What can you say of a pint-sized girl: all of 23 years of age - one who has dug in her heels resolutely - unimpressed that thousands her age are headed out to Australia - with sparkles of hope in their eyes and monumental dreams drumming against theirs chests - of making tons and tons of $$ and living out lives of luxury and riches.
A spirited girl from remote Zhemgang village of Panbang
To honor her indomitable spirit, I donated to her 10 brand new books in my collection - free of cost - to be sold at prices of her choosing. It is hoped that she would continue to do the Khenpas proud.
This diminutive Khengpa girl from remote Panbang is a package of nerves. I am truly impressed with this unputdownable bundle of spirit. She moves lithely across footpaths strewn with pebbles and stones and mud, with a bag slung over her back and bearing a bundle of assortment of books in her delicate arms. She has a purpose - to sell a book - for a commission. She is not limited by a fixed destination: the whole wide world is her turf!
But I am convinced that in the hands of the likes of her lie the knitting needles that will eventually knit together the tapestry of Bhutan’s hopes and dreams. She is a different breed of Bhutanese youth - a doer - not a dreamer.
Ms. Dorji Lhamo was introduced to me by a friend one Saturday morning at the Kaja Throm in Thimphu. Few days later I invited her to sit with me over a cup of coffee and tell me her story. Her story was remarkably simple: a drop-out at Class XII she tried her hands at baby-sitting, working as a house-maid, working the sales counters and even at construction sites. At the end of trying all sorts of odd jobs, she realized that none of them suited her - not necessarily the remuneration she got paid - but at the pace at which she was paid.
Then one day she hit on the idea of selling books for some select Bhutanese authors - at a commission. She has been at it for the past close to one year ever since. The earning is nothing to write back home about - but it gave her enough to keep her afloat in a dignified manner - with a tidy sum left over to send back home in Panbang - to help out her siblings and relatives.
Dorji Lhamo is a walking bookstore. If she is not traipsing the streets of Thimphu, she is uploading books to her Facebook page from where people can order an assortment of books - for hand delivery. Her FaceBook address: Dorji and her Walking Library.
What a coincidence, I have invited her a few days ago to BOOKNESE. Wait for her to come. We have all the books she can sell and there is much more we can do to turn her life around.
ReplyDeleteThank you PaSsu sir. It's very kind of you . I am presently shooting a short docu films on her . I will soon share that with you .
DeleteI tried this with several unemployed cousins or nephews/nieces on vacation offering them a decent "cut" but Dorji seems to have an extra grit.
ReplyDeleteI believe it is in the willingness to "reach out".
DeleteA friend tells me that she was seen at the Thimphu Golf Course where she collected close to Nu.19,000.00 CASH ---- the golfing community there donated her cash with the instruction to deliver the books to school libraries of her choice. Dorji tells me that she is headed out of Thimphu to deliver the libraries.
A publisher after reading my post donated Nu.40-50,000.00 worth of Coffee Table Books - free of cost - as an encouragement for her youthful spirit of enterprise.
Another generous friend as asked her to submit a list of books she has --- so he may buy some of them for his office library.
Another friend - the owner of "Booknese" - is going to be offering her the opportunity to work for him ----- to sell his stock of books.
Another kind friend suggested that she station herself at the gates of the private schools - where she has a good chance to sell junior student books.
Dear Sir, thank you so much for helping this girl by posting such a wonderful piece of story. She is a gifted child and it's time we also think about her education as well. I am trying to make a small film which can help in some crowd funding so that she can pursue her higher education in continuous education mode.
ReplyDeleteHelping further her education is the best thing. However, she has to take care of a lot of people. That is the reason why she is not ready. Provided her family is taken care of, she might study further. She is quite bright too.
DeleteUnfortunately I have been disappointed by her lack of enthusiasm and need to be "on-the-ball" .... I told her that a friend wants to buy all that he can from her .... I asked her to submit to me a list of books she has in hand so that I may let the friend know .... sadly she has not yet given me the list --- it has been 18 days since I asked her.
DeleteI told her a friend is going to donate books worth about Nu. 40 - 50,000.00 to support her ---- she has not bothered to get back to me .... so her loss.
One of Thimphu's oldest and most popular bookstore - DSB - is also offering her the opportunity to work for them - if she wishes, to sell their books for them, on a mutually beneficial terms.
ReplyDelete