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Rainbow School Zanskar

Modern Education with Traditional Values

In the heart of Zanskar, at nearly 3,700 meters altitude in the Indian Himalayas, the Rainbow School today offers 130 students, accompanied by a team of 10 teachers, a modern and quality education, while preserving their culture, language and traditional values.

Created with the support of APECIH, the Rainbow School allows children to grow, learn and build their future in their region, close to their family and community.

Our ambition is to contribute to the development of a sustainable and progressively autonomous Zanskarian school, capable of offering new generations the necessary tools to find their place in the modern world without losing the link with their roots.

A school born from a history spanning more
than 40 years

The history of the Rainbow School originates from the relationship that Pierre Odier, founder of APECIH , has maintained with Zanskar for more than four decades.


At a time when educational opportunities in this remote region were still very limited, Pierre began to financially support Zanskari families to enable their children to continue their studies. Among them was Tantar Lundup .


Having himself benefited from this assistance to continue his training, Lundup wanted to return to Zanskar and put his experience at the service of new generations. From this shared desire arose the idea of creating a school that would combine modern education with the traditional values of Zanskar.

 

The Rainbow School opened its doors in 2017 and today Lundup runs it with his wife Tsering Youdon, supported by a team of 10 teachers. Together, they welcome and guide 130 students.

Our goal is to provide quality education to the children of Zanskar without having to leave their homes prematurely and while preserving our rich cultural heritage.

​Tantar Lundup , Director, Rainbow School Zanskar

A school for the Zanskaris, run by the Zanskaris

From its inception, the objective was never to transpose a foreign educational model to Zanskar.​ The Rainbow School follows the official Indian school curriculum, while drawing inspiration from Montessori educational principles and giving significant importance to local culture, languages and traditions.

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The school aims to develop in children not only essential academic knowledge, but also curiosity, independence, creativity, self-confidence, and the practical skills necessary for their future. Cultural, artistic, and sporting activities thus occupy an important place in school life, alongside academic learning.

 

Preserving local culture is also an integral part of the educational project. Students learn Bhoti/Tibetan, participate in cultural events, and discover their heritage alongside the subjects of the official curriculum.

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This combination of openness to the world and preservation of local identity is at the heart of the Rainbow School's philosophy.

 

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Hiring, managing and retaining a team of teachers in Zanskar comes with its challenges. The reward comes from the joy of children to come to the Rainbow School to learn, play and grow.

Tsering Youdon, Principal, Rainbow School Zanskar

Growing up and learning in the heart of the Himalayas

Running a school in Zanskar presents a very different challenge than in most parts of the world.


The Rainbow School is located at an altitude of nearly 3,700 meters . Winters are long and extremely cold, and schools close for about three months. Temperatures can drop well below zero, and snowfall can make travel difficult.


Spring and summer bring other challenges: strong winds, dust, significant temperature variations, and now, more irregular rainfall. Climate change is gradually altering the conditions to which traditional Zanskar architecture was adapted.


Building and developing a school in this environment therefore requires simple, robust solutions adapted to locally available resources.

An architecture adapted to Zanskar

From the project's inception, APECIH has favoured an architecture that combines traditional techniques, local materials and contemporary solutions adapted to the Himalayan climate.

Earth, wood and other locally available materials thus play an important role in construction.


The use of passive solar energy also allows the region's exceptional sunshine to be used to naturally heat buildings. This approach has notably been applied to the new multipurpose auditorium, designed to capture and retain solar heat despite extremely low winter temperatures.


It will also guide the design of the school's future buildings.

2025-2026: Two years of transformation

The past two years have marked a major milestone in the development of the Rainbow School. Thanks to the support of APECIH donors, our partner associations and foundations, and the commitment of numerous volunteers, the school has been able to make several essential investments. These achievements are now tangibly improving the conditions in which the children learn, play, eat, move around, and live together.

 

A new multi-purpose auditorium

Spring 2025 – Summer 2026

 

The major achievement of this period was the construction of a multi-purpose auditorium, providing the school with a large covered common area. Until then, many group activities had to take place outdoors, in a courtyard exposed to the cold, heat, and winds that sweep across the valley daily, stirring up sand and dust.

 

Built with the financial contribution of our partner TCEF (Tibetan Children's Education Foundation) and using construction techniques adapted to Zanskar, the new auditorium benefits from a passive solar design. Its first winter demonstrated the effectiveness of this approach: while outside temperatures dropped to around -17°C, the interior of the building did not freeze, even without an active heating system.

 

The auditorium now offers a multi-purpose space to accommodate student gatherings and group activities, cultural and sporting activities, shows and screenings, school events, group meals, as well as activities for parents and the community.


The building was officially opened on August 21, 2026 , marking another important milestone in the history of the Rainbow School.

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APECIH Invitation — Inauguration of the Rainbow School Auditorium in Zanskar 2026-08-0

A second school bus

Spring 2026

 

The Rainbow School students come from different villages in the valley and transportation is an essential element of access to education.


The acquisition of a second 42-seater bus has significantly improved the school bus service and covered a much larger geographical area.


Waiting times, which previously could reach almost an hour, have been reduced and children can now get to school and back home in better conditions.

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A new roof to protect the school from the elements

Summer 2025

 

The traditional roofs of Zanskar were designed for a cold but historically very dry climate. Climate change is now resulting in later snowfalls, as well as heavier and more frequent rainfall, to which these structures are less well adapted.


Water infiltration threatened to gradually weaken the roofs and earthen bricks, and damage the classrooms. A new sheet metal roof, mounted on a metal frame, was therefore installed to better protect the buildings and ensure the long-term preservation of the existing infrastructure.

An enlarged courtyard and a new playground

Autumn 2025

 

With the school's growth, the central courtyard had become too small to comfortably accommodate all the students and the numerous group activities. It was enlarged and redesigned to provide more space for educational, sporting, and recreational activities.

An outdoor stage now allows for group activities, shows, and cultural events to be organized during the warmer months. A playground has also been created to offer younger children a suitable space to play and expend their energy.

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A library and a computer room

Spring - Summer 2025

 

A library and a computer room have been set up on the first floor of the school building. The creation of these new spaces required significant work: masonry, electrical installations, flooring, ceilings, paneling, glazing, shelving and furniture.

 

Thanks in particular to the support of the French association JullayPartage and the Canadian association TRAS Trans-Himalayan Aid Society , the school has been able to enhance its facilities and educational resources. These new spaces now provide the 130 students and their teachers with access to additional tools for learning, researching, reading, and discovering the world.

Thank you to everyone who makes all of this possible

None of these achievements would be possible without the trust and loyalty of the individuals and organizations that support the Rainbow School. APECIH warmly thanks all of its private donors, as well as the foundations, associations, local authorities, and partners who support us.


We would particularly like to thank three associations that share our commitment to the education of children in the Himalayas:


TCEF – Tibetan Children's Education Foundation (United States), an important partner in the development of the Rainbow School and in particular in the construction of the auditorium;


TRAS – Trans-Himalayan Aid Society (Canada) , which accompanies and supports the projects of the Rainbow School and contributed to the opening of the library;


and JullayPartage (France) , whose support notably contributed to the school's equipment (computer room) and educational resources.

 

We also thank HIAL – Himalayan Institute of Alternative Learning , whose expertise enabled the integration of passive solar architecture solutions adapted to the climatic conditions of Ladakh into the auditorium.

 

Our gratitude also goes to the artisans, workers and volunteers who put their skills at the service of the school and contribute directly to its development.

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But our first thanks go to all the people, donors, and sponsors who, year after year, place their trust in us. Your support doesn't just fund buildings or equipment. It gives the children of Zanskar the means to learn, grow, and understand where they come from so they can better choose where they want to go.

Your support gives children in Zanskar the means to learn, grow and understand where they come from so they can better choose where they want to go.

A school destined to become autonomous

APECIH is not intended to provide all the funding for the Rainbow School indefinitely. Our goal is to help the school gradually reach a size and economic model that allows it to cover an increasing share of its operating costs locally, while maintaining access to education for families with limited means.

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The investments made in recent years follow this logic: to create today the infrastructure that the school needs to function sustainably tomorrow. The involvement of Lundup, Tsering, the 10 teachers and the local community is essential to this approach.


APECIH is supporting the project; the Rainbow School belongs to Zanskar.

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2027-2028: preparing for the next step

After two years of significant investment in existing infrastructure, Rainbow School is now preparing for a new phase of its development.

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Two projects are currently priorities.

 

A new kindergarten

The major project of 2027-2028


The main investment planned for the next two years is the construction of a separate building for the kindergarten . Younger children have different needs than older pupils: spaces adapted to their size, play-based learning, freedom of movement, a quieter environment and specific equipment.


The new building will create an environment entirely designed for them, while freeing up space in the main school building. Like the auditorium, the building is planned to utilize passive solar architecture principles, harnessing solar energy to provide a heated space for the children. The plans and detailed budget are currently being finalized and should be available in early November 2026 .


We are looking for foundations, companies, associations and donors wishing to participate in the financing of this new project.

A canteen to provide a hot meal to each student

 

One room in the new auditorium was specially designed to house a kitchen. The goal now is to equip it in order to create a school canteen that will eventually provide a hot lunch to the school's 130 students.

 

In the climatic conditions of Zanskar, a hot meal in the middle of the day represents much more than an additional service: it contributes directly to the well-being and good health of children, as well as to their learning conditions.

 

To make this project a reality, we are looking for one or more sponsors who can contribute to equipping the kitchen, funding the necessary staff, purchasing food, and covering the operating costs of the canteen.

 

This project offers the opportunity to support a simple, concrete and measurable initiative from which children will benefit every school day .

Let's build the next step together

In less than ten years, the Rainbow School has gone from an ambitious idea to a school now welcoming 130 students with a team of 10 teachers, firmly established in Zanskar.


Classrooms have been built. Teachers have been trained and recruited. Two buses provide school transportation. A library and a computer lab have been created. The playground and play areas have been expanded. And since 2026, a large, solar-powered, passive auditorium has finally provided the entire school with a protected communal space. But the story of Rainbow School continues to unfold.

 

The future kindergarten, the canteen and the next stages of the school's development require new resources.

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Are you a private individual?

Every donation, regardless of the amount, contributes directly to the operation and development of the Rainbow School.

Do you represent a company, a foundation, an association or a public authority?

We are looking for partners wishing to finance all or part of a clearly identified project: construction of the kindergarten, equipment and operation of the canteen, educational equipment or infrastructure.


APECIH can define a partnership with you that corresponds to your objectives and ensure documented monitoring of the use of funds and the progress of the project.​

Rainbow School Academic and Construction Reports


Follow the construction and development of the Rainbow School over time. Click to download the PDF reports:

For more information about the Rainbow School:
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Modern Education with Traditional Values

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