The remote Ishkoman Valley in Northern Pakistan divides the Karakoram Range from the Hindu Kush, the infamous Ishkoman Pass must be crossed to reach Darkot or Upper Chitral. Whilst stunningly beautiful, this is a harsh region where much of the population live a subsistence existence in remote villages, many hours by jeep from their nearest towns. This is the case for the village of Asumbar. Neglected by the authorities and impacted by the dramatic reduction of tourism in the area due to Covid, schools still strive to provide a great education to the local children, but they desperately need outside help to keep going. Shadri School in Asumbar is one such school and barely survives.
Built in 2011 by the Juniper Trust, the school has struggled with just one teacher and help from volunteers to educate 20 + children from the local Shadri Community. Despite the difficulties, both girls and boys from Shadri school have gone onto further education, something that would not be possible without this school. It’s hard to comprehend but just £1,500 a year is enough to pay for the teacher and to provide uniforms and school equipment for the students.
