Training a social worker in Qigong massage

Like I mentioned in an earlier blog, I have been working on a solution that would allow ABS to continue providing some form of therapy after I finish my volunteering.
Since physiotherapists are extremely rare in this country, there is very little chance of finding one to work at ABS. In addition, the cost of employing a physiotherapist is significantly higher. The idea, therefore, is that—given the lack of qualified human resources—we train a Bhutanese professional from a related field, such as a social worker or massage therapist, and provide them with additional skills by financing relevant training courses.
I have written several project proposals to secure funding for this idea, but the response times are very long, which makes planning difficult. One organization has not replied at all, so I assume they will not provide funding. The Bhutan Foundation informed us that decisions will only be made in June. However, in January I submitted a proposal to the Society Switzerland Bhutan to fund a QST-certified trainer course for a Bhutanese staff member at ABS, since the Qigong massage concept has proven to work very well here. As I am not permitted to teach this method myself, it is essential that a member of staff completes the official training.
After discussing the proposal at their board meeting, SSB agreed to finance the course. Many, many thanks to SSB! Both ABS and I are very grateful for this support, and I am confident it will benefit many children with disabilities in Bhutan.
Since the QST course started at the end of March, we had very little time to decide who would take part. There were essentially two options: either recruit a new massage therapist or social worker, or train someone already working at ABS. Given the limited time and the lack of secured funding for a new salary, recruitment was not a realistic option. The alternative was to have one of the current social workers complete the course and gradually transition into a therapy-focused role, rather than continuing classroom work. After discussing this within the ABS management team, we decided this was the best approach—provided someone was interested. In fact, two social workers expressed strong interest, and we selected one to participate in the QST course.
Of course, this person will not become a fully trained physiotherapist or occupational therapist, but through targeted training she will gain practical skills and be able to work within these therapeutic concepts. In this way, ABS will be able to continue offering Qigong massage to the families it serves. If we are able to secure additional funding in the future, we can further develop this role and continue building capacity.
The course has now begun, and the social worker is highly motivated. She regularly seeks my guidance, asks to practice together, and is eager to benefit as much as possible from the knowledge I can share.

The Society Switzerland Bhutan hands over the check to fund the trainer course.