Yangyel Lhaden

When Druk School in Thimphu announced a fete day to raise funds for Nazhoen Lamtoen—a civil society organisation supporting children in need—a 14-year-old Manda Lika Namgyal was intrigued. Like many of her classmates, she had never heard of Nazhoen Lamtoen before.

Curious, Manda asked her teacher, “What is Nazhoen Lamtoen’s children’s shelter?”

Her teacher explained, “It is a shelter for children who have no home.”

Manda’s heart sank. She wanted to do something. She decided to donate the majority of her savings—Nu 5,000, which she had saved up to buy new clothes, to Nazhoen Lamtoen’s shelter home called Children’s Halfway Home (CHH)

“I wanted to help them, so I decided to donate the money,” she said.

Founded in 2018, Nazhoen Lamtoen’s CHH is a safe haven for children who do not have a safe home or community, including those children whose parents are unable or unwilling to care for them.

Currently, 21 children call CHH their home.

Programme Officer Yeshi Nidup said that it costs between Nu 200,000 and Nu 300,000 each month to operate the centre.

“While we rely on donations, the increasing number of children and our commitment to providing quality care—including access to education and early childhood development—requires continuous funding,” he said. “Our goal is to help these children thrive and eventually reintegrate into society.”

To support the centre, Nazhoen Lamtoen reached out to Druk School, where Manda first learned about it. As part of their Corporate Social Responsibility efforts, the school organised a festive day filled with laughter, dance, and food stalls. Raffle ticket sales added to the fun, raising Nu 416,890 for the CHH.

But the stories of kindness don’t stop here.

A remarkable number of individuals have chosen to celebrate their birthdays by giving back to these children.

Some share their joy on social media, posting pictures and heartfelt messages that capture the essence of their generosity. Each gift, no matter how small, finds its way to the children at the CHH, bringing smiles and warmth to lives that often go unnoticed.

Nazhoen Lamtoen is organising a fundraising event on October 26 and 27 at the Thimphu Aquatic Centre, featuring live performances, food, beverages, and more.

All funds raised from the event will go to support children at the CHH.