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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. 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.
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 and is a firm believer that education, especially for girls, is the key to breaking the cycle of poverty.
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.
In June 2023, our incredible Juniper Trust volunteer, Ayub Khan, visited Shadri School in Asumbar to bring hope and opportunities to 20 bright young minds. JT built this school back in 2011, and with your support, we continue to make a lasting impact! We delivered brand new uniforms and school equipment, ensuring these children have the tools they need to thrive in their studies. Ayub also delivered the salaries of the teacher, caretaker, and two part-time female teachers in Asumbar Village School. Together, we are empowering these children with quality education.
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. In 2011, The Juniper Trust donated 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 donation in 2013 funded a week of training for 2 women teachers. As recently as 2023, 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.
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.
Thingee Community School
Initiated by Juniper Trust Volunteer Ayub Khan, this new community school addresses the educational needs of the historically neglected Gujjar tribes. We are pleased to announce that the school was created in 2023, is open and thriving, thanks to support from The Juniper Trust who funded salaries for two teachers and provided uniforms and furniture.
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