The Chadar is the name of the ice river which threads through the frozen valleys of Zanskar. Due to the extreme geographic isolation, the ice river is the only means of access in and out of the region during winter.
For 6-8 months each year, Zanskar is cut off from the rest of the world by snow which blocks the roads and high passes. Villagers must wait until the depths of winter when the river has frozen over before they can be linked again to the outside world.
Since 2008, Lille Fro has been supporting children from Zanskar in their education by helping them to board in the capital of Leh.
One ill-timed stepped can mean death
Desperate to go to school, these children brave sub-zero temperatures and risk their lives each year to take what has been coined, ‘The World’s Toughest Walk to School”. A gruelling week-long journey along the treacherous ice river which is the only means of getting to school in Ladakh’s capital of Leh when it resumes after the winter break in March.
The journey is fraught with danger especially for the little ones, some only 4 years old. With the ice changing every hour, one ill-timed step can mean death.
Little Seeds House
To overcome these challenges, Lille Fro is building Little Seeds House – a boarding house in the Zanskar Valley for disadvantaged children living in remote communities.
Once completed, this hostel will enable the children to go to school closer to home, to access healthcare services and avoid taking this treacherous path each year to receive a basic quality education.