Greetings from Gaylegphug

A greeting from the resource group in Bhutan.

Story by: Morten Tollefsen - 12.01.2011

The development project in Bhutan which started in 2006 and continues until 2011, is a collaboration with The Norwegian Mission and is supported by The Norwegian Mission and The Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD). Good results are already achieved in this project, and now the third in-service course has started! This time without assistance from Norway!

Today we received the greeting below! This is really exciting, encouraging and a testemony on how important this work is! Thanks to the Bhutanese resource group: they have been working hard, and they are the key factor in both the project and the feature!

Dear Friends of Norway

The 3rd in-service course on Basic computer applications on the use of JAWS and MAGIC was able to be launched as planned. A week has been completed and we are working on the 2nd week. The course as of before is on:

1. History of the evolution of computers.
2. Types of computers and Basic components of computers.
3. Launch, create and edit in MS Word,
4. Internet, E-mail, PowerPoint and Excel.

There shall be two evaluations. The first evaluation is on Saturday, 15th of January and the 2nd evaluation is on Saturday, 29th of January.

We have participants from all walks of lives

• Telephone Receptionists (4)
• Students (2)
• Physio Technician (1)
• Teacher (2)
• Buddhist Monastic Lama (1)

In total 10. We have 7 male and 3 female.

Enthusiasm

The participants are overjoyed for this sort of training. While the telephone receptionists were afraid that with their inability to compete with their sighted contemporaries, they would risk loosing their job and have less work in the office.

The teachers had similar expressions. While they felt that they were depending too much on their sighted colleagues, they realized that there was no way, but to keep on begging for help and assistance.

The Buddhist Lama had developed inferior complexity. He was of the opinion that the loss of sight would prove less importance, would not be able to read the scripts and may not be able to earn his daily bread.

Worst of all, the visually impaired students studying in the colleges thought of quitting their studies and exploring a possibility of a small job in the absence of proper support and assistance from the faculty or the sighted colleagues of the college.

Silent prayer

When the 3rd in-service course was launched, all the participants silently prayed thanking NORAD, Normisjion, Medialt and the warm hearted friends of Norway for understanding them, for hearing their voice, for answering their prayers and for realizing, hopes, dreams and expectations.

Take heart

The Buddhist Lama feels  that he can browse internet and acquire more knowledge on his subject, support day to day work in the office of the monastic body, correspond and keep track with friends and relatives etc.

The telephone receptionists realize that with these skills, they would now be able to prepare monthly reports, up-date the numbers of official and private calls people make, check and balance the amount spent for the telephone budget.

The teachers feel that they will be able to now independently write their daily lesson plans, weekly, monthly, bi-annually and annual question papers.

Above all, the students have high hopes and expectations. While they are determined,  they assure us that with the training, they will be able to download reference books through internet, prepare better for the future prospective; write their assignments, class works and project works, print and submit to the respective lecturers immediately. They feel that instead of depending on recording lecturers notes on an ordinary tape recorder or seek assistance from sighted colleagues, they can now independently take notes in the classes.

Hard work

The participants work hard. They seem to practice a lot. From early in the morning to late at night. This is in addition to the regular classes taken. Whenever they talk and chat for some time, we have heard them saying that “We must not misuse the resources and generosity bestowed by NORAD and Normisjion”.

As we keep on progressing, we shall keep in touch and let you know of the progress.

Kuenga Chhoegyel

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