Facebook connections are rebuilding a home for boy monks in Bhutan, thanks to a pair of Oak Bay women and a Victoria gaming company.

The earthquake relief started well before the shaker, though Chris Hoyer and Carla Funk, both of Oak Bay, didnB次元官网网址檛 know it at the time. They were on a photographic journey to the remote Himalayan country in 2008. B次元官网网址淲e had a wonderful time and the people are so friendly,B次元官网网址� Hoyer said.

Last September, 32 boy monks, many of whom the tour group had snapped photos, were left homeless after the 300-year-old Chetokha monastery where they lived was damaged in an earthquake.

B次元官网网址淭his is a great example of how versatile online fundraising can be,B次元官网网址� said Funk. B次元官网网址淭he contributing photographers live across Canada and the U.S., yet were able to upload their photos for sale to the website. The photographs are paid for online, sent digitally to printers in the U.S., and then posted directly to the customer. We spread the word through our email and Facebook connections. We had orders from as far away as Switzerland.B次元官网网址�

Sonam Dema, of Bhutan, first alerted Hoyer to the plight of the monks of the Chetokha Monastery through a message on Facebook.

B次元官网网址淭he monastery is in a remote area, close to where my family lives, and these five- to 12-year-old boys were left living in makeshift tents, with the Himalayan winter coming on. I sent out a message to all my contacts on Facebook and I have been astonished by the great response,B次元官网网址� said Dema. B次元官网网址淲e were able to buy the boys warm jackets and blankets to help them through the worst of the winter.B次元官网网址�

Again through Facebook, the Oak Bay women created a connection with GameHouse Canada which concocted an online game to raise funds for the monastery.

B次元官网网址淲e run many different games throughout the year, and we create several especially to raise money for different charities,B次元官网网址� explained Marc Dugas, producer at GameHouse Canada. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 our companyB次元官网网址檚 way of giving back to our community, and we like to support local charities where possible.B次元官网网址�

The Victoria companyB次元官网网址檚 Facebook game raised nearly $5,000 for the Chetokha Monastery Fund through the Pema Lingpa Treasure Vahrayana Centre of Victoria.

B次元官网网址淣ow, with the money from (GameHouse), we can do even more,B次元官网网址� said Dema, a member of the non-profit Buddhist society, Pema Lingpa Treasure Vahrayana Centre. B次元官网网址淚 will be returning to Bhutan later this summer and I will personally deliver all the money raised directly to the monastery. The boys should be properly housed this winter, thanks in large part to the generosity of Canadians, whose hearts were touched when they heard about their situation.B次元官网网址�