News
David taught in Kargyak School for 5 months and also lived in Himalaye about a year.
He will share his experiance in Cross club cafe on 7.1.2012 >> more
>> more
with the band ŠTASTNÍ A VESELÍ accompanied by Iva Marešová & 999 TO GO ON > >> more
Welcome to the Surya Civic Association web site
Kargyak is an isolated village situated in the Indian Himalayas in the altitude of 4200 m above sea level and it is one of the last places where the original Tibetan culture still survives. Until recently, there was no school in the village and the children had no other chance but either to leave for distant boarding schools or never to learn to read and write. In September 2009 the Surya Civic Association finished construction of the specially designed “passive” school-building heated by sun, fully ecological and also compatible with local structures also in terms of appearance.
Support us! Even small amount of money can make a big difference. The kids in Kargyak deserve high-quality education. Available volunteer positions!
News from Kargyak
Blanka a Libor - leaving for Chadar - frozen river - 2012-01-13
Zanskar is getting frozen.
After abundant snowfall covered Himalayan peaks and passes at the day
of our planned departure, summer road over Kargil and Penzi-la Pass
[4401 m.a.s.l] to Padum was closed. On Sunday, January 15 we are
getting to start a week journey along frozen Zanskar river.
Blanka a Libor - on the way - 2012-01-03
We arrived To Leh at the altitude of 3500 m above sea level one day before the last day of the year at 1pm. Dense fog in Delhi delayed our flight for five hours. The reward for being patient was a magnificent view at towering Himalayan tops from the plane. It was possible to see eight thousand meters high wall of Gasherbrum in distance with hidden pyramid of K2. behind. Leh and its surroundings in Indus valley was lit by sunshine. There was no snow surprisingly. Zanskar river is still flowing river. Winter here is really warm this year. This fact forced us to change our plans. It is possible to drive by 4-wheel drive car to Padum over Kargil and it is only two days trek to Kargyak over frozen river from that spot. Once headache and nausea from high altitude fades, we will buy supplies , try to get second line to the village for satelite phone and internet connection [the application must be signed by village mayor, so further bureaucracy in Leh must undergo girls after they return from Kargyak] and we will start our journey up to the mountains.
Blanka a Libor - Waiting for Winter - 2011-12-28
In winters swallows usually head off for warmth to south, not so us. We are looking for winter as cold as it gets. Without temperatures deep below zero degrees it won't be possible for Zanskar river to freeze and open the frozen path to The Solar School in Kargyak, where we are to take our turn and relieve Karol and Zuzka.
Karol and Zuzka send their greetings from lovely, clean and repaired school.
Karol stayed in Padum longer than she had expected and unfortunately she returned to Kargyak without the satellite phone. To gain it back seems to be impossible right now. We are still in touch with home through the phone in the village sometimes. This report has been travelling with the last people who left Zanskar before winter. Anyway, staying in Padum wasn’t loose of time because Karol had enough time to visit other schools and see how the education and life looks like. (...)
How to solve the situation around the seized satellite phone in India - 2011-10-21
I came to Padum more than week ago to solve the situation with our satellite phone that had been seized. It should be just a formal issue – I will just sign some paper and it is done. But things do not seem to be that easy. And don’t forget – I’m in India. I arrived at the police station in Padum where the seized phone is at the moment. They do not speak English very well so I have an interpreter with me. I asked for the paper that I should sign and they asked me for the paper with permission that we can use the phone. And if I don’t have it that I should write it down..in English. They have all their documents and orders in English but they do not understand English very well and that makes the situation become bizarre. Each of us wants something different and get to the blind spot because the officers are not in charge to decide anything regarding this situation.
