Rachel’s Travels

Passion – empowerment – motivation

No sooner had we arrived at the Thimphu Towers, we were welcomed by a super passionate woman, the owner Tshring (no surname). She immediately said “I’m so pleased to see you, six women together. I support the empowerment of women”. It sounded like it was just words but boy was I wrong.

As we arrived for lunch, she showed us a picture she had taken in the local stupa.

She explained that she was so captivated by these women just getting on with their work that she took the picture and hung it in her restaurant.

Tshring’s husband is running to be a politician and is away from home a lot. Her children are in the US studying on scholarships. So at 40, with no training at all, she started this hotel business in the former family home.

And how good that she did so as she has used this as an opportunity to support and empower underprivileged women in Bhutan.

Tshring shared many stories with us and one of her favourite stories is of her chef.

She found the now chef as a young single mother, sitting on the side of the road, breastfeeding her baby and chipping stones to earn a few pennies. Tshring decided to bring her to the hotel and then asked her what she could do. As the young woman chose the kitchen then she was placed there and together, Tshring and the young woman together learned how to cook from YouTube videos. Did I mention that Tshring has no hotel training?

One obstacle was that the woman did not read/write. So Tshring took pictures of the food and numbered the dishes. Now the chef can cook 45 different dishes! She is even starting to offer her opinion (some times ‘answer back’) on cooking/catering matters. Although this takes Tshring aback sometimes, she acknowledges that it means she has done a good job. This young woman has a steady income, safe place to live and confidence to boot.

I found this story very moving but I also found the way it was told very compelling too. Tshring is a no nonsense hotelier and storyteller. She says she knew nothing of the hotel trade but she is a natural at making connections with people when they walk in. She knows her goals and wastes no time getting there.

I also enjoyed Tshring’s story of how she motivates her ‘girls’ with points. Girls can earn points for not using plastic, tying their hair back properly, being polite to guests etc. At the end of the year she takes the two with the highest points on a trip abroad (Kolkata/Kathmndu etc). Imagine – this means applying for a passport, getting on a plane, travelling to a different country and staying in a hotel! First time experiences for all these winners. But also knowing that there is a world out there and getting there is possible!

I also found Tshring’s story very inspiring. At 40 she started in a completely new career, and worked hard to help and empower women less fortunate than herself.

Keep up the amazing work Tshring. Anyone going to Bhutan should go to Thimphu Towers and see her amazing work.