The primary school donated blankets, soaps, mittens and hats for babies born in remote BHUs 

Donation: For some underprivileged families who welcome their newborn babies in a difficult condition in remote basic health units (BHU), help is on the way, at least in kind.

Jigme Losel Primary School in Thimphu donated 340 blankets, 1,400 soap bars and hand-knitted mittens, socks and hats for the newly born to the health ministry yesterday.

The school last year conducted several donation campaigns in Thimphu on Global Hand washing Day and collected about Nu 100,000. “The money generated from the campaign was used to buy the blankets and soaps,” said Tshering Lham, the coordinator of the initiative.

The mittens, socks and hats for the new-borns were knitted from the wool donated by the Australian Cancer Foundation who visited the school last year.

Teachers, students and even parents were involved during the winter in knitting some hundreds of hats and socks that were presented to the health ministry yesterday. “Through this initiative we want to promote life values such as the importance of sharing, bonding and living together in a same community,” said Tshering Lham.

The initiative was organized also to celebrate the birth of His Royal Highness The Gyalsey.

The principal of the school, Choki Dukpa, said the donations were for all the new-borns across the country celebrating one of the most important events in the history of the country, the birth of HRH The Gyalsey. “We want to share our happiness on this special occasion,” she said.

Choki Dukpa said that with the values that His Majesty The King imparted to the students when he visited the school in 2011 on learning to live together, the school was able to collect a good amount from the community and made the donation possible. “We share this blessings with all those who made the donation possible,” she said.

The school has been carrying out charity works for the underprivileged group of population and in promoting public health awareness in the country since 2013.

In 2013, the school donated some 2,100 soap bars to seven remote schools in the country. The school also gave 14,000 soap bars to monasteries promoting the importance of hand washing and cleanliness in 2014.

Health minister Tandin Wangchuk who received the donations on behalf of the ministry said that the charity will be delivered to places where it would be required the most. “It is a very good initiative with noble intentions and we’ll make sure you efforts be utilized in the best way possible,” he said.

School captain Sanga Chophel, 11, said the donation was a big success for him. “I’m very happy with what my friends and school have done for the community,” he said. “On the joyous occasion of the birth of HRH The Gyalsey, I would like to pledge that I’ll work extra hard for country and the people and serve my King with all the best of my abilities.”

The ministry will distribute the blankets and soaps to some of the remotest BHUs in all the dzongkhags.

Younten Tshedup