Volunteer works are not only for the Desuups and Scouts. Any individual can contribute in their small way by forming groups and taking initiatives. Kuenphen Let’s Help Project was initially formed in 2016 with about 20 members and the project has completed whitewashing over five hundred chortens within two years.
Tandin Tshering who is a teacher by profession is one of the founders of the project. Having completed whitewashing of 108 chortens each in the Dzongkhags of Thimphu, Paro, Chukha, Trongsa, Bumthang and Pema Gatshel, the volunteers reached Lhuentse to resume their volunteer works. From 20 members in 2016, currently, the number of members decreased to seven with most of them being youth.
“We founded the project to commemorate the 60th Birth Anniversary of His Majesty The Fourth King with an aim to preserve our culture,” said Tashi Tobgyel, the coordinator of Kuenphen Let’s Help Project.
And the project carries out whitewashing of chortens twice in a year during vacations. Meanwhile, they also raise awareness of the importance of volunteerism through such volunteer works. He, however, said that local communities were still unaware of such a project.
“Local people were still confused whether we are doing volunteer work or paid to do suck work. People keep on asking us if we were sent by the government. But we convince them by saying that we are here by ourselves and doing voluntary social works. We also tell them it is a small initiative taken by a group of youth,” he added.
The project depends on the donations provided by individuals through Facebook and Wechat group to buy paints and other necessary items. And some group members said more advocacy programme on volunteerism has to be conducted in rural areas to encourage more people to do such works.
“People assume that all the volunteer works have to be carried out by the government. However, I feel that such works can be also done by a small group of people. While whitewashing the chortens we also create awareness on the importance of volunteerism,” Ugyen Phuntsho, a volunteer said.
“If I stay back at the village, I will be simply counting the days to go back to college as I cannot do much farm works. So instead of staying idle, if we can do such volunteer works, it would not only benefit us in this life but also in the next life. So I joined the group,” added Chimi Kinley, also a volunteer.
The main challenge for them is the lack of transportation to travel around the village. And currently they adjust with a small Santro car and it has to do two rounds to drop and pick up the youth from one place to another.
Once finished in Lhuenste, their next destination is Monggar.
