The Next Generation Bhutan Foundation Annual Report 2016 Our nation’s vision can only be fulfilled if the scope of our dreams and aspirations are matched by the reality of our commitment to nurturing our future citizens. —His Majesty the King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck Table of Contents 4 A time to invest in the Future: Letters from our Co-Chairs and President 8 Youth citizen scientists research how environment responds to climate change 10 Tiger, tiger, burning bright! 13 How solving a community problem can protect snow leopards 15 Bhutan’s history, my history: A student explains the importance of cultural heritage 16 Teaching the next generation of health-care workers 18 Young medical professionals take health care to mountains, glaciers, and beyond 21 Specialized training means better services for children with disabilities 23 How simple agricultural innovation can provide hope 24 How the young and old bring a community back to life 26 Civil society organizations play important role in youth participation 29 Our Partners 30 Bhutan Foundation Grants Fiscal Year 2016 34 Financial Overview 36 Ways to Give 38 Our Team Table of Contents 4 A time to invest in the Future: Letters from our Co-Chairs and President 8 Youth citizen scientists research how environment responds to climate change 10 Tiger, tiger, burning bright! 13 How solving a community problem can protect snow leopards 15 Bhutan’s history, my history: A student explains the importance of cultural heritage 16 Teaching the next generation of health-care workers 18 Young medical professionals take health care to mountains, glaciers, and beyond 21 Specialized training means better services for children with disabilities 23 How simple agricultural innovation can provide hope 24 How the young and old bring a community back to life 26 Civil society organizations play important role in youth participation 29 Our Partners 30 Bhutan Foundation Grants Fiscal Year 2016 34 Financial Overview 36 Ways to Give 38 Our Team A Time to Invest . in the Future In today’s Bhutan, we have many reasons to be proud and hopeful: our beautiful traditions and cultural heritage, our diverse natural environment, our opportunities for development, and much more. However, nothing gives us more pride in and hope for Bhutan than our young people. As we look towards the future, we believe that fostering their growth is where our best efforts must lie. It is our aim as a country to provide each young person the opportunity to reach his or her full potential. Developing the skills and talents of our young people not only helps them to grow individually, it is essential for nation building. As we develop Bhutan’s young democracy, it has never been more important to have healthy, eager, trained, and educated young people to lead the way in social and economic development, environmental conservation, engagement in good governance, and cultural preservation. (Starting left) Dr. Bruce W. Bunting, President of the With these aspirations in mind, I am pleased to present to you The Next Bhutan Foundation, and Generation: Bhutan Foundation Annual Report 2016. In it, you will see that the Honorable Frank G. Wisner, Bhutan Foundation does much more than believe in the promise of children, Co-Chair of the Bhutan youth, and young adults. Your support through the Bhutan Foundation helps Foundation. young Bhutanese to learn, to share their knowledge with others, to stay healthy, to address obstacles, and to become employable. Your support will On February 5 of this year, Bhutan celebrated environment. In these pages, you’ll hear directly the Fourth King, and his father, the Fifth King. help the next generation carry on the values, cultures, and traditions that the birth of His Royal Highness, the Crown from Bhutan’s young people and from those Together with the monarchy, the government, give Bhutan its unique identity. Prince, Gyalsey Jigme Namgyel Wangchuck. whose work has an impact on them. A high- citizens’ organizations, and their religious, Here at the Bhutan Foundation, we have schooler describes the importance of cultural business, and intellectual communities, Bhutan’s My passion will always be to nurture our youth, day after day, year after redoubled our efforts to work with the heritage in a way we could not. A young dental future is in good hands. year—for it is their skills, their labor and commitment to the country that government, the institutions, and the people surgeon shares his experience of providing will build our future. There is no other path, no other tool, for Bhutan’s of Bhutan to further develop the country. We health care to nomadic yak herders in remote Through these pages, we hope you enjoy reading future success. I am deeply grateful for your support through the Bhutan believe our support is important and makes locations. An older resident of a small village about the contributions you are making to Foundation of Bhutan’s youth, who are indeed the builders of our future. a significant contribution to Bhutan’s next tells about a group of local young men who are Bhutan’s future. We at the Bhutan Foundation generation, and ultimately, its future. creating jobs in their community—including one look forward to our continued association with using his traditional skills. We couldn’t do these you. As you will see in The Next Generation: Bhutan stories justice, so we have relied on the people Foundation Annual Report 2016, our efforts who lived them to convey just what you are this year have included building the capacity accomplishing with your support through the of Bhutan’s youth and those who teach Bhutan Foundation. Her Majesty the Queen Mother of Bhutan them, providing mentors and professional Gyalyum Tshering Pem Wangchuck development, preserving their cultural heritage, Bhutan’s Crown Prince joins two living Hon. Frank G. Wisner Dr. Bruce W. Bunting Co-Chair and imparting ways to protect their natural generations of kings in Bhutan: his grandfather, Co-Chair President 4 5 A Time to Invest . in the Future In today’s Bhutan, we have many reasons to be proud and hopeful: our beautiful traditions and cultural heritage, our diverse natural environment, our opportunities for development, and much more. However, nothing gives us more pride in and hope for Bhutan than our young people. As we look towards the future, we believe that fostering their growth is where our best efforts must lie. It is our aim as a country to provide each young person the opportunity to reach his or her full potential. Developing the skills and talents of our young people not only helps them to grow individually, it is essential for nation building. As we develop Bhutan’s young democracy, it has never been more important to have healthy, eager, trained, and educated young people to lead the way in social and economic development, environmental conservation, engagement in good governance, and cultural preservation. (Starting left) Dr. Bruce W. Bunting, President of the With these aspirations in mind, I am pleased to present to you The Next Bhutan Foundation, and Generation: Bhutan Foundation Annual Report 2016. In it, you will see that the Honorable Frank G. Wisner, Bhutan Foundation does much more than believe in the promise of children, Co-Chair of the Bhutan youth, and young adults. Your support through the Bhutan Foundation helps Foundation. young Bhutanese to learn, to share their knowledge with others, to stay healthy, to address obstacles, and to become employable. Your support will On February 5 of this year, Bhutan celebrated environment. In these pages, you’ll hear directly the Fourth King, and his father, the Fifth King. help the next generation carry on the values, cultures, and traditions that the birth of His Royal Highness, the Crown from Bhutan’s young people and from those Together with the monarchy, the government, give Bhutan its unique identity. Prince, Gyalsey Jigme Namgyel Wangchuck. whose work has an impact on them. A high- citizens’ organizations, and their religious, Here at the Bhutan Foundation, we have schooler describes the importance of cultural business, and intellectual communities, Bhutan’s My passion will always be to nurture our youth, day after day, year after redoubled our efforts to work with the heritage in a way we could not. A young dental future is in good hands. year—for it is their skills, their labor and commitment to the country that government, the institutions, and the people surgeon shares his experience of providing will build our future. There is no other path, no other tool, for Bhutan’s of Bhutan to further develop the country. We health care to nomadic yak herders in remote Through these pages, we hope you enjoy reading future success. I am deeply grateful for your support through the Bhutan believe our support is important and makes locations. An older resident of a small village about the contributions you are making to Foundation of Bhutan’s youth, who are indeed the builders of our future. a significant contribution to Bhutan’s next tells about a group of local young men who are Bhutan’s future. We at the Bhutan Foundation generation, and ultimately, its future. creating jobs in their community—including one look forward to our continued association with using his traditional skills. We couldn’t do these you. As you will see in The Next Generation: Bhutan stories justice, so we have relied on the people Foundation Annual Report 2016, our efforts who lived them to convey just what you are this year have included building the capacity accomplishing with your support through the of Bhutan’s youth and those who teach Bhutan Foundation. Her Majesty the Queen Mother of Bhutan them, providing mentors and professional Gyalyum Tshering Pem Wangchuck development, preserving their cultural heritage, Bhutan’s Crown Prince joins two living Hon.