A young man of poise, confidence and power

I was home, last August, when I received a phone call from my friend, Tashi Namgay. He had a good news, “Hello Riku, oye, Bhutan Kidney Foundation is certified today as public-benefit organization with the CSO Authority.” Yes, I could feel his heart exalting, reveling in his coveted achievement, his dream come true. You don’t know how much it meant to him and of course to me. By the way, it took him almost seven years to get his Foundation registered as CSO.

I congratulated him.

The Bhutan Kidney Foundation (BKF) provides a new hope for all those poor kidney failure patients who are at the jaws of death by providing quality health services and financial supports. And through its comprehensive and preventive measures, BKF works towards reducing the incidences of renal and other lifestyle diseases in Bhutan. Today, there are over 120 kidney failure patients in Bhutan and its number is alarmingly increasing.

                                    Pic: With the Education Secretary, Principal of ELC, and Lhamo Drukpa 

I’m very proud to have become associated as a friend with 27-year old Tashi Namgay, the Founder/Executive Director of BKF. This Foundation has been born out of his vision, relentless effort and sacrifice.

A Class X graduate of Jakar HSS and former civil servant, Tashi is a kidney transplant recipient since 2006. He was only 18, in 2004, when he was diagnosed both of his kidney organs failed. However, fortunately, with the help of a kind donor, and the RGoB that financed his travel, surgical and medical expenses, his renal transplant was success in April, 2006 at Christian Medical College, Vellore, India.

Through his own experience, Tashi discovered that there were many inherent problems and shortages associated with renal diseases and health services in Bhutan. This, according to him, led kidney failure patients and their family members and relatives suffering hopelessly. There was lack of counseling and moral support service for kidney failure patients, and shortage of dialysis machines and trained health staff to operate the machines in Bhutan. Also, there were lots of hidden expenses incurred (which were not covered by RGoB) while patients were sent away for renal transplant in India. Sometimes, patients had to extend their stay in India due to medical complications.  

                                                      Pic: With the patients at JDWNRH

Moreover, without Act of Law for Organ Donation and Transplant in Bhutan, many people were misappropriating money collected through fundraising activities, and the illegal commercialization of organs was growing rampant. Most shockingly, there was no proper advocacy programmes on diets and lifestyle diseases (diabetes, hypertension, obesity) which are the leading causes to kidney failure incidences. The RGoB has been spending millions of ngultrums for renal medical treatments and travels which otherwise can be prevented.

Soon after his renal transplant in 2006, Tashi Namgay started googling for kidney organizations of other countries. He was quite inspired by the way they were contributing to wellbeing of kidney failure patients and prevention of renal diseases. It was at that moment when he thought of establishing one such organization in Bhutan.

However, only after a handful of months later, this young man learned that what he was trying to do was not easy at all. This project, in fact, would cost him millions of ngultrum that he didn’t have. It, too, would require him better qualification, skills and experience. He was only 20, then, had qualification of Class X and very fresh in job. So, Tashi Namgay started looking for other kidney transplant recipients in Bhutan who had good qualification, expertise and experience to form an NGO for kidney patients.

                                                           Pic: With Amrith Bdr. Subba

Tashi phoned each of them, met them, and discussed establishing this aspiring project. In 2008, they held their first meeting where 21 interested members (all kidney transplant recipients) attended. The participating members showed great interest about establishing the Foundation. As desired, the meeting formed a Core Working Group consisting of five members to draft legal documents of the Foundation.

But sadly, the consecutive meetings miserably failed. Most members of the Core Working Group didn’t turn up for the meetings. Mail sent, but no reply. Phone calls not responded. And his requests fell on deaf ears. Just like that, a solid year gone.

In the mid of 2009, Tashi conducted a mass meeting where, again, he called all kidney transplant recipients who had attended the last meeting. This meeting discussed and resolved to form a new Core Working Group. This new group failed, too. It was same again: some members transferred to other dzongkhags; others remained busy with their families and jobs/business.

Pic: With Erika Terpstra, the former Olympic Gold Medalist for Swimming and now President of the Dutch National Olympic Committee. 

It was taking long enough. Four years had already gone, without achieving anything. Tashi Namgay had stood anxious, sad, and mostly helpless. He couldn’t sleep at night. All nights, he would be tossing and turning around in bed, thinking about his project and those people who were suffering and dying from kidney disease. Several times, he thought of quitting his project because every time, it was for nothing. Alone, he could do nothing. And no other individual was coming forward to help him in his endeavors.

But each time he’d come across people suffering from kidney failure disease, he was again rejuvenated to keep working for them, never to quit his project. Because he knew that those kidney failure patients always lived at the jaws of death, depressed, and without any means of escapism or outside interventions. And the NGO he wanted to establish would certainly reduce their sufferings, rescue them from untimely death, and prevent from the renal disease.

                                                             Pic: With the Prince of Sweden

In desperation and worried, Tashi Namgay started hunting for different senior bureaucrats, corporate employees, businesspeople and other popular local celebrities for support. He shared the problems of kidney-related diseases and his aspiring project to them. Many showed interest and assured him to provide necessary help in his project. But in reality, it’s far from that. No one did bother to support him, not at all. It’s always the same-nothing happened, nothing achieved.

By then, Tashi had expensed a huge amount of money and five years of time in his endeavor to establish NGO. Once he told me, “If I had invested such amount of money and time for a business, I’d have become a millionaire today.”

                                                              Pic: With Kelly Dorji

There was a bunch of people (including his own relatives and colleagues) who had demoralized him from working for kidney failure patients. They blatantly criticized him that he was becoming “too ambitious”, acting “over-smart”, and trying to “become popular”. Similarly, many other people questioned and challenged his capacity to establish NGO, about his qualification and experience. This had brought stunning upset in him; his hopes flickered.  

Others insisted Tashi Namgay to quit social works and this project which according to them seemed out of his reach. One person told him, he narrated it to me, “If you cannot stand on your feet properly, how you can you help others. Better quit what you are doing and prioritize your own wellbeing and family.” As he shared this to me, I saw a drop of tears in his eyes.

In fact, those people were right, matter-of-factly. Tashi Namgay had no house of his own to live in Thimphu, no car to drive, and all time his bank balance remained negative. The meager salary he earned finished before month’s end. And he could hardly treat himself with new clothes, shoes, and good meals. His family members were always upset with him because he could do or bring nothing at home. Always, he walked lonely, mostly broke and hopeless.

Ask him where he had spent his salary. Almost twice a week, Tashi Namgay would visit the Patient’s Guest House at JDWNR Hospital where about 30 kidney failure patients who were undergoing dialysis were housed in a catastrophic condition. They were poor, homeless, orphans, without relatives, and no good food to eat. More sadly, they were depressed, dispossessed and merely waiting for the death in a lamentable display. Tashi Namgay would visit there with grocery and other basic necessities for the patients.

To those patients, he seemed so rich that they imagined he could give them everything. One of the patients told me, “Many Lyonpos, Dashos and Aums promised us hope and forgot when they go back. But he is very promising.”

Here, Tashi Namgay, adorned with compassion and love, always sat happily surrounded by the poor patients. He hugged each of them, nursed their wounds and shared their plights. As he gave them tender loving care, he also cried with them. In his every visit, he counselled the patients on their diets and mental health and fed hopes and aspirations upon them.

If those people had a belief in God, Tashi Namgay was the true manifestation of God for them. I’m not exaggerating. Those patients felt that only Tashi Namgay could bring difference in their life and redeem them from their unending sufferings. All his efforts, in fact, had brought a drastic change in the lives of hundred of kidney failure patients. The faith, hope, and expectation they had upon him; however, offered a bigger responsibility and gave him a resolute confidence never to quit what he was doing oblivious to his own problems.

The year 2010 arrived, five years passed, and there were no hopes of establishing NGO this far out. The first time I met Tashi Namgay was in the mid of 2010 when I joined the office of Department of Youth and Sports. Here, I also met another friend of mine, Amrith Bahadur Subba. It was as if the fate had brought three of us together for a cause, for kidney failure patients of Bhutan.

Three of us started getting along very well. Often, especially on weekends, we would whisk out for outings. There, Tashi Namgay used to share to us about the problems of kidney-related diseases and sufferings of those patients. Sometimes, smacking on momo and over cup of tea, he used to consistently talk about his aspiring project to establish a kidney foundation.

Also, he’d take us to the Dialysis Room and Patient’s Guest House at JDWNR Hospital. Other times, he would invite us to his house for dinner where we used to always talk about establishing his project. Tashi Namgay has neither much education nor the knowledge of the Book, but he knew his mind, understood the reality and apprehended the system. And always, he delights me with his wide-ranging worldview, astute critical mind, and entrepreneurship talents. All this interested me to work along with him, in his endeavors.

In November 2010, a new Core Working Group of the Kidney Foundation amongst three of us was formed to draft CSO documents. This team, though very small, worked all holidays and weekends and sometimes after office hours. At times, we stayed late night brainstorming and drafting the documents. It’s quite surprising that none of us has missed a single meeting. And one by one, we complete drafting the CSO documents of the Bhutan Kidney Foundation exactly in six months.

                                                          Pic: With Board and executive members of BKF

Meanwhile, a few local film celebrities and other individuals came forward and helped drafting the documents. They have also supported kidney failure patients in providing financial and other contributions. Tashi’s natural talent to do the talking could convince and impress many businessmen, bureaucrats and powerful senior citizens. And people started coming forward with cheque, cash, and contributions in all kinds. Even the His Majesty Secretariat Office supported the Foundation editing and making necessary changes in the documents and processing the BKF’s CSO application to the CSO Authority. By the end of 2011, it was applied for legal registration to CSO Authority, and last August it formally got register.

                                                              Pic: With his family

Tashi Namgay proved all his critics wrong. Today, he could register his NGO and more importantly, he has become the Executive Director of Bhutan Kidney Foundation. He showed to others that a young man, without much qualification and experience, if driven by altruistic passion, hard work and confidence can become a leader and bring positive change in our society.

Lastly, Tashi Namgay’s efforts and difficulties are in service of hundreds of poor patients who are at the jaws of death and for the country. And we, even if we cannot support him in his service all time, it’s our natural responsibility to encourage and provide him moral supports, or at least, say a prayer for him. May God bless him today, tomorrow and always! 

                               Pic: With Go Youth Go members (He is also the Founder of GyG)

Pic: With Junior Chamber International Bhutan members (He is one of the Executive members of JCI Bhutan)

Thank you, Sir!!

This film is different and superhit. Thank you, Sir!! a film by Tshering Gyeltshen, shot in the beautiful valley of Trashiyangtse with Bayling HSS as the grand central setting, is a real cinematic treat for you. It’s a film that you take home, and reminisce and relish for days, or even weeks.  Believe me.   

Its genre, drama, the film is for all: young or old. Its storyline, acting, music and cinematography are exceptionally good, very professionally crafted and executed. You won’t grumble, frankly speaking, after coming out of cinema hall.

Most shockingly, Thank you, Sir!! is the most expensive local production ever with a direct cost of Nu 9.5 million. A total of 750 cast and crew, the largest so far in a local film, this film is shot over a period of seven months (Oct 2011 to May 2012). The director of photography was hired from India.

Let me tell you Thank you, Sir!!, an educational/social movie, is all about a passionate teacher Jigmed Lodhen (Tshering Gyeltshen) who believes that a teacher dedicated to his/her calling can change the world. After his graduation, Jigmed Lodhen arrives at Mendrupling HSS (Bayling HSS) like a breath of fresh air. He is extraordinarily filled with passion and an earnest zeal for his life's calling - TEACHING. He believes and is prepared and determined to prove that teachers dedicated to their calling and passionate about their work will make all the difference...or the critical difference.

As Jigmed's life unravels in Mendrupling in the course of five years we come across a beautiful and sincere geography teacher of the school, Mendrel Yutsho (Tshering Zangmo) who has crush on Jigmed. We also come across the principal Ngelhey Dorji (Thinley Wangchuk) and "SIR" Naalha Tashi (Cheten Wangchuk) who play the roles of deadly villains. They are portrayed mostly in satirical and comical scenes, but you will love their roles, especially Cheten’s. Along with him, Cheten makes you scared, thrilled, cried, and laughed.

                                                              Pic: During the premiere show

In the supporting roles, Lhaksam Longdroel (Karma Samdrup) and Lekzeen Reengsel (Namgyel Lhamo) play very important roles as students. These two characters gave very powerful performance, and I am confident that they will bag home an award each.

Many social issues have been reflected in the film: a teacher-student affair, women who gamble with their husbands’ hard-earned money, people with vanity/accented English and a rumour-monger society. This film is very bold. The Dzongda of the dzongkhag illicitly keeps an affair with a school student. One time, with his friends and officials, the dzongkda comes to the school, drunk, and teases girls in the school basketball court. This, in fact, (what I feel) represents a true story of the Samtse College of Education where the dzongda and a few officials involved in similar case at the college.

However, Thank you, Sir!! has an unexpected climax that you will land up choking, all tearful. Go and watch it at City Cinema, you will love it. An outstanding film ever made by a Bhutanese!

Nothing small is ever small

I’ve been sitting in front of my PC, writing nearly all afternoon. And I can’t tell you precisely what a beautiful thing is this simple uninterrupted time. To write. There’re no friends of mine visiting my place who would insistently whisk me out for oodles of drinks. No dating, he-he; no such kinda thing happening in my life these days. And no phone calls from my parents and office.

I love this uninterrupted time to just write, ah. And as I write here, this afternoon, I get caught in a cycle of thinking that I felt off in any way. I’ve this urge, as I always do, to anticipate for something new, next big thing. A different job, a bigger income, achieve big things, a posh lifestyle, travel all over the world, meet new people, and settle down abroad. Yes, I’ve been anticipating for this next big thing for a long time. I wanted, always, something big to focus on up ahead as if to keep myself zestful and moving and to keep ordinary away.

But oddly, quite wondrously, my mornings start with the same beginnings. As usual, my alarm rings at 7:30 am. I run into the same kitchen and cook my breakfast-mostly tea and bread. After the wash-up, like always, I do my hair and wear gho. And the route I walk down my office greets me with familiar sights. The same road cleaners, the same trees and buildings, the rush of cars, and the same people marching towards their works. All day, in my office, I meet same colleagues, ring phones, and same works.

My days also end with the same closings. After 5 pm, I return home, drink coffee, watch TV, read books, cook dinner, and sleep. Also, there’re other everyday rituals which are purely mundane. I call my parents and friends, sometimes a brief talk; other times, a longer conversation, but mostly insignificant chat in particular. I check my mail, log on/log out of Facebook and Twitter, wash dishes, water flowers, and rummage my closet.

Always, it’s the same. Everyday. In fact, so inevitably, I get upset over all this mundane things I’ve to do every day. That’s why I anticipate (or more aptly, I aspire desperately) something different, something big, something that would change my life altogether.

But eventually, gradually, I’m learning that our life doesn’t have to be so full of big things, big change. Instead, I’m realizing that all this insignificant activities are part of me. These activities are so ordinary, yet offer deep sense of comfort and peace. All through my mundane routine, there’s an umbrella of comfort that accompanies me. It provides an overriding sense of belonging, comfort, and grace.

And any next big thing will just happen as a result of truly living those small things. Some days I even feel I could write a book on what I’ve been taught through all my mundane activities. I must say that nothing is really small anyway. That’s what I think, at least for now.

A thing of beauty!

I arrived at the Save the Children Program Office, Thimphu for Go Youth Go (GyG) Organizational Development Workshop 30 minutes before the scheduled time. Wow…30 minutes before the scheduled time! Moreover, it’s one Saturday morning; indeed, one day in week that I’d be snoring till noon. Usually, I’m one person, civil servant who reaches his office not before 10 am and avoids attending meetings, seminars and workshops with all kinds of excuses.

The rain hadn’t stopped, then, since a couple of days before. It’s still really beating down, so heavily. And this kind of rain, excessive showering, does feed to our mind. Not only hindrances our works, but also makes our mind gloomy and makes us sick-literally.   

The SCF office’s caretaker offered a coffee for me. And I nestled on a wooden bench, sipping a fantastic cup of coffee. Watching the rain falling on the ground, and listening to its light pitter-patter sound. Ah, I love the sound of rain.

There, right there, I spotted this beauty, this gorgeous bellflower. It was dancing gracefully, gently, like a bell in a monastery, droplets of rain falling on it. I stood, mesmerized, witnessing its beauty, the way round dew-shaped rain forming on its petals and slowly dropping on the ground.

And I bent and tipped forward, taking out my camera, and clicked a shot. I checked it in digital lens, instantaneously. Oho! I couldn’t believe that I took this picture. The photographer in me had blossomed to the fullest. He-he, no, no, it’s the object of this naïve artist. 

Chasing rainbows

The afternoon was nearing its end. And I’ve sat in my office, all day, not doing much work. Outside, east of Thimphu, the sky was painted in heavy colours of grey and leaking rain. But quite miraculously, the Sun, atop the west horizon, kept sparkling tantalizingly over Thimphu valley.

In a while, the rain started heavily beating down on Thimphu valley. Another wonder, it was. Sunshine, raining-all at once. It’s unlikely an autumn day though.

And over the rooftop of my office, I heard a young voice call out, “Hey, hey, look, there’s a rainbow!” Instantaneously, I barged out blindly, not caring where my feet fell. And I stumbled out, he-he.

Voila! Over the Thimphu City, a full rainbow was stretching, spectacular arch in shape like a bridge between heaven and earth. It’s sparkling beautiful, stunningly mesmeric. And monstrous in size. What a surprise in this year’s autumn welcome! I was excited, all happy.

Also, other people were lining up to witness the magical beauty in the sky that was spread out above us. Our calls of wonder were of “Oh My God!” and cries of “It’s adorable rainbow!”

A minute later, ah, another huge rainbow appeared right above it. Together, they started growing bigger, brighter, clearer, glorious. And the seven different colours emerged so vivid, striking. For a minute or two (I don’t know exactly how long), I stood there, awed, in sincere amazement. Viewing…feeling the presence of the wonder before me that existed beyond my logic.

Then, furiously, I fought my way past the rain taking pictures of this overwhelming beauty. I knew that pictures would never be taken again-not precisely, not ever. But, oh thank god, I took many furtive shots.  

Well, the downpour has stopped. The clouds cleared and the Sun started sparkling hard on us again. And I stood there, seeing the magical rainbows vanishing into the thin air. Oh, it’s almost painful to see it disappeared. The magic moment ended, so abruptly.

And I returned to my office, obviously, mourning at what was lost. But quite surprisingly, that beauty and magic of rainbows stood, reverberating, deep inside me. The rainbow, its beauty and colours, were mirrored in me, in my heart. Yes! Now, what the nature was whispering to me through the rainbows became more evident.

Listen la, I’ll tell you this. When I was young, I heard from my adults and learned from fairytales about the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Still, today, I can remember running over the rice fields back in my village as a child trying to catch the end of the rainbow, always hoping that this time…this time I would find the pot of gold. And this belief had stayed with me for this many years-always chasing rainbows and never quite finding the pot of gold.

Only today, I realized and understood that the pot of gold or rainbow is within me. Rainbows, as symbol, only reminded us to look up and see the beauty and treasure which, in fact, is always within us. It shows that we can bloom and express our colours-our skills and talents that was inside of us all along-to harness the treasure, the pot of gold.

Dear readers, a wonderful holiday!

Of pleasure, purity and simplicity

Yesterday afternoon, I decided to pick my camera. I limped around my office, running randomly, not knowing where my feet fell. Stumbling a few times, he-he. But I ran clicking pictures of flowers, that’s unassumingly beautiful and irresistible. Photography is pleasure, pure and simple. 

Educating with heart

Early Learning Centre (ELC), a private elementary school in Thimphu, is doing something extraordinary-more than just providing academic learning. With its vision, Educating for universal happiness, this school has instituted a project called citizenship programme. Under this programme, ELC engages students in social activities. This, according to the school management, “is to civilize……educating with the heart!”

Recently, ELC has donated Nu 50,000 to Bhutan Kidney Foundation (BKF) in its attempt to collaborate with the Foundation to propagate and strengthen its citizenship programme. They proclaimed, “It's NOT charity but a social responsibility.”

Later, ELC students visit the Patient’s Guest House, JDWNRH, where 28 patients, mostly kidney failure patients who are under dialysis are sheltered. These patients are poor, homeless, orphans, without relatives in Thimphu and no good foods to eat. This visit was to make children have a direct personal connection with the beneficiaries of the citizenship programme/poor patients. The students talked to the patients, shared love, exchanged encouraging words and smiles, and contributed gifts and grocery to them.

This school’s visit has not only brought renewed mood of optimism and happiness to the patients. But more importantly, it helped the students learned about humanity. An increased concern for helping those less fortunate, heightened sense of love, the ability to communicate love, developed a great compassion, deeper understanding of life.  

Actually, I can never muster the right words to convey what ELC is doing. But as a member of the BKA for the good they have been doing, the way they’re educating their students, we place on them highest honour and always pray best wishes for this school. 

My birthday!

The sun is barely making it over the mountains. Its rays just start slanting tantalizingly over the Thimphu valley. And by the window, at home, this morning, I sit reverent, reflective. The cool morning breeze is gently gushing across my face. Ah, the loveliness of morning. Tenderness. So much beauty. But, today…umm…today’s my Birthday! I’m, uh, 29 now.

But unlike on my past birthdays, very surprisingly, today I sit here reminiscing and wondering how I had spent those 29 years. And now I keep turning pages of my life, one by one. It’s full of milestones though. And a very long journey. I had travelled, in 29 years, between childhood and adulthood, between innocence and knowledge, between love and hatred, between laughter and tears, between hopes and chaos. I still carry all those memories with me. Some forgotten, others partially distorted, and many reverberating in my mind. And of course, all those memories make my life. Me. 29-year old.

I’ll tell you that my life so far has been intense, always, overwhelming. I had lived a very alert and bright childhood, I could tell. But, I too turned lousy in the later stage of my life.

Like any one of you, my wallet had been thick and thin. Or more aptly, thin often. I had done wrong, been wrong. Dismayed, confused, and anxious. Along the way, I had stumbled so many times, even hitting my lowest point. But I too learned to find ways to adjust to difficult circumstances and times.

Also, I had loved a woman so madly. More than ever had I guts to admit. I lost her, by the way. All along after that, I searched for another woman to love again, whom, I thought, could make me complete. I chose partners and changed partners. But now I learned that it’s not about finding the woman of my dream. It’s, more importantly, about finding the endurance and happiness within myself. Self-discovery, that is.

This 29 years, oddly, wonderfully, has taught me to become more patient. For better or worse, I’ve also become more honest in my exchanges, more clear in my priorities, more focused in what I do or work and more open to new ideas. I’ve developed more hope, more capacity within. Now I can dance better, walk farther.

Yet, I still have lots more to do and achieve in life. To do my masters, buy a car, build a house, settle down, travel across the world, and write good books. But I’m getting older and I’ve been realizing this. And to think about this transition (getting older) in life is sad, at times scary. But nevertheless, it’s inevitable. Right?

And the funniest truth? I still feel that I don’t quite understand fully about life. Honestly. Not even today, on my 29^th birthday. He-he. But with every passing day I feel that I’m just beginning to understand the miracle of life, little by little. And that’s the way of life-enigmatic. There’s meaning and majesty in just living. And so, surprise. Joy. Glory.

Still here, I sit. By the window, looking way up in the sky painted all in glorious blue. Oh, the sunlight is shimmering all over the hill, illuminating light, warmth and life. My mind is clear and awakened; my heart is filled with warmth, goodness, and gratefulness.

And now, right now, right here, on my 29^th birthday, I learn that we’ve to accept all this transitions in life. Let go of things which are irretrievable. And I’ve to ready myself for the next stage of my life, which I’m sure, will be full of great moments, realizations and wisdom.