A retreat centre for nuns is being built in Tshalumaphay, opposite Babesa in Thimphu. The centre will be a big one, of course. It will have a conference hall, a library, a medical centre and classrooms to train nuns after graduation.

This is Bhutan Nuns Foundation’s (BNF) cherished dream. It is a dream worth USD 2m. So, to raise funds, BNF organised a one-day walk from Tamcho to Lhaiding in Paro.

More than 400 volunteers that included civil servants and students reached Lhaiding at 4pm. The walk covered 48km in 13 hours.

The volunteers collected more than Nu 5.2M from the walk that was initiated under the guidance of Her Majesty the Queen Mother Tshering Yangdoen Wangchuck, who is also the patron of the foundation.

Her Majesty contributed Nu 500,000 and sponsored. Her Majesty also contributed for 11 student volunteers.

Dr Tashi Zangmo, the foundation’s executive director, said that nuns would be trained to be teachers, counsellors and instructors.

The centre will be built using local materials and expertise. The architectural design of the centre will be authentic Bhutanese. “We’ve employed local builders,” said Dr Tashi Zangmo.

Dr Tashi Zangmo said that the walk was organised to raise funds to build the centre, and give ownership of the centre to the Bhutanese.

Volunteers said that the walk was not a mere walk, but one that will bring peace and well being to the country. There is a belief that visiting Tamcho, Kichu and Lhaiding in a day is very auspicious.

Source: Kuensel (November 4, 2014)