October 2021

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Dear Friend,

Greetings from a jubilant Jhamtse Gatsal Children's Community! If joy were palpable from afar, I would say that I can feel it all the way across the world. The happiness that I can hear in the voices of the children and the staff when I connect with them (from my distanced location in the United States) is contagious. It's like a weight has lifted off their chest. Everyone is happy and feeling a sense of purpose again. It's the little interactions and simple joys of seeing each other, exchanging a smile or a hug every day that both the children and the adults missed. Now they bask in the comforting warmth of each other's company again.

This reflective time of being away from each other is beautifully expressed by Anita Kumari, one of our local and older teachers, in her blog post about being a teacher of life at Jhamtse Gatsal. By older, I mean years of service, not age; although she is definitely wiser than many her age. We hope these moments of joy, enthusiasm, and reflection pervade your corner of the world with their radiance too. It is with this hope, joy, and optimism that I share this month's newsletter with you.

I hope you are healthy and happy too. Together, the children and staff members at Jhamtse Gatsal hold you close in their daily prayers.

With gratitude and appreciation,

Vasudha Wanchoo
Managing Director
Jhamtse Gatsal Children's Community

The Children Are Back!

Yes, they are! The Community is abuzz with action, and everyone is jubilant to have the children back. Classes have resumed in full since Monday and everyone is in high spirits. The joy on the adults' faces is evident in their radiant smiles. This is the longest the children have been away from Jhamtse Gatsal. Now that they are back, the adults happily discharge their purposeful activities of raising, feeding, and educating our enthusiastic change-makers and Jhamtse Ambassadors. All the teachers are happy to be in class again and engaging with the children in person. The Community is whole again!

See more pictures from the children's return

Why Am I a Teacher of Life at Jhamtse Gatsal?

- By Anita Kumari

I am a kindergarten teacher and the children I teach are the love of my life.

I came to Jhamtse Gatsal Children’s Community in 2013 as a primary school teacher. I was fresh out of college with no experience in teaching and a giant question mark about life. The opportunity that Jhamtse Gatsal gave me was not just to teach, but also to learn, self-transform, and grow as a person. Today I am a very different person than I was seven years ago.

Read more of Anita's thoughts on teaching

Zoom With Vasudha to Learn More About Jhamtse Gatsal and The Children

I am thrilled to be in the U.S. for most of this year. I would love to virtually meet with you to share stories and news from Jhamtse Gatsal unless you are in or around the Bay Area in California where I can also meet you in person.

Please send an email to vasudha@jhamtse.org if you are interested in meeting with me. Exciting developments in the Community have come to life thanks to your ongoing support. I would love to share these insights with you.

- Vasudha (Vasu) Wanchoo, Managing Director, Jhamtse Gatsal Children's Community

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Dear Friend,

Greetings from Jhamtse Gatsal Children’s Community! I hope you and your loved ones are safe, healthy, and well. It is so hard to know how life is progressing for everyone through these unprecedented times. We often think about you at Jhamtse Gatsal and send heartfelt wishes for your good health and wellbeing. Our love, prayers, and good wishes are always with you as we know yours are with us.

This month we bring you two stories from the oldest children at Jhamtse Gatsal. The first one talks about the dreams and aspirations of an emerging teacher, Tsandong L., and how her internship at Jhamtse Gatsal is preparing her for higher education studies. The second feature is a beautiful reminiscence in the form of a comic strip by one of the oldest siblings, Dorjee N., looking at his youngest siblings enjoy the same pleasures at Jhamtse Gatsal now as he did when he was their age.

We hope these stories bring you joy and are a happy reminder of the impact your support makes in the lives of the children at Jhamtse Gatsal. Together, we enable a subtle and consistent shift towards making the world a kinder and gentler space for all. Please stay safe, and please be well.

With gratitude and appreciation,

Vasudha Wanchoo
Managing Director
Jhamtse Gatsal Children's Community

Teacher's Day

September 5 is celebrated as Teacher’s Day in India to commemorate the birth anniversary of Dr. S. Radhakrishnan, the second President of India and a renowned Indian scholar and philosopher.

Meet Tsandong L., one of our oldest graduates! She wants to be a teacher. She’s currently interning as a primary school teacher at Jhamtse Gatsal.

“Nothing can be as beautiful as the journey of a teacher,” she says.
Being a teacher of life is as exhilarating as it is challenging. On this Teacher's Day, I wish all our teachers of life at Jhamtse Gatsal and around the world a very Happy Teachers’ Day. You, our donors and supporters, make Jhamtse Gatsal possible. We thank you for being our integral teachers of life even though you may be far away."

Read more of Tsandong's thoughts on teaching

Childhood Adventures

Dorjee N., one of our oldest children, is a part of the Administration team at Jhamtse Gatsal Children’s Community. He shares his first-ever comic strip, inspired by a football game played by the younger kids.

He says: "One evening, I saw my younger siblings playing football, shouting at a high pitch, running around the playground, and chasing each other. Watching them made me happy, and I started reminiscing about my childhood at Jhamtse Gatsal as I saw them and their mischievous activities. When I see their innocent faces, I get a chance to relive my childhood."

Click to see the rest of the comic strip