Lack of access to basic amenities such as roads, electricity, and safe drinking water among others used to be daily hardships for the people of Langdhorbi village under Bardo Gewog in Zhemgang, some two years ago. But today, the village which had the highest poverty incidence is no longer the same.
Thanks to the 25-kilometre farm road which connected the village in 2019, the village has begun to transform. With improved socio-economic developments, the villagers have almost everything now.
According to Langdhorbi Tshogpa Yeshi Dorji, with a number of hardships and difficulties, modernisation was just a name for them.
”We used to walk miles, carry essentials on our back, and horses for days from the nearest road point. But today, our village has developed remarkably,’’ the tshogpa said.
From clean energy to electrical home appliances and even luxury, people there have embraced a new lease of life.
”We use electric appliances to cook meals and some even use gas. We hardly use firewood now,’’ said Jigme Choden, a villager.
Likewise, most villagers have also installed modern-day flush toilets in their homes. Some have also treated themselves to a television set at home, and mobile phones.
Having food to survive was enough for the people then, but saying goodbye to poverty, people have now started cultivating commercial vegetables as well. The tshogpa said people have become hard-working and live a hygienic life.
Langdhorbi village has about 70 households with over 1,000 people.
Pema Samdrup
