EPITOME

Sonam Jigme
A would-be philanthropist

“Hello Ashang! I am very happy to inform you that I will be adorned with the National order  of merit medal by His Majesty the King on 17^th December 2010, in recognition for my selfless service and being a highly motivated educator”.

It was Sonam Jigme, my eldest nephew calling from Dungkar, who went to meet his elderly parents. It was one of the happiest moments of the day and I joined in wishing him and expressed my appreciation for being able to receive such a great honor, though born to an economically disadvantaged family. I simply said, “You have brought pride and prestige to our Jangtsep family members by earning a great honor”.

Graduated from the then Paro College of Education with Primary Teachers Certificate Training in 2003, devoted his teaching career life from 2004 till date in a very difficult places of Zhemgang-from extreme upper kheng to extreme lower kheng and travelling from middle kheng.His initial posting was at Langdurbi Primary School, and in 2006 He was sent to Barpong CPS, as the pioneer Principal.In 2012, he opted for a change at Bjoka Primary School.

Born to Norbula and Karma Yangzom from Jangtse, Kurtoe under Lhuentse Dzongkhag He is the eldest among eight children. He is entrusted with a great role of looking after his siblings and I feel that he is doing a great job in raising his brothers and only sister. It is very appreciating that he always shares his concerns about the welfare of his brothers and sisters. I sometimes feel that he is sacrificing his own comfort by spending his life in a remote place just to improve the life of his family. He derives happiness from the great achievements of his brothers who are doing well in many ways all because of his help.

He often used to say, “I am very much grateful to my father and mother for what I am today. My father worked tirelessly day in day out to raise me and my siblings and made our life worthy. I knew it. My mother always seemed to have some tasks at hand and was never unoccupied. Watching my parents having difficult time in raising us and struggling to make both ends meet was an important and useful education for me, for which I’ll always be thankful. They turned every moment into a learning experience and taught me to love my brothers and sister from the bottom of my heart. The unconditional love, trust, care and helping hands among us taught me to be a lifelong learner in being altruistic and hard working. This is something I’m working hard to pass on to my students and my kids and something I’ll always be thankful for” and he really means it!

His life in a remote place of Zhemgang wasn’t that comfortable as such, we presume. Once he shared about disadvantages of living in a remote place which provoked my thoughts. It is definitely true that people living far away from the town come across challenges that people living in towns don’t often face. There are practical issues, like not being able to get access to better health care, better food, better entertainment, better living condition, better exposures and lack of other important facilities. He still recounts of being nearly washed away by a soaring river while taking his daughter who was seriously ill for a treatment to the nearest BHU, which was a one day walk from his place.

Now, he seems to be very comfortable living in the remote place with ten years’ experience of leading a life in Zhemgang. He earnestly thanks to the development that has taken place. The journey that once took days and days can now be covered in hours and at times he is of the notion that there can be no place left for a would-be adventurer to really get away from one’s comfort and to confront the challenges.

In our lives, great moments show us who we really are. Many of us look back and perceive such parts of our lives without much assurance. Was it a fortunate or unfortunate moment – a life’s lesson? I was very much eager to learn some more things about him. He is a person who walks the talk with great determination and effort and I can rightly describe him as a sedulous and efficient leader. I have great confidence and hope in his capability, by gauging at his different achievements. There is profusion of people who work beyond the call of duty on a regular basis although they get nothing in return. There are people who do simple little actions that make the lives of others easier or more enjoyable. I can simply portray him as one of them. His spouse rightly describes him as the servant of all. “I have never heard him saying ‘NO’ when it comes to helping his colleagues and friends; He is always there as if he is the only person-He is really a workaholic- yet I am happy that he is my husband”.

Many people want to achieve success in life, but it's easier said than done. There are so many obstacles that it can be challenging to discipline oneself to accomplish a goal. A goal which can make you proud and a goal which can make you lament. You cannot have success if you do not know what it means for you. Most importantly without experiencing a school life and obtaining better education no means and ways are equivalent to be a successful person. That’s what he aims for! It is an honor for him to serve in an economically disadvantaged community where he was left with no other nobler option than to explore ways to make the life of destitute children better. He has a compassionate vision to be philanthropist in coming years so that he can render his support to all the destitute children in the school.

His optimism and determination to pursue his dream is vivid as he is striving to make his dream come true. He knows what poverty means, how difficult a penny earned and spent, what hunger means and how complex life is when born to disadvantaged family. His commitment in making the life of destitute children has just begun and walked few miles and has yet to continue to accomplish his dream to be a true philanthropist. He feels that however small their contribution, if all people in Bhutan-the haves can contribute a little, he says, and then we can make a big difference in the life of destitute children. A difference of going to school, a difference of better clothing, a difference of self-morale, a difference of unwavering gratefulness and a difference of building true citizen to serve the TSA-WA-SUM.

As he said-“Ashang! I now realized that I was not at all a poor boy compared to the situation out here in my school. Most of the children are even not able to pay their school fees-just Nu.35, but are attending school. I feel that I contributed very little, but it has made a great meaning in their life. I am still doing so to make them an able person.

“No kind action ever stops with itself. One kind action leads to another. Good example is followed. A single act of kindness throws out roots in all directions, and the roots spring up and make new trees. The greatest work that kindness does to others is that it makes them kind themselves.

-AMELIA EARHART