Wednesday, January 23, 2019

Safe Drinking Water For Two More Schools

The start of the new year - 2019 has ushered in a period of hectic activities for the Rotary Club of Thimphu. During this single month a total of five projects have been handed over to the communities in various parts of the country - one more will soon be handed over.

First project to be handed over early this month was the construction of 34 toilets in Ketokha village, Bongo Gewog, Chhukha Dzongkhang. Within days, in the same Dzongkhag, we handed over 4.34 KMs of solar fencing to the RBP’s Thrimsung Women Group in Tashigatshel, Chhukha. This was followed by a water filter project for the RBP’s Zilneon Nagyelling Lower Secondary School in Thimphu. This was reported on this Blog at:


Within days following the handing over of the above projects, we completed the installation of two more RO water filtration systems with UV treatment units in the following schools:

Bajothang Higher Secondary School

Location                            :  Bajothang, Wangduephodrang
Class of School                 :  Higher Secondary School
Owner of the Schoo          :  Royal Government of Bhutan
No. of Students                 :  1,016
No. of Teaching Staff        : 70
No. of Support Staff          :         9

Total Beneficiaries .         :  1,095






Shaba Primary School

Location                            :  Shaba, Paro
Class of School                 :  Primary School
Owner of the School         :  Royal Government of Bhutan
No. of Students                 :   613
No. of Teaching Staff       :     34
No. of Support Staff         :       5

Total Beneficiaries          :   652






Mr. Stephen Frederick Jones and his wife Mrs. Valerie Lois Jones of Woodside, California, USA, funded the full cost of the supply and installation of the water filter systems in the above three schools.

Mr. Stephen Frederick Jones and his wife came to Bhutan on a ham radio/trekking trip during October of 2017. It was their first trip to Bhutan. For Mr. Jones, a ham radio enthusiast, the trip was the realization of an aspiration that he had held for over half a century - a dream to visit Bhutan and operate ham radio - ever since he made QSO in 1965, with the legendary American D’Xpeditioner - Gus Browning, then operating from Thimphu.

On their trekking trip to Jumolhari Base Camp they met up with a small local girl-child in the village of Soe Jangothang, named Sonam. They took an immediate liking to the girl and visited the local school (Soe ECR) where she was due for enrolment the following year. Upon asking the school Principal how they might contribute to the child’s education and welfare, the Principal said that the school needed a water filter. This was the start of the couple’s journey of giving and charity, in collaboration with the Rotary Club of Thimphu.

The couple offered enough funding to support the installation of a water filter in the Soe ECR, including half a dozen window curtains that the school needed. The installation of water filter and delivery of the window curtains were completed last year. If that were not enough, the couple went back home to the US and remitted additional funds to support the installation of RO water filter systems at another school - Betikha Middle Secondary School in Paro. The installation of the water filters in this school was also completed early last year.

The couple promises that they will continue to fund more filters in other schools in the coming years. This generous couple has the distinction of being the single highest individual donors to the Rotary Club of Thimphu’s humanitarian projects. In appreciation our Club has honored them with the following Plaque of Appreciation:

Plaque of Appreciation issued to the donor couple

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