This trip to Bhutan was one that had a charity component to it. We had brought with us some baby clothes that were donated by my sister’s friends in Singapore. In addition, we bought foodstuff such as rice, biscuits, oil and sugar to give away to needy families and people like the labourers we saw working by the road as we drove past.

The majority of the clothes we brought were given to babies in a large dormitory for military families.

Mothers with babies on their backs come out to get the clothes we were giving out. We asked them out so that we could ascertain that their babies could actually fit the clothes as many of the pieces were for newborns to three-month-old babies.

In the Bhutanese language, Dzongkha, the word for boy is Bu while that for girl is Bum (pronounced “boom”). In this picture is an adorable Bu!

This toddler arrived a little too late for us to have anything left to give him. He looked longingly at us and it was rather heartbreaking to have nothing to give him.

This adorable cherub was one we came across as we drove along the windy mountain pass from Thimphu to Paro. Her mother was one of several labourers taking a break from the back-breaking work while the baby sat on the cloth that was laid on the ground.

A healthily pink three-week-old newborn who was the recipient of the last batch of clothes and baby socks we had. Our driver stopped by the side of the road when he spotted the baby’s mother and grandmother walking along the road.

This baby smiles happily at my cousin after being handed a tuxedo bib.