Bhutan became a member of the Rotary Club almost a decade ago. Since then, it has been engaged in numerous community-based sustainable projects worth Nu 120 million across the country. However, according to the club members, not many are aware of its existence and purpose. The club now wants to ramp up public awareness to make its initiatives more visible.
The Rotary Club of Thimphu initiates projects related to agriculture, health and education in the country.
“We have done a lot of projects so far. To date, we have completed approximately worth Nu 120 M projects. Setting up a heart centre at JDWNRH in collaboration with a club in Germany is in the pipeline which is amounting to Nu 6 M. We also have to train people to operate machine and equipment. So for the training component, it’s coming around Nu 7 M,” said Tsewang Rinzing, the President of the Rotary Club in the country.
The club has some seven projects in the pipeline amounting to over Nu 20 M.
“We have recently received a request from the Ministry of Education. Since schools are re-opening, they want electronic disinfector to be installed in the school so that children can maintain COVID-19 protocols and maintain cleanliness,” added the President.
Training tour guides for evacuating tourists during emergencies and launching an agriculture project in Langthil Gewog, Trongsa are some of the projects in the offing.
Rotary Club of Thimphu was formed with 35 Charter founding members in 2012. The club is under Rotary International, which is an international service organisation, founded in 1905.
The organisation has its presence in over 100 countries and focuses on uplifting the livelihoods of millions of people around the world.
In more than 34,000 clubs worldwide, Rotarians volunteer in communities at home and abroad to support education and job training, provide clean water, combat hunger, improve health and sanitation among others.
Choni Dema
