During one of our inspection visits to...
the renovation works of the hostels at the ITI in Selaqui, we noticed a detail that deeply struck us: only two of the five hostels had a solar panel to heat the water. This meant that, especially during the winter months, many students had to wash themselves and do their laundry… with freezing cold water. We could not bring ourselves to leave them in this situation. We therefore decided to act immediately by purchasing and installing three new solar panels for the remaining hostels. A simple gesture, perhaps, but one capable of transforming the students’ daily lives: because sometimes, even a warm shower is a very concrete form of care.
The situation of the girls’ hostel at the TCV...
(Tibetan Children’s Village) school in Bylakuppe was truly critical: the damaged ceilings allowed rainwater to seep through, the bathrooms were in very poor condition, and the electrical system posed a serious risk because it was exposed to moisture penetrating the walls. It was clear that the time had come to take action.
When we returned for the inauguration after the renovation works, the place looked completely different. Doors and windows had been replaced, the electrical system had been fully renewed, the bathrooms had been rebuilt and tiled, and all the rooms had been freshly painted. To protect and preserve the work that had been done, a sheet-metal roof was also installed above the existing roof.
The girls were extremely happy with their new accommodation. During the inauguration ceremony they welcomed us with songs and dances, and the celebration ended with everyone singing “Bella Ciao” together — evidently the best-known Italian song among Tibetans.
The TCV School Agricultural Project
India – TCV School of Selaqui (Uttarakhand)
Project sponsored by the GAB Charity Foundation
This beautiful and very interesting project...
was proposed to us by the TCV (Tibetan Children’s Village) of Selaqui: the creation of a fruit and vegetable garden within the school. The initiative has a double objective, both extremely important: to make the school, with its 370 students, as self-sufficient as possible in terms of food and, at the same time, to teach students the basic principles of agriculture, actively involving them in a project that directly concerns their future and well-being. A few months after the project began, we visited the site and had the honour of officially cutting the ribbon for its inauguration. The first results were already visible: the first vegetables were growing and the young trees that had just been planted were beginning to sprout. The students were enthusiastic and, at lunchtime, they proudly served us the vegetables grown through their own work and dedication.
The Polyhouse Project at the TCV School
India – TCV School of Selaqui (Uttarakhand)
As with the fruit farm, the polyhouse project...
(a polyethylene greenhouse) proposed to us by the director of the TCV School of Selaqui immediately struck us as very interesting and educational. In this special greenhouse, covered with polyethylene fabric that protects the crops and promotes the growth of fruits, vegetables, and aromatic herbs even in difficult climatic conditions, students learn to cultivate products that later become part of their daily diet. During our annual visit we were able to see firsthand how impressive the results of this type of agriculture can be: in just a few months the students had already achieved more than one harvest. It is a wonderful way to involve both students and teachers in a shared project that benefits everyone’s well-being, while also becoming an opportunity for hands-on learning and a true educational activity that keeps students’ interest and curiosity alive.
Improvements Completed at the Gulladhalla School
India – Gulladhalla Refugee Camp in Bylakuppe (Karnataka)
In 2025 we completed the improvement...
works we had planned for the school in Gulladhalla, in Bylakuppe. The first step was the construction of the new dining hall; afterwards we installed a sheet-metal roof over the bathrooms and, finally, we paved the inner courtyard — where the children play during their breaks — with hard rubber tiles, which are safer and more durable. At the inauguration, the warmest thanks came from the students’ mothers, happy to have fewer trousers with torn knees to mend!
Learning to protect oneself and grow together
India – Chennai (Tamil Nadu)
As every year, we received the usual request...
from Michael Hubert for a small financial contribution to support the 2025 summer camp. The camp involved about 150 children aged 7 to 15 in a week of educational and recreational activities. One of the main objectives was to teach the children how to recognize dangerous situations, distinguish between familiar people and strangers, and understand the difference between appropriate and inappropriate contact, as well as how to react in case of threats or suspicious behaviour. The programme also included activities aimed at developing useful life skills, such as presentation and communication abilities, storytelling sessions focused on the values conveyed by important figures in history, initiatives to raise awareness about respect for nature, and many games and creative workshops. For seven days, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., the children shared activities, meals, and moments of social interaction in a safe, stimulating, and enriching environment.
A Hostel Renewed
India – TDL Refugee Camp in Bylakuppe (Karnataka)
Still in Bylakuppe, in the TDL...
camp, we visited the hostel that welcomes the students from Chowkur, a village that is part of the TDL area but located about 25 kilometres away from the school. Before the hostel was built, 35 years ago, these boys had to walk this long distance every single day, back and forth, in order to attend school. Thanks to the hostel, they can now live close to their school.
When we visited it, however, the building was in very poor condition. In the past, we had already provided new mattresses for all the beds, offering the students a first concrete sign of care and attention.
This time, we stepped in again by carrying out the complete repainting of all the internal and external walls, removing the stains caused by damp and mould that made the environment unhealthy.
Today, the hostel looks completely different: cleaner, brighter and more dignified.
A simple yet meaningful change that improves the boys’ lives every single day.
Because even the walls around them can help them feel protected and welcomed.
A Small Gift to Start 2026 Well
India – Chennai (Tamil Nadu)
On the occasion of the New Year 2026, a...
project has been proposed to offer a simple but meaningful gift to 212 children living in particularly difficult situations: children rescued from child labour, children from single-parent or fragile family backgrounds, children who have suffered abuse, or whose parents are seriously ill. Each child will receive a small set consisting of a lunch box and a water bottle, useful items for everyday life. Beyond its material value, this gesture aims above all to convey a message of care and hope, helping these children feel that someone is thinking of them and cares about their future. The distribution will be documented with photographs and followed by regular visits in order to continue encouraging and supporting the children. The hope is that 2026 may begin for them with a concrete sign of trust and hope.
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