Samdupling, Jwalakhel

Introduction:

The international Committee established Jawalakhel Tibetan settlement as a handicraft-based settlement for ninety workers for the Red Cross in November 1960. Initially the worker were lodged in rented housing blocks consisting of 106 rooms were constructed. These rooms along with twenty rooms that were already existing in the settlement were distributed to the settlers for use as residential quarters. Life in the settlement revolves around the handicraft center that besides carpet, produce shawls jackets and other handicraft item. This settlement is one of the largest carpets manufacturing centers in Nepal. The settlement has a co-operative society, a school, crèches and a dispensary.

Settlement Location:

This settlement is located at Jawalakhel, near Kathmandu in Western Nepal. The altitude of place is about 5000 ft. above sea level with an temperature of 20 to 30 degree celsius.

Settlement Population

Initial population 90
Present Population 678

No of Villages in the settlement

The Tibetans in Samdupling are divide into three section.

Settler’s Livelihood

The main sources of livelihood for the settlers are carpet weaving and small business.

Facilities in the settlement

School One day school upto class V
One Nursery & Creche
Health facilities Doctors from near by town visits the settlement weekly.
Monastery one monastery.
Co-operative Society

The settlement has a Multipurpose Co-operative Society which provide necessary services to the settlement people. This section runs different section to meet the need of the settlement

1. Carpet Center
2. General store section
3. Carpet washing

Administrative setup:

Each settlement has a settlement officer who is the Representative of the Department of Home appointed by Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), Dharamsala. Settlement officer is the principle post of the settlement. He is charged with overall control of running of affairs in the settlement. Under the Representative there are chief executive officer Co-operative society, appointed by CTA, Manager of the workshop and other small handicraft and also village leaders.

Representative acts as the liaison between the settlement and the Department of Home (CTA) and is the main source of information for the people in the settlement. The roles of Chief Diplomat, Chief Justice and Head of the settlement are all combined in one post. Daily task for the representative range from adjudicating disputes to communicating with group leaders and outside authorities, and generally watching over the running of all aspects of the settlement.

Group Leaders:
The functioning or activities of every settlement are more or less similarly to each other. The settlers elect their group leaders whose job is to act as an intermediary with relevant authorities, pass on information, settle disputes and collect money. Group leaders are not elected for their policy-making idea, nor do they campaign on certain issue. These group leaders are chosen on the basis of their strength of personality and once ability to stand before the interest of their village. The duty of the leader is more or less like the representative, but on smaller and more personal scale.

Traveling Mode

Nearest railways station
Nearest Airport Kathamandu 10 Km from settlement
Bus & Taxi services Available

Contact Address:

C/o Jawalakhel Handicraft Center (Pvt) Ltd.
P.O. Box # 263
Kathmandu – Nepal
Telephone:-00977-1-2527047

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