Social media: For some 52 people from Taksha-Silli and Tsara villages in Daga gewog, Wangdue, the popular mobile application WeChat has become a crucial platform to give back to their community.

Having formed a group on WeChat named phayul-phenday tshogpa since March 2014, the group generated about Nu 156,000 as seed money to uplift the communities of Taksha-Silli and Tsara villages. The members, however, live in different parts of the country but communicate through the mobile application.

The three villages in Daga gewog remains mostly cut off given its remoteness and poor road conditions.

The group coordinator Kencho Namgay, a schoolteacher, said the initiative started as suggested by former Tango’s vice principal Lopen Lhendup Rinchen. He said that they bought a 100-volume gyalye-kanjur-chhenmo worth Nu 65,000 and offered it at the Taksha-Silli lhakhang about a few months ago.

“Unlike other villages, the community has a long way to go. The platform serves as a forum for important discussions,” he said.

“Our priority is to help destitute people and those who has the ability to purse higher studies but are unable to do so owing to financial constraints,” a group member said.

Kencho Namgay said that the group would also keep track of the government projects and constructions in the community, as most projects are not carried out properly given the involvement of corrupt practices.

Similarly, members want to educate and provide counseling to the villagers to reduce alcohol consumption as the Taksha-Silli community has a high rate of alcoholics.

Members said that people in the community drink right from the morning besides serving guests and even to children as young as two-three years old.

Meanwhile, the members also started a sub-group comprising 29 members. It’s a voluntary group and members pay an entry fee of Nu 1,000 each besides a monthly installment depending on the member’s income.

The fund would be used for destitute people back in the villages.

“We are in the process of developing terms and conditions of the group, to keep it sustainable and strong,” Kencho Namgay said.

Dawa Gyelmo, Wangdue