While many young people today stay at home, claiming they can’t find a job, a 24-year-old woman provides a refreshing perspective on finding fulfilment in a small job. From working as a restaurant server to a salesgirl and a housemaid, she is now a bookseller with her walking library. Her journey is an example of hard work and dedication.
24-year-old Dorji Lhamo is from a remote part of Zhemgang. The eldest of three siblings, she was raised by her grandmother and father after her mother passed away when she was young. Two years ago, Dorji began selling books part-time.
She carries Bhutanese-authored books on her back, travelling door to door and through streets to reach her customers. The authors give her a percentage of the sales as commission.
“When I was working in a restaurant, a friend mentioned a commission-based job that was available on Mondays since we worked on Sundays in a restaurant. She introduced me to it and I started by marketing a book called ‘Define Yourself’ by Dechen Wangchuk.”
Currently, Dorji is a second-year student at the Royal Thimphu College, studying through the Continuing Education programme, thanks to a sponsorship.
With her studies taking up most of her time, she can no longer sell books door to door. Instead, she markets her books through her Facebook page, called “Dorji and Her Walking Library,” which has over 6,000 followers.
When Dorji gets an order from a customer in another district, she carefully packs the books and sends them through Bhutan Post.
Selling books helps Dorji cover her bills but meeting all her expenses remains a challenge. To make ends meet while in college, she has also taken a job at a private firm.
While she receives positive feedback from her customers and supporters, she struggles with limited readership which makes selling books difficult.
“Most of the people say that what I am doing is a good job. But buyers are limited as there are not many readers due to poor reading habits.”
One of the authors who occasionally worked with her praised Dorji as a brave and determined young woman paving the way to a brighter future.
“On the outside, she may seem small but her mind is incredibly big. While many young people today stay home, saying they can’t find jobs, Dorji takes a different approach. She starts with small jobs, setting a great example for others. After graduation, those like her who have gained experience will be favoured in the job market. By putting herself out there while selling books door to door, she meets new people, discovers opportunities and makes friends. This exposure leads to more opportunities,” said Namgay Wangchuk.
Whenever Dorji has free time, she goes out to sell books to people in town. Some buy her books while others say they don’t have a reading habit. On average, she sells about 25 books in a day.
As evening approaches and it’s time for her to leave for college, Dorji’s passion and enthusiasm for life keep her motivated.
Tashi Chezom
Edited by Sonam Pem
