Ladakh or Leh as popularly known has been witnessing quite a number of hardships and challenges for last some centuries; both natural and unnatural. Somehow, with the efforts of nature lovers and societal personalities, Ladakh was coming back to the glory it possessed before. There are umpteen number of Governmental and Non-Governmental Organisations working at Ladakh or from outside and conducting different programmes to make the lives of Ladakhi people and the environment prevailing there better and preserved intact. Here is a list of some of the organisations that have come up with novel development programmes and initiatives.
Volunteer Ladakh:
With a good cause of teaching the rural and isolated sections of Ladakh, Volunteer Ladakh has been doing a wonderful job to make them feel included in the society. It connects with a lot of self-made volunteers or ready to become volunteers to reach out the very sensitive part of the rural area and give them the important classes on English education, cultural exchange, societal impact on the the traditional and customs of the place and much more. It joins hands with the local people to build up new relationships with the outside world as well which comes to visit them and their native land.
Ladakh Ecological Development Group (LEDEG)
More into the ecological preservation of the Ladakh region, LEDEG or Ladakh Ecological Development Group is performing a huge role in keeping the current generation alerted about the sensitiveness the Ladakh region is facing and the importance to protect the nature and its surroundings intact by any measures. This volunteer group comes up with the essential classes to the students hanging around waste management, livelihood initiatives, skills training etc with which a mass of current generation would get the basic concepts in retaining the glory Ladakh always possessed.
Educare India
Though Educare India has programmes all over the country, their role in Ladakh region were appreciated well. They focus on addressing the issues regarding the sustainable development and environmental health needs of the region. They have miraculous projects extending their hands toward waste management and proper sustainable development in the area. Also, women empowerment, children’s education and related socially concerned problems are the unique concepts provided by the group. They are engaging with the young spirited minds who are willing to adapt into the climatic conditions of the high altitude region and be a part of the good cause.
Dutch Foundation for Ladakhi Nuns
With a great concern about the existing nuns in Ladakh region came Dutch Foundation for Ladakhi Nuns into existence. They elaborately help the Buddhist nuns in Ladakh by providing them all the necessary things including accommodation, rehabilitation to those who were devastated due to many reasons, education to the girl children of the region etc. In 2003, Marlies Bosch who was a regular visitor of Ladakh has led the mission to establish a centre for the Buddhist nuns who were finding it difficult to lead their lives. The mission helped those nuns to improve their health and education within a lesser time.
Snow Leopard Conservancy
Snow Leopard Conservancy is an organisation that is promised to keep an eye on the population of snow leopards and taking methods to preserve the last of the existing species and also by conserving the mountain landscapes. The organisation is achieving their goals through the regular awareness programmes and sharing the innovative approaches with the local community that plays a prominent role in the natural and cultural attributions of the region. The headquarters is at US but they are doing a tremendous job at Ladakh by joining hands with a numerous local and national NGOs and similar organisations.
PAGIR or People’s Action Group for Inclusions and Rights
To hone the target to have a prejudice free and all inclusive society, PAGIR or People’s Action Group for Inclusions and Rights are well acclaimed for their works in Ladakh. They are opening the windows to extend your hands in addressing a number of social causes and giving education and awareness among the natives of Leh. The organisation is a joined effort by disabled people, their relatives and friends in order to spread the knowledge of a free thinking and unbiased society.
Druk White Lotus School
More than 650 pupils right now, Druk White Lotus School is a grand initiative of Drukpa Trust, a UK based recognized charity came into establishment with the genuine concept of providing world class education to the students coming from the remote part of India. Along with their slogan of sharing all the aspects of modern-day education, the trust is focussing on preserving the traditional and cultural concepts of India very well. In addition, the building the school is functioning in is constructed by following the sustainable development processes not to hurt the ecology prevailing near the campus.
Leh Nutrition Project
A well-maintained and a quite good NGO in Leh is the Leh Nutrition Project which has come up with the idea of supplementary nutrition to the places wherever there was undernourishment among children as well as adults. Basically, Leh Nutrition Project is considered to be the first Non-Governmental Organisation in Ladakh, established in 1979. After a while, they have incorporated their funding and resources toward other sections such as health, education, rural development and women empowerment as well. Today, they are growing in larger scope extending their hands to the remotest areas of concern and finding a great societal impact through the missions.
The Ladakh Arts and Media Organisation
A public charitable society with the vast concept of embarking on a wide journey to make the Arts and Media of Ladakh achieve quite a good deal of popularity and influence on the society of Ladakh is the Ladakh Arts and Media Organisation. They are providing a space for the inclusion of more people in order to gather information about the arts and influence of media on people outside. They also carry out programmes including research, workshop and exhibitions that showcase the materialistic and artistic expansion of Ladakh.
17000 ft
17000ft is with the greater approach to enhance the lifestyle of the native of Ladakh residing in the remote areas, by all means possible. The regions which were isolated or devastated for long years just because of the harsh terrains prevailing there are reinvented and associated with the outside world in order to provide the residents a feeling of acceptance and inclusion. 17000 ft is focussing on the betterment of the native people’s livelihood, their education, their connection with the outside societies and the basic problems they face inwardly. They have set up hundreds of libraries across the remote regions that help the students gather a great amount of information and knowledge.
