Running in its 8th year, Arya Tara School which was started in January 2000 is a flagship project of the Nuns Welfare Foundation (NWF), an NGO founded in 1998 by the world renowned Ani Choying Dolma.We started as a small school at a temporary site in Kathmandu with only seven nuns in the first year has over a period of only eight years grown phenomenally to an establishment that boasts a five storied, well equipped live-in institution of learning in Pharphing (Setidevi VDC-3, 18 km from Kathmandu) with a capacity to accommodate more than 50 nuns. Located in a serene and spacious setting overlooking the Kathmandu valley, the new school building is ingeniously built to withstand earthquakes and meets the needs of this growing spiritual/educational community; it includes several classrooms, a meditation hall, dormitories, computer lab, library, a kitchen and dining hall, storage room, office, proper toilets and bathrooms as well as rooms for the teachers and administrative staff. Living and learning in an environment with positive female role model is an integral component of the Arya Tara education. The new school in Pharphing which, started operations from July 2005, is now home to over 50 nuns who come from some of the poorest and most remote areas of Nepal, Tibet and India. The school remains open Monday to Friday and each school day begins with prayers and meditation after which classes resume from 09:45 am to 3:45 pm. There are frequent field trips to local pilgrimage sites, the zoo, museums etc to enrich the students overall spiritual and educational experiences. And each student learns to take responsibility for the school by doing small jobs such as helping with the cooking and cleaning, buying school supplies and working in the garden. Classes are taught by eight full time paid teachers and other additional paid staffs include a cook, housekeeper, office assistant and director of the Nuns Welfare Foundation who assists with fundraising, administration, volunteer coordination and public relations.
Education
Ranging in age from 8 to 23, the nuns at the school study Buddhist philosophy, Tibetan language, English, Mathematics, Science, Nepali, Computers, Social studies, EPH (environment, population and health), and other supportive classes. It also plans to provide students with links to further education; three nuns have already been enrolled at the Varanasi University in India for higher education in Buddhist philosophy, the Acharya Degree which is equivalent to Masters Degree. The nuns studying at the Arya Tara therefore gain literacy, leadership and life skills, confidence, and spiritual foundation necessary to make significant contributions to the development of human qualities and their communities. 
Furthermore The Nuns Welfare Foundation is committed to seeing Arya Tara students through to completion of their goals; the Foundation will provide assistance for nuns seeking additional education and provide seed grants for students’ projects in their home villages. Ani Choying’s vision and years of unceasing hard word with blessings from her root guru, late Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche has finally been rewarded with the completion of the first phase of her dream project- the ARYA TARA SCHOOL.
Furthermore The Nuns Welfare Foundation is committed to seeing Arya Tara students through to completion of their goals; the Foundation will provide assistance for nuns seeking additional education and provide seed grants for students’ projects in their home villages. Ani Choying’s vision and years of unceasing hard word with blessings from her root guru, late Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche has finally been rewarded with the completion of the first phase of her dream project- the ARYA TARA SCHOOL.Academic Strategies
The nuns at Arya Tara receive a varied classroom experience each day. The Tibetan Language and Buddhist Philosophy teachers teach in the traditional style of Buddhist education, while the other subject teachers provide a more contemporary education at par with the national standards set by the Nepali government. With more volunteers coming to ATS, the nuns are also exposed to a western-influenced education, encouraging creativity and hands-on learning. The current curriculum is as follows:
Buddhist Philosophy
A central part of a nun’s education. By graduation, these nuns are expected to understand and live according to Buddhist principles, be as proficient in philosophy as any senior nun, and be ready to put their vows of compassion into action as teachers, medical assistants/health educators, and spiritual advisors.Tibetan Language
Also a central part of a Buddhist education, Tibetan is necessary for learning Buddhist philosophy and interacting with the Tibetan Buddhist community. It is also the language spoken in many mountain villages in Nepal and India as well as Tibet. Full knowledge of Tibetan will allow the nuns to teach village girls while helping to preserve local language and culture.Mathematics
Upon graduation, the nuns should have knowledge of mathematics comparable to that of a US eighth grade level. This knowledge will also allow the nuns to improve their economic literacy and assist other women to do the same.English
Increasingly an “international language,” fluency in English will allow the Arya Tara graduates to work easily with others, including governmental and non-governmental aid organizations, to benefit their communities.Reading Comprehension
Taught in English, this ensures that the nuns will not only be able to speak English fluently but also understand what they read.Environment Population and Health
This is the seed curriculum for the students’ training as community health workers, and by itself will assist the nuns to sustain their own health and that of their communities.
As the students progress in their education, we plan to offer more subjects and upgrade the school to class 10 when they can appear for their first national board examination- SLC (School Leaving Certificate). This will be pertinent to the nuns’ possible humanitarian work in their communities, including basic ecology/environmental studies. We hope that the nuns, with a strong background in Buddhist ideas of interdependence, will be able to promote sustainability in use of all resources, showing through practical application of their vows that education, health awareness, environmental awareness and spirituality go hand in hand.
Social Studies
This subject enhances a student’s awareness of the country and the world they live in, giving them a better understanding of a particular country’s operational structure. They learn about different religions, ethnic groups etc that broaden their horizon of learning.Electives
Include art and craft, computers and music.As the students progress in their education, we plan to offer more subjects and upgrade the school to class 10 when they can appear for their first national board examination- SLC (School Leaving Certificate). This will be pertinent to the nuns’ possible humanitarian work in their communities, including basic ecology/environmental studies. We hope that the nuns, with a strong background in Buddhist ideas of interdependence, will be able to promote sustainability in use of all resources, showing through practical application of their vows that education, health awareness, environmental awareness and spirituality go hand in hand.