De-Suung Integrated Training Programme is one of the many noble initiatives of His Majesty The King.
The training programme was instituted in February 2011 under the command of His Majesty The King to be a value based personal development programme. It was aimed to encourage all citizens to be active in the greater role of nation-building.
With the recent completion of the 32nd batch, there are close to 3,900 volunteers trained under the programme.
In the last eight years, the De-Suups in orange uniforms have been playing active roles during national events, volunteer rescue efforts, at time of disasters, charitable activities and religious ceremonies within and outside the country.
Rinchen Tshering is one of the DeSuups from the first batch De-Suung training programme
“When people call me as a De-Suup, I feel proud and I feel like I have an extra responsibility in the community as a De-Suup and we are one step ahead than the others,” he said.
One of the significant moments for DeSuung was the voluntary assistance to the victims of the Nepal Earthquake, as part of Bhutan’s first-ever Medical Response team in 2015.
Similarly, they were also engaged in the construction of river protection walls and building shelters to affected families during flash floods in the Southern Dzongkhags.
Through the training programme, all De-Suung trainees are expected to appreciate the sense of community, harmony and cooperation as a group and active members of society. This helped to foster a sense of volunteerism among Bhutanese.
“As a De-Suup, our country and people always come first, we have inner motivation all the time, which makes us eager to take part in any activities,” Hem Raj, one of the De-Suups, said.
” De-Suung programme is a sole initiative of His Majesty and we feel proud since we serve nation without any expectations,” Rinchen Dorji, another De-Suup in Samdrup Jongkhar, said.
As lifelong members of De-Suung, they said the programme will enhance their abilities to shoulder their own daily duties and responsibilities naturally.
The training is usually conducted for a month. The training focuses on disaster management, panel sessions, shooting, river rafting, culture and tradition and team building.
