After years of suffering in a tiny thatched bamboo house, 52-year-old Tshedar and 56-year-old Chamchi, a crippled couple from the isolated Kaktong hamlet in Zhemgang, have moved into a new residence. The couple lived in a dilapidated hut for decades, and because of the monsoon rains, the banana leaf roof had to be rebuilt every two years. When the building of their new home was finished in June, their long-held desire for a secure abode was realized. According to Tshedar, people are no longer forced to put up with the bitter winter winds or the intense monsoon rains. They’re warm and safe now. Tshedar is the only provider, earning 400 Nu each day by doing physical labor in the fields of their neighbors.
Due to health concerns, his wife is unable to work and has a cleft lip that impairs her speech. The couple has three kids, one of whom is a monk with speech impairment. They cultivate veggies on their more than two acres of property. The Kaktong Primary School teachers started the building of the one-story home by using the TikTok app to raise over 300,000 Nu. According to Tshering, a committee was established to promote openness. The project encountered certain anticipated components as well as financial difficulties. There are four rooms in the new house, including a kitchen and living room, and it is situated beneath the previous bamboo hut. Through its rural sanitation and hygiene initiative, the government provided support for the pit toilet at the old hut.