A Toy Story: Delivering smiles Bhutan-wide

One of the greatest humanitarians the world has seen, Noble Laureate Mother Teresa once said,

“It is not how much we give but how much love we put into giving”.

Someone who puts not only his time, energy but all of his heart in giving to others, is passionate and driven 32-year-old Tshering Namgay. Namgay is the founder of Toys For Joy (TFJ), an initiative that collects and donates used toys for kids across Bhutan who need them the most. Volunteering has always been part of Namgay’s life—discovering early on that the more he contributed to his community the greater his motivation to do more.

“It is important to be proactive and strive to be the change that you wish to see in the world. Sadly, the world is becoming profit-driven fuelled by wanton consumption. I fear that this will push us to forget those around us and the very idea of giving. Charity allows us to break the flawed cycle of mindless financial pursuit and start giving back with no expectation of anything in return” said Namgay. 

Bright and impressionable children are full of potential. They are ready to be moulded by their surroundings and experiences. Their formative years are vital to shaping the person they grow up to be and the future impact they have on their communities. Every kid deserves a nurturing childhood that is filled with light and love and of course the joy of toys. A whimsical yet important part of childcare are the toys that they play with; these toys give children a sense of ownership and comfort, allowing space for creativity and to simply have fun. Understanding this importance, the initiative collects contributions from across the country and gives a second home to donated toys to be loved again by a new set of eager young owners. This not only allows renewed enjoyment of these well-loved toys but also contributes to less land-fill by recycling old items. A charity-driven program with the goal of spreading happiness and smiles to the very youngest in our community, Toys For Joy was thus born.

"My Inspiration to create Toys For Joy was from my own experience when I saw children in my village who without other options had ingeniously created their own wooden carts and other toys to play with. Their adaptability and heart moved me to act, realizing that I could facilitate bringing in used toys from cities where there were plenty and finding them new welcoming homes. Every Bhutanese wishes to do their part in actualizing Gross National Happiness for our people and our team is fortunate to be able to contribute in a small way to this noble ideal. Seeing the smiles in the faces of children and happiness in their voices continues to motivate us to work even harder” Namgay beamed.

Namgay’s determination to make his dreams a reality was supported by an able team of seven permeant members, an increasing number of good-hearted volunteers including kindred spirt Tshering Denkar from the popular travel page ‘Denkar’s Getaway’. Utilizing Denkar’s reach as well as her office as the base of operations, donations from the community are packed with love in recycled boxes, ready to be shipped to excited little hands. Although initially the group collected mainly toys, soon donations of clothes, stationery and books were also welcomed, as need for them especially in the remote communities was evident. The transportation of the parcels is facilitated with special prices and consideration thanks to support from the Meto Transport Services. This is a very important cost-saving collaboration as the initiative wishes to not only donate to the well populated cities but gives special consideration to reaching the toys to far-flung areas in the country.

“Our intention is not to be biased in spreading joy, dedicated to treating all kids equally. Urban places are most often identified as places for resources and rural places are usually the points of destination for the donated toys.  Toys For Joy have reached remote homes as far as Merak, Sakteng, Soe and Lingzhi. We are happy to say so far we have been able to successfully cover almost thirty Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) Centres across the country” enthused Namgay.  

Toys For Joy officially launched in 23rd June 2021 in Khetokha Primary School in Chukka Dzongkhag, in the midst of the global pandemic. At a time when public hope faltered Namgay responded by rising to support his community and to spread joy to those who need it the most, understanding that charity and the act of giving must continue in defiance of the pandemic. Connecting and coordinating contributions remotely through social media and drop-off points, the initiative has not stopped bringing smiles to the children despite the ongoing pandemic.

“Ever since I started Toys for Joy, each day has been fulfilling. I am overwhelmed with gratitude from the support of the Bhutanese community and ask them to continue in their donations. It has solidified in me the importance of giving back and how every person has the opportunity to make a difference. Now, every time I see a toy, I am endued with memories of the kids, their smiles and laugher, reminding me why I do what I do” smiled Namgay.  

Article contributed by Jetsuen Wangmo for the UN/JICA We Care We Share Initiative