Volunteer Voices: Til Subba, UNV in East Timor

It’s a big step to have come from a place called Phipsoo, a small isolated village under Singye Gewog in Sarpang Dzongkhag, to being active with the United Nations in countries I had never dreamt of. My first school was Phipsoo Forest Primary School which was created by my parents and other villagers in the midst of jungle in 1978. I was nine year old which by any standards was late to start school. There were very few students and the only teacher Mr. Sharma, an Indian gentleman, who taught all subjects apart from Dzongkha. 

After completing my second standard, I was educated at Thoemba Tar Primary School in Singye where I studied for three years and went on to Sarbhang (Sarpang) Central School for two years. As I became older I was recognised and educated by His Royal Highness, Prince Namgyel Wangchuck in Yangchenphug Central School in Thimphu from where I obtained my High School diploma in 1989. Through the kindness of HRH Prince Namgyel Wangchuck which I never forget I was offered to continue my education in Delhi however due to my personal responsibilities I was unable to accept.

I joined Royal Institute of Management where I worked as a Computer Programmer and served in the Education Department for five years until 1996 after which I joined UNICEF Thimphu office in 1997 and was with them for three years. At that point the opportunity for international work opened. I gained a contract with UNICEF office in Kosovo in 1999. 

This international experience opened more doors. I served as a UNV Civil Registration in East Timor in 2001-2002.  There were very a few Bhutanese serving as UNVs at that time.  After East Timor, I was contracted to Afghanistan in 2003-2005 to assist in Presidential and Parliamentary elections.

After the mission in Afghanistan, I went on to Kosovo and worked as a UNV Municipal Travel Document Officer from 2006 and 2008. This allowed me time to pursue my higher studies which could advance my career. I took a shot in the dark and applied to Washington International University in USA for acceptance in the Bachelor of Business Administration in Information Systems Management. My 16 years experience with a high school diploma was enough to have me admitted. I completed the course successfully.

I returned to East Timor in 2009 and I am working with the UNDP Electoral Support Team to assist the electoral officers in the field country wide. East Timor poses challenges because of the geographical locations and cultural differences. Planning and preparation for the election is my sole task in this mission. I am happy to be still active with the UN system and to be a well known candidate from Bhutan especially in my field.

I would like to send a message to Bhutanese that we are no less than any people on the earth. Our potential is as high as any other people on the earth, and although participation is more important than winning, it needs a winning attitude.

My thanks go to my country and my Kings who all blessed me and brought me up to this stage. I would also like to thank my wife who always prays for my journey of life and is always with me and to guide me in the precise direction. I would also like to thank the UNV Program Officer and colleague who are always there to support the Bhutanese UNVs working worldwide.

TASHI DELEK