Dr. Tashi Wangmo, Executive Director of the Bhutan Nuns Foundation. (Photo courtesy of Dr. Tashi)
The Bhutan Nuns Foundation was founded in 2009 by Dr. Tashi with the patronage of the Queen Mother, Tshering Yangdoen Wangchuck, with the intent to improve the lives of nuns in Bhutan and facilitate their education and involvement in their neighboring communities.
Unlike the monks in Bhutan, nuns and the receive almost no support from the government or the monastic body, yet the many nunneries play an essential role in the education of girls and women. The early work of the BNH has focused on their most basic needs, running water, sanitation and hygiene products. As these needs are met, the focus is growing and evolving: empowerment, education and community involvement gaining precedence.
For the first time in the history of Bhutanese and Tibetan Buddhism, in June of 2022, 142 nuns received full ordination, an accomplishment of historic import, owing much to the Bhutan Nuns Foundation and the support of the Queen Mother. Dr. Tashi’s account of this momentous event can be found here: https://www.buddhistdoor.net/features/gelongma-dompa-dgeslongmai-sdom-pa-the-blessing-of-bhikshuni-ordination-in-bhutan/
I met with Dr. Tashi to discuss a new initiative of the BNF, the plan to train ten nuns in residence for a role combining community counseling and chaplaincy. I came with the intent to discuss how I might help with training from the perspective of psychiatry, but learned that my professional chaplaincy training with the Upaya Zen Center would be of more benefit. In May I will begin an introduction to chaplaincy for the nuns, the two of them proficient in English assisting as translators. I hope this becomes a role I can begin to fill remotely, but we are already planning for my return.
As I waited for Dr. Tashi to arrive, quietly meditating as I looked out over the Thimphu Chuu, a river fed by Himalayan glaciers, it was mind boggling to consider my presence here. How crazy to imagine that my path would lead to this place and this new task. How crazy and how fortunate.
In 2014, on a mountainside at Tsalumaphay, near the capital of Thimphu, BNF began the construction of a new Training and Resource Center, to provide a space for nuns, nunnery managers, women and girls to come together for support and training. https://bhutannuns.org/building-the-center/
In this photo are the two residential buildings, completed and occupied in 2019. The photo above with Dr. Tashi is outside the new library. Below the main campus, the foundation is being prepared for a conference center and above the main campus are retreat cabins, including one for the Queen Mother.
While completing her doctorate at the University of Massachusetts, Dr. Tashi fell in love with tofu. Pictured is a pet project, the new tofu production building at the Center. In addition to tofu production, the Foundation is also producing pickles and candied ginger for income generation.
Bhutanese soybeans ready for processing
Additional buildings at the Center. At the direction of the Queen Mother, all of the Center’s Buildings are of traditional construction, using rammed earth and timber.
On campus is the ruin of an ancient traditional family home of rammed earth which will remain preserved on the site.
Library, residence and ruin
An apricot tree, growing within the former three story traditional house
The Bhutan Nuns Foundation Training and Resource Center. Prior to 2014, there wasn’t even a road to this site. For more on the BNF and to find out how to contribute, go to: https://bhutannuns.org/
Our Seasons in Shangri la 
I visited the nunnery campus while it was under construction in November of 2015 along with 2 of my fellow volunteers from Montana. We met with the head builder/ master carpenter and through a translator learned much about traditional rammed earth construction. A very fruitful day!
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