Give a rural Tibetan youth an enriching summer!

In exactly one month from yesterday we will welcome all the volunteers to Gyalthang. After few days of orientation, 80 Tibetan students from all over the Tibetan plateau will arrive for the four weeks of Machik's Summer Enrichment Program. This is a huge deal because it will be the first time many of these rural students have left their hometown. The boy in the photo is one such student from SEP 2011--He began 2011 as our shyest and least educated student. At age 14, he was in the second grade and spoke only a local village dialect, but by the end of the program he paraded around with basic English and interacted confidently in Tibetan with fellow students and volunteers.

When the students arrive for SEP 2012, they will have the opportunity to interact with Tibetans from other areas, with global citizens from across the world, and with Chinese volunteers from all over mainland China who want to better understand Tibetan culture. At Machik, we strive to build a truly unique and open-minded team dedicated to educational service, and we look forward to much cross-cultural and inter-cultural dialogue and exchange throughout the upcoming four weeks.

We couldn't be much more excited! One of the expenses we are currently fundraising for is the living expenses of the students who wish to join us next month. SEP 2012, here we come!