Our motto: "Bridging the gap to a brighter future"

Recent updates:

• June 2011: The new school construction is 100% complete and classes are in session! This is a huge accomplishment for the whole village and for all of you who contributed to these efforts - thank you SO much! Click here to see more pictures.
  

  
  
• May 2011: click here (lamlingvista.shutterfly.com) for a photo-album with recent pictures of Lamling Vista School
• January 2011: click here for a letter from Kate and Venyei.
• January 2010: click here for a letter from Kate and Venyei.

THE STORY

After growing up in India and moving to the United States at age 26 to settle down with his fiancé, Venyei Angshing felt something tugging at his heart from back home. How could he be living amongst such materialism and comfort when there was so much need amongst his people? He and his wife, Kate, decided the first and most important way to give back would be to build a school, to get the children out of the fields and into the classroom, for a minimal cost to them. This local school would allow children living away from Yongam in boarding schools, like Venyei’s youngest brother, to come back home and be with the family while they are growing up. So they got to work right away and began setting money aside each month. Things just began to fall into place:

August 2008 – Venyei and Kate were married, the idea for a school was born
November 2008 – A volunteer school board of directors was formed by the local village leaders
December 2008 – parents made additions and expansions to existing abandoned school house
January 2009 – Textbooks bought, teachers hired, registration began
February 2nd 2009 – First day of school!
February 2010: K6 and an 8th teacher are added
January 2011: Construction of new school started
June 2010: Construction of school completed!

THE SCHOOL

• Grades: K-6
• Language: English
• Teachers: 8 (math/science, social studies, general education)
• Students enrolled: 150
• Cost to students: $1 registration fee

THE REGION Nagaland is a state in Northeast India and home to 16 tribes, with a population of approximately 1.6 million people.  It is an exotic mountainous region full of natural resources and fertile soil, with unimaginable beauty and rich culture. These Indo-Mongoloid people are extremely warm-hearted and hospitable, existing in a secluded, tension-free world. Despite their many struggles and setbacks, they are some of the happiest people on Earth. Yongam, home to the Phom tribe, is a small remote village in Nagaland with a population of approximately 1,000 people. Lamling Vista is located in the center of Yongam and has begun to make a huge difference in the lives of the children there through providing basic education.  Without an elementary foundation to start with, children would undoubtedly slip into a lifetime of working in the fields with no chance of chasing their dreams. Lamling Vista offers these children a springboard from their poor remote village into a world of limitless possibilities!

EXPANDING

We have begun planning to relocate Lamling Vista to a larger plot of land up the road, which was donated to us by a generous villager!  The current conditions at the school are cramped, dirty, and lacking. The goal is to assess the following needs and address them as we relocate to the new site:

• The current structure is made from bamboo and thatch, and not expected to last more than 5 years.  The new school will be much more durable and weather-proof, built with concrete, wood, and tin. The lifetime of this type of structure is ten times greater.
• We plan to increase the size of the classrooms in the new structure so that we no longer have to turn children away for capacity reasons. There will be 7 classrooms and one office.
• Each classroom will have improved chalkboards, desks, and concrete floors rather than dirt
• The school grounds will include a sports field for PE activities, volleyball, and soccer

SUPPORT LAMLING VISTA

YOU can be a part of the exciting educational progress happening in Yongam, India! Below are some of the many projects we wish to complete, pending proper funding. Pick a project or area in which you wish to support and watch your dollars make a difference!

• Construction of new school: Target : $3,000
• 8 Teachers' salaries: $590 per month
• Storage cabinets: $50 per piece
• Textbooks: $500
• Miscellaneous school supplies

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In the USA, tax-deductible contributions can be made via Sahaya International, our fiscal sponsor (tax ID 68-0434770). Please send your check, made payable to "Sahaya International" with mention of Lamling Vista to:

Kate and Venyei Angshing
5515 Celebration Street
Sacramento CA 95835
USA

Other ways you can help:

• Donate used school supplies
• Participate in "10 for 10 by 2010!"
• Visit sahaya.org/lamlingvista.html and spread the word!

Thank you for your support!

CONTACT US Kate: katerrowley@gmail.com (530) 574-7722 Venyei: vennyphom@gmail.com (510) 384-1778

Kate and Venyei visiting the school in April 2009