Karma Tenzin’s Journey to Woodstock School, Mussoorie

Dear all,

For a few years now, together with a group of friends, we have been supporting the education of Karma Tenzin - a wonderful young person from Bhutan.

Let me just say a few words about her.

Karma is 15 years old and lives with her loving family in Paro. She has just finished grade 10 of a local school with good results.

She is not only very smart, but quite gifted artistically. She plays the guitar and ukulele and sings beautifully. Her spectrum of interests extends to sport and was captain of the girls’ soccer team for a season. Extremely sensitive to social issues, she goes out of her way to help the disadvantaged and, were she able, would try to house everyone suffering in the homeless crisis.

Last but not least, Karma has an acute sense of humour. Her precious implementation of self-irony, combines with her open and good heart, rendering it impossible for her friends not to love her.

She is, of course, still learning and discovering the world, exploring as many areas of life as possible. Above all, she loves people and social diversity. Bhutan has no libraries, but Karma loves books, and is particularly interesting in the discourses of identity. The author that most impresses her, thus far, is Amber Alice Oseman.

Karma has a dream - wanting wholeheartedly to continue her education and hone it in the UK. She has fallen completely in love with British culture, the mentality and most vitally that inimitable British sense of humor.

Her knowledge of the UK is perhaps confined to some of the best aspects. Two years ago, as the winner of an essay competition she attended a creative writing workshop at Queen's College, Cambridge. The model of education had her completely captivated. The teacher's relationship with students, the experience of the freedom of speech and thought was utterly inspiring and productive for her.

Karma is not sure what she wants to do in the future. At the age of 15, this is healthily normal. Nonetheless her curiosity about the world is as impressive, as her wide range of interests. Ideas range from being a pilot, translating English literature into Dzongkha, a psychologist, as well as a street worker caring for the desperately disadvantaged and excluded. Becoming a fashion designer also attracted her and she even hinted at becoming a writer.

Karma’s career preferences can only sharpen and focus with the advantage of furthering her education. She clearly needs to finish her school education to a level that prepares her well for tertiary studies.

Unfortunately, the level of Bhutanese education is extremely low and particularly tough for young ambitious women who feel there is more to life than simply starting a family and becoming a lifelong mother manacled by domestic duties. The only chance for her to go beyond this fate is to extend her education beyond Bhutan.

Karma has been given a great opportunity to broaden her mental horizons at a decent college in India.

She has been accepted into Woodstock School, Mussoorie - a prestigious institution that will provide her with the tools and opportunities to expand her knowledge and focus her on her best possible career choice. The course would last two years (Grades 11 and 12). She would graduate with an IB and WS diploma, which can open the door to further academic study worldwide.

She is starting her studies at Woodstock School in July. And we are unimaginably happy.

However, the cost of higher education can be a significant barrier.

Karma's family, like most Bhutanese families, is confined to a very modest level. Her loving parents worked hard as tourist guides until the pandemic. They also own a beautiful small wooden hotel built with loans. Unfortunately, the hotel has stood empty for several years as tourists are no longer visiting Bhutan.

The school in Woodstock is extremely friendly to young people from underprivileged countries who want to learn. However, despite the 40 percent discount on tuition fees granted to Karma costs remain very high.

So far, we have covered the tuition fees for the first semester, which is around €9,000, and paid €10,000 for special one-off fees (to protect the local environment and a refundable fee, for a deposit on Karma's accommodation).

To ensure Karma Tenzin can focus on her studies without financial strain, we still need to raise around €27,000 for the remaining 3 semesters.

Even the smallest donation makes a big difference.

We know that the world has many human needs. We suffer from wars, hunger, far right nationalism, further warmongering and general racial and gender intolerance. But we believe that the world's misery is due to a lack of education. And education is the path to make this world of ours a little wiser and fairer.

We thank you from the bottom of our hearts.