A greenhouse will help us in many ways, but the most important thing is that we get fresh vegetables easily and without any chemical mixture. It is very important for our health.
Stanzin Padma, Tibetan Children’s Village School pupil, aged 14
It is very difficult to grow vegetables in Ladakh in winter because of the harsh climate and terrain. People pay high prices for fresh produce, which many Tibetan families cannot afford. This means these families consume fresh vegetables only once or twice a month during winter. Importing vegetables from the plains also generates carbon emissions, contributing to climate change.
Thanks to your donations, we have built two solar greenhouses in Ladakh in partnership with Tibetan Organic Farming in Leh Ladakh (TOFILL).
Locally grown, fresh vegetables will benefit growing schoolchildren like Stanzin. She and her schoolmates are now helping manage the greenhouse in their school grounds.
The greenhouses are specially designed for high altitudes, using polycarbonate sheets instead of polythene. In place of the usual unbaked mud bricks, these are built with stone walls, which absorb heat in the day, releasing it at night to reduce frost. They will also last years longer than traditional greenhouses.
This project directly benefits over 1,000 schoolchildren and indirectly will benefit 1,000 more families, saving them money on vegetables, allowing them to use the greenhouses and learn valuable skills.
