, they are taken to the nearby Yamdi River, whose water is clean and suitable to take a bath in. Under strict observation, these kids are helped to get baths in the river. 

Before kids are taken for the river bath, all teachers collectively make a thorough observation and select a safe place where they can allow kids for the river bath.   

“We are aware of possible risks involved when small kids go into the river. This is why we are extremely careful about it. It is because of our strict discipline and vigilance that, until now, no accident has ever taken place, and it will never happen either. 

“The fact is that these kids love water too much, and they want to spend more time in the river. These kids’ clothes are washed in the river water and then put under sunlight to dry. When clothes are dried up, we take all the kids back to school…this is our weekly routine as long as these kids stay in Pokhara," said the headmaster. 

Happy kids eat cake and delicious lunch and receive stationery materials. Photo: LB Thapa

Goma Gurung provides stationery and playing items to the headmaster. Photo: LB Thapa

Happy kids of Mustang. Photo-LB Thapa

Kids from Mustang will spend some time in Pokhara, where they will study until March. Photo-LB Thapa

Kamal Neupane, the headmaster. Photo-LB Thapa

Her classmates call her the apple of Mustang. Photo: LB Thapa

There are 21 students in the school, and 14 teachers are assigned to teach them. It sounds a little absurd, does it not? When this scribe asked this question to the headmaster of the school, he said, “These students are from six different schools of Mustang, and each school has two teachers. Along with students, all the teachers do also come to Pokhara. This is the reason why it seems better for teachers to teach 21 students." 

The headmaster heaved a deep sigh and said, “These kids have no uniform. We want these kids to also have warm clothes as their uniforms, but due to financial constraints, this has not become possible. We will be happy if some philanthropists come out with helping hands and provide uniforms to these kids. 

“We are very glad to inform you that Goma Gurung, a local resident of Pokhara, has celebrated her son’s birthday, who is currently studying in New York, USA, with the kids of our school. A cake was cut, and many balloons were given to school kids. She did provide a delicious lunch and stationery & playing items for the kids. We are really grateful for her kindness and love shown towards the kids," said the headmaster with a broad smile on his face. 

When asked, Mrs. Goma Gurung explained how the idea of celebrating her son’s birthday with the kids actually came to her mind. Upon this, she said, “Every year I find a new place, one like this where I can celebrate my son’s birthday. It really gives me a tremendous amount of happiness and satisfaction. I want to continue to celebrate my son’s birthday like this manner in days to come." 

As winter soars up and temperature dips, these kids are more vulnerable to cold-related complications. It would be very nice if a hospital, clinic, or doctors showed mercy upon these kids and made arrangements for fortnightly medical checkups. If medicines were also provided to sick kids, it would be a great relief for the school. “Unfortunately, the school does not have any budget for this purpose," acknowledged the headmaster. 

LB Thapa is a Pokhara-based freelance writer and author.

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