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Nestled in the foothills of the Karakoram Mountains, Askole is the gateway to the Baltoro glacier and the popular trail to Concordia and K2. Juniper Trust Trustee Glenn Rowley, one of the founders of KE Adventure Travel (formerly Karakoram Experience), first visited Askole in 1984 when the village was nearly inaccessible due to a dangerous two-day hike through the Braldu Gorge. Eventually, over a decade later, a road was built to avoid this crossing, and life in the village improved dramatically. In normal times, every summer, a stream of trekkers and climbers passes through Askole on their way to view or climb some of the highest and wildest mountains in the world, including K2, Broad Peak, the Gasherbrums, Chogolisa, Trango Tower, and more. Despite the wealth that passes through, very little trickles down to the people of Askole, and even less reaches the children.
Through Glenn’s connections in Pakistan, The Juniper Trust has been working tirelessly to support the children of Askole. We’ve been able to insulate the classrooms before the winter snow arrived and provide basic food supplies to families facing starvation during the Covid crisis. Education is the best way to break the cycle of poverty, and the teachers at Askole village school are doing a great job despite the woefully inadequate facilities. With 270 students sharing only 5 classrooms, they desperately need more space and resources.
The Juniper Trust raised money for a sign outside the school on the main trekking route, in the hope of attracting more attention and support. And we’re paying the full-time salaries of two teachers who were previously volunteers, ensuring that the neediest children have access to education.
Clare Gillespie, a Juniper Trust volunteer who has an unwavering passion for helping the people of Baltistan made her first visit to the region in 2008, and since then, she has returned several times to immerse herself in the local culture and help teach in the schools. Clare holds the teachers in high regard for their incredible accomplishments despite the challenges they face due to the remoteness of the area.
Despite the difficulties, Clare stays in regular communication with Ali, the headmaster of the school, to offer support to the neediest children, particularly those who have lost their parents. Clare is a firm believer that education, especially for girls, is the key to breaking the cycle of poverty. She has helped the Juniper Trust provide school uniforms and equipment to orphaned children and continues to advocate for the importance of education in improving the lives of the people in the region. Clare’s dedication to the people of Baltistan is truly inspiring, and her efforts have made a significant impact on the lives of many.
The Ishkoman valley lies in the north of Ghizer District in Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan, bordering Afghanistan and the Pamir Wakhan Corridor. Running north to south to join the Gilgit valley, the Ishkoman Valley divides the Karakoram Range from the Hindu Kush. Back in 2011, our amazing volunteer Ayub visited the remote community of Shadri in Asumbar and was approached by the locals to help build a school. With the community generously donating the land, Ayub contacted The Juniper Trust, who agreed to support the project. Despite facing challenges like floods and limited access to materials, we raised an incredible £8000 and constructed the school over two years. The Deputy Commissioner and Deputy Education Director were amazed at our efforts, and the school opened in 2013, teaching boys and girls from the village and nearby areas.
But we didn’t stop there! The Juniper Trust continued to support the school by providing a teacher’s salary, uniforms, and equipment for all 20 children. And now, we’re proud to say that some of these children have moved on to secondary education. Even in the face of neglect by the authorities and reduced tourism due to COVID-19, Ayub made sure to visit regularly, delivering more uniforms, books, and equipment to the school.
During his most recent visit in October 2022, Ayub generously agreed to sponsor two volunteer female teachers, as there were no funds available to pay them. The Juniper Trust needs to raise £1,500 annually to support three teachers and replace uniforms and school equipment. And that’s not all! We’re also exploring options for teacher training to help improve the school’s success rate for graduation to secondary school.
Khane Primary School, located in the remote Hushe Valley in Baltistan, was first brought to our attention by two volunteers who had visited the area as members of a climbing expedition in 2010. Returning 2 years later as volunteers, to help train teachers for the Felix Baltistan Foundation, they pinpointed the real need for continuing the financial support of teacher training in the area. Khane School, having already raised the funds to build an extra classroom, needed help with paying a year’s salary for two extra teachers.
In 2011, The Juniper Trust donated £1000 to fund 10 teachers from the valley to complete a training course sponsored by the Felix Foundation, providing better teacher training for women and men alike. The project has since grown, with 10 more teachers joining the programme in 2012, and a further £750 donated in 2013 to fund a week of training for 2 women teachers.
And the impact of this training has been huge – with a baseline survey conducted in 2012, the Juniper Trust was able to identify what materials were lacking in the 28 schools they support, and provide ongoing support to improve education in the region. Plus, thanks to a private donation of £1,000 in 2023, the JT was able to sponsor Kadeem Ali from Hushe Village to take part in a teacher training programme organised by the Hushe Village Conservation committee.
In 2011, they donated £1000 to fund 10 teachers from the valley to complete a training course sponsored by the Felix Foundation, providing better teacher training for women and men alike. The project has since grown, with 10 more teachers joining the programme in 2012, and a further £750 donated in 2013 to fund a week of training for 2 women teachers.
And the impact of this training has been huge – with a baseline survey conducted in 2012, the Juniper Trust was able to identify what materials were lacking in the 28 schools they support, and provide ongoing support to improve education in the region. Plus, thanks to a private donation of £1,000 in 2023, the JT was able to sponsor Kadeem Ali from Hushe Village to take part in a teacher training programme organised by the Hushe Village Conservation committee.
” The Hushe village conservation committee is a local support organization which has been working for the welfare of the village since 1990. Their main objectives are the conservation of wildlife, health, education and environment. The village conservation committee would like to express thanks to The Juniper Trust for their generous support for education in the remotest villages of Pakistan, especially support for the recent face-to-face teacher training session. It was very fruitful for all 23 teachers who participated , particularly regarding the use of mobile phones and the internet. Credit must go to Kadeem Ali, who was sponsored by the Juniper Trust, he completed the course with zeal, zest and devotion. Once again the whole community of Hushe wish to thank your esteemed organization for its historic support and we hope you and your team will continue your kind support for education in the future”
The Hushe Village Conservation Committee March 2023
Covid Food Relief for 200 families
When the Covid crisis hit the area full-on, stopping the normal stream of trekkers and climbers passing through the area, Ali, the headmaster of Askole School, contacted The Juniper Trust to inform us that the people of Askole were facing a far greater crisis than simply finding money to educate their children – they were starving! “We need food!” With no time to waste, The Juniper Trust immediately put on hold a plan to buy winter jackets for the school children. Instead they sent £1,500 to allow a team of volunteers, led by Ayub Khan, to deliver a month’s supply of basic food ingredients – two jeep loads of flour, rice, dahl, sugar, tea and soap – to the 40 worst-off families in Askole. No mean feat in the winter conditions.
Each food parcel cost just £30 including the delivery costs, subsidised by local suppliers keen to help. Choosing the families to help was the most difficult part as there were many more who were deserving. The distribution was done carefully and fairly by the village elders.
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