I like to brag that I was born on a 17 December some decades ago – right by the door-step just when the sun cast its rays into the doorway from the crest of Semchey Karmo pass, as my mother likes to tell me!
For those who don’t know, December 17 is the national day of Bhutan. On that date in 1907, Bhutan’s first king ascended the Golden Throne owing to the collective fortune and destiny of the people. Although my birth on such a good date is merely coincidental, I ardently believe that it is symbolic of so many things that have happened to me in my life.
You see, everything that I have experienced and achieved are all thanks to the selfless and monumental stewardship of our great kings who made sure that ordinary citizen like me find our footing and voice in life by creating an enabling system of health and education for all.
Leaving behind my days of being a snotty-nosed farm boy playing bare-feet in the dirt-track behind our farmhouse, I started at the local community school in 2002 in Class PP. For 11 years, I took my schooling very seriously, and strove to do well so that I may get an opportunity to study abroad – a prized dream. For us common folks, doing well in school was one of the only few ways to such success, and thanks to the efforts and benevolence of our monarchs, we had our schools in which we could do our best and be rewarded for our efforts.
In 2013, I received a scholarship from Youth Development Fund – an NGO set up by Her Majesty Queen Mother Tshering Pem Wangchuk for the betterment of Bhutanese youth. I was fortunate, and lucky, because I got to attend the United World College in Maastricht, a world-class high school in the Netherlands which opened up a wide world of opportunities for me – such as attending Brown University starting in 2015.
But in 2017, I headed home to Phobjikha, not only because it is where my heart belongs but also because I really wanted to work together with fellow locals to work towards a sustainable and prosperous Phobjikha. I started Khemdro Dairy (KD) – a dairy value chain with the farmers at the center in June 2017 with the help of the Livestock Department and the Local Government. At the core of KD is its commitment in the farmers to optimizing their productivity while decreasing carbon footprint. Currently, it works actively with 40 farmers to increase their profits from dairying. Although we are still a long way away from the vision of a integrated, sustainable and waste-free dairy sector in the community, I am determined and inspired to keep on plodding.
I do not think I am lucky – I have never won the lottery or any raffles to date! But I am certainly fortunate. People who are much more talented than me have not been able to get the opportunities that I have. However, I can only be fortunate because of the Bhutan that our beloved kings have created for us – the enabling platform where everyone, including my self, have a place.
As such, it is my humble aim to do the best for my Tsa Wa Sum. This blog is for me to share my experiences and grow as an individual and a member of the community, and also hopefully document part of my journey as I explore and explore more of the land that I love.
