Media Contacts

Amrita-Seattle | +1 206-484-7910 | contact@AmritaSeattle.onmicrosoft.com

PCI India | +91 011 4605 8888 | infoindia@pciglobal.in

​​​

​​

SEATTLE, WA, USA & NEW DELHI, INDIA | July 13, 2025 - ​​Amrita-Seattle is thrilled to announce that our much-anticipated portfolio review in Ladakh has officially begun, in collaboration with PCI India. Our evaluation team has arrived, and over the coming days they will visit program sites in Zanskar, Nubra, and Leh — including the Home of the Snow Lions, a residential girls’ school, and our Digital Learning Center.

​

Ladakh is one of India’s most remote, rugged, and challenging regions — and that is exactly why this evaluation is so vital. Children living in rural Ladakh endure a spectrum of hardships. They face extreme cold and long winters when many villages are cut off. Roads are few, terrain difficult. Access to reliable electricity, digital connectivity, trained teachers, and stable classrooms is often intermittent. Many schools, particularly in remote areas, struggle with very low enrollment, single-teacher situations, or even closure. UDISE 2023-24 data reports 139 government schools in Ladakh at risk of shutting down — including schools with zero enrollment, or run by only one teacher (Kashmir Times)

​

For many children, especially girls, the nearest school is hours away over high mountain passes; in winter, snow, landslides, or bad weather may block access entirely. Some villages are accessible only by foot, animal caravans, or rarely serviced local vehicles. Some schools in very remote valleys have no vehicular connectivity. 

​

Beyond geography and infrastructure, many children must contend with deeper social and economic challenges. Poverty is pervasive; homes are isolated. Some children are compelled to help with household duties, gathering firewood or water, caring for siblings. Others are forced into domestic labour, leaving little time for study. Abuse — physical, emotional, or neglect — is a risk, especially where oversight is harder because distance isolates families and services. Combinations of these pressures often lead to dropouts, delayed schooling, or compromised learning. Despite the harsh conditions, children and their families show tremendous resilience. But the obstacles they face are real and compounded: intermittent electricity or internet make remote or blended learning patchy; teachers may be absent, under‐trained, or must travel great distances; students often travel far and sometimes must board away from home. The quality gap is manifested in learning outcomes: rural and government schools in Ladakh often perform below national averages in some metrics, particularly in subjects like mathematics and language (parakh.ncert.gov.in+2Voice of Ladakh+2).

​

To ensure that our evaluation reflects these realities, we are beginning with two full days of training for our field investigators. During this phase, we will test all our tools — surveys, interview and observation guides, digital tools — in real terrain, under real conditions. We will prepare for logistical challenges of high altitude, weather unpredictability, remote transit, and cultural sensitivity. This ensures that once the evaluation proceeds at each site — Zanskar, Nubra, Leh, the Home of the Snow Lions, Digital Learning Center — we can gather actionable insights and recommendations that are grounded in what life is actually like for these children.

​

This evaluation is a critical moment for Amrita-Seattle: a chance to reflect on what’s working, where the gaps are, and how we can strengthen our impact so that every child, no matter how remote or vulnerable, has access to quality, meaningful learning. Together with PCI India, we are committed to listening deeply to the lived experiences of communities in Ladakh, understanding the full range of challenges — from infrastructure to poverty to social vulnerability — and ensuring our programs continue to bring hope, opportunity, and lasting change. ​Children deserve the best we can offer — this evaluation is our promise to work harder, smarter, and more compassionately.

​

About Amrita‑Seattle

Amrita‑Seattle is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit headquartered in Seattle, Washington. For 15 years the organization has delivered education, nutrition, healthcare, and clean‑water solutions to underserved communities in the U.S., India, and Nepal—living its motto “Live to Serve.” 

Website: https://www.amrita-seattle.org/

​

​

About Project Concern International – India (PCI India)

PCI India, a non-profit organization, has been working since 1998 to improve the well-being of marginalized communities by addressing complex social challenges at scale. In 2023-‘24, PCI reached over 17 million people across 16 states through a combination of technical assistance and direct implementation programs spanning health, nutrition, women’s economic empowerment, livelihoods, social entitlements, and climate action. PCI designs and delivers impactful, evidence-driven programs grounded in real-time measurement and learning. PCI Research, a centralized unit, leads the organization’s measurement and Learning function through rigorous assessments, behavioral studies, and evaluations—ensuring data-driven decisions that drive inclusive and sustainable development.

Website: https://www.pciglobal.in/​​​​