Sikkim Himalayan Academy
Bhuriakop Busty
P.O. Bhuriakop
West Sikkim 737121
India

The Students

The children who attend the school often have only one parent or come from poor families. They usually come from families so poor that if it weren’t for the school, they would have to work in the fields or break rocks to build roads.

When they first arrive at the school some students are malnourished or are suffering from a variety of diseases. At SHA they receive regular meals prepared by two full time cooks and have access to medicines and regular checkups with a doctor.

Most of the student population is made up of children aged 5-14 from the indigenous Lepcha tribe or from the Bhutia people, descendants of Tibetan refugees. Other students come from families of Nepali settlers or the famous Sherpa mountaineering tribe.

Since it is important to preserve all of these ethnic backgrounds the children are also taught to read and write in their own language.

There are currently 30 boarders and 32 day students at the school in classes from Nursery to Class 4 or Reception to Year 6 in English levels.