Over 150 young people have started the ‘Gola Gola Bhutan’ initiative. The group collects used clothes, washes them, and provides them to those requiring them. Started in May 2022 as a tribute to His Majesty The King, the initiative aims to reduce cloth waste. The initiative was started with support from the Loden Foundation.
The members of the group are spread across the country. Every month, they contribute funds to drive their mission of creating positive change for those in need.
So far, the initiative has helped remote schools and communities in six districts. Most recently, the youth group distributed clothes to the Nubi Gewog in Trongsa.
“The Gola Gola Bhutan organisation has helped the people residing in Nubi Gewog in Trongsa by donating clothes to the needy such as the elderly, large families, and people who are separated from their families. They also provided some necessities to the elderly people who do not have children. So, this initiative has been a great support to the people in the gewog,” said Namgay Lhendrup, Bemji Tshogpa.
By giving a second chance to old clothes, Gola-Gola Bhutan collects clothes from people who do not need them and gives them to those who cannot afford new ones.
“This initiative also helps us to manage waste, which is generated from excessive clothing consumption. Some of the challenges we face as of now are mainly regarding awareness since most people are not aware of our initiative, and we are not able to collect as much clothing as possible. Additionally, we encounter challenges with transportation costs when moving clothes to different regions. At present, our donations have been limited to clothing and footwear only,” said Phuntshok Wangchuk Rinzin, the president of Gola-Gola Bhutan.
“We make sure to donate to those who face financial hardship to buy clothes. Since 2022, we have been able to donate clothing to different schools and different communities in six districts,” said Pema Deki Yangden, a treasurer of Gola-Gola Bhutan.
The group is planning to set up drop sites in busy areas to make it easier to collect clothes efficiently. They are also planning to start clubs in colleges to raise awareness about the initiative.
(Interns) Tshering Yuden & Sherab Yangchen
Edited by Sonam Pem
