Where do children turn when their lives are shaped by poverty, abuse, and neglect? In the country, Nazhoen Lamtoen is one of the civil society organisations that quietly supports these vulnerable children. It provides care and counselling to those in conflict with the law and children facing difficult circumstances, helping them rebuild their lives and reintegrate into society.
“I am 12 years old, and I am from Trashi Yangtse. After my mother passed away, my father remarried. I could not get along with my stepmother, and my father used to physically abuse me.”
She found her safe haven at Nazhoen Lamtoen, a place that offers more than just a shelter.
“After coming here, I got to continue my education. I also got the award for the best student, and I am so proud of myself. I will study hard, and I want to become a teacher when I grow up.”
Like her, 14 children call this place home. The shelter home is located at Changgedaphu in Thimphu. Here, children find care and a chance to heal and rebuild their dreams.
Every child arrives here carrying stories of pain and hardship. Some have faced neglect or abuse.
According to the CSO, about 90 per cent of children who come from difficult circumstances end up in conflict with the law. Between 1999 and 2024, 421 children were recorded as having come into conflict with the law. Of these, more than 380 were children living in difficult circumstances.
“Children who are orphans, those from single-parent families, or those struggling with mental health issues face risks if they do not receive support. Without help, they turn to self-harm, substance abuse, or even come into conflict with the law. By supporting these children in difficult circumstances, we can help reintegrate them into society,” said Thinley Tobgyel, Executive Director, Nazhoen Lamtoen.
He also highlighted the challenges of securing funding.
“With the increasing number of cases and the CSO being small, our main challenges are budget constraints and difficulty in managing human resources. It would be helpful if gewogs and chiwogs could allocate funds for children, which we could then supplement. By doing so, many of these cases could be addressed at the community and gewog level.”
Since 2019, the CSO has supported 150 children in difficult circumstances and has helped reintegrate 90 children who were in conflict with the law.
At Nazhoen Lamtoen, children are slowly finding hope. And with every life they rebuild, it is a reminder that every child deserves a better childhood, which should be for play and dreams, not struggles.
Sangay Chozom
Edited by Sonam Pem
