Thinley Namgay and  Tshering Palden 

Tandin from Dawakha in Paro sowed 15 sacks of potato seeds but soon after, wild boars dug them all. Then he sowed peas, the boars got them too.

But that didn’t deter him from contributing to the Covid-19 respond fund a few days ago. From the little he saved selling potatoes and renting his house to three tenants, the 79-year-old donated Nu 10,000 to the fund.

“I see His Majesty The King working tirelessly every day for the country and to ensure that we are safe,” he said. “It pains me because given my age I cannot do much physically. I wish I had more to give.”

He said that the amount was not much but it would help the government to buy the vegetables to feed those in the quarantine.

Yesterday, a group of farmers arrived at the Prime Minister’s Office with a bolero ladened with about 800kg of red rice.

The villagers of Taktshang and Shari chiwogs under Tsento gewog, Paro also contributed Nu 18,100 in cash to the Covid-19 respond fund.

One of the villagers, Pem said that the government spends a lot just on food for those in the quarantine facilities.

“The villagers got together and decided that we have to do something,” the mother of two children said.

So they began contributing rice voluntarily. Those who don’t cultivate paddy contributed in cash.

“The government need a lot of money to respond to the disease but we can do our bit to help,” the 41-year-old from Taktshang chiwog said.

The villagers also making similar voluntary contributions during the religious events in the dzongkhag, she said.

Various agencies and private individuals also contributed to the Covid-19 respond funds.

Dungse Garab Rinpoche, Rangjung Foundation, and Druk Throema Tshokchhen contributed Nu 600,000 to the Covid-19 response fund.  “The donation is a gesture of gratitude towards His Majesty’s continued visionary leadership and compassion, and also to support the government in fighting the pandemic.”

TCD Private Limited donated a new bus worth of Nu 2.7M to His Majesty’s Secretariat to help efforts in combating Covid-19.

Save the Children-Bhutan Office donated hand sanitiser, soap, and wash stations worth Nu 1.4M. The items will be delivered to 53 education institutions.

Employees of the Royal Audit Authority jointly contributed Nu 447,945 to the Prime Minister’s Covid-19  respond fund. The contribution was directly deposited into the civil service contribution account number (202415440) maintained with the Bank of Bhutan.

A total of 347 contractors under the Construction Association of Bhutan also donated Nu 1.5M for the Covid-19 relief fund. The association has more than 2,000 contractors.

Meanwhile, Wangchen Momo Corner at the Centenary Farmers’ Market, Thimphu donated Nu 50,000 each to the government’s Covid-19 relief fund and His Majesty’s Kidu Fund for Covid-19.