The Road to Change
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The Road to Change Annual Report 2019 c d “We are all on the same path, our goals, objectives and dreams, and our future are the same, and we have to work together for it. Let’s hope that wherever we reach is a good place.” —His Majesty The King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck f Table of Contents The Road to Change: Letters from our Co-Chairs and President 2 Health Care Is a Necessity for Bhutan’s Nomadic Communities 8 The Wangduechhoeling Palace: An Evolution to a Cultural and Education Center for Future Bhutanese 12 Changing to Meet Needs in Snow Leopard Conservation 16 Transition Planning: Our Evolving Role in Special Education 20 Project Mikhung: Democracy Is a Verb 24 Steps Toward Food Security and Sustainable Agriculture for Marangdut Community 28 Small Grants, Big Impact 32 Our Partners 38 Bhutan Foundation Grants 42 Financial Overview 46 We Thank Those Who Make It Possible 48 Ways to Give 53 Our Leadership 54 Our Team 56 Contact Us 57 1 The Road to Change and considering all possibilities for Bhutan’s future. Non-governmental organizations (also called civil society organizations) in Bhutan, such as those the Bhutan Foundation supports, will be seen as partners of the government to achieve development goals that further benefit our citizens and our environment. As a country, we have delineated specific objectives to continue our forward movement, including those in the following areas: tourism, cottage and small industry, agriculture and organic farming, employment, governance, public service, private sector, and environmental conservation. As you can see from this partial list, the Bhutan Foundation serves a critical role by supporting capacity-building programs in these and other areas identified as national priorities. Your support through the Foundation is paving the road to change and will be as important as ever as we move forward. Our plans for the future are ambitious, but On behalf of the Bhutan Foundation, we are we are confident that we will achieve them, pleased to share with you The Road to Change: always cognizant of our development values Bhutan Foundation Annual Report 2019. It of environmental conservation, equitable and is indeed an appropriate time to talk about sustainable development, good governance, change in Bhutan, as we have entered a five- and cultural preservation. With our objectives in year preparatory period to graduate from the mind, we hope you will enjoy reading The Road United Nations’ least-developed country (LDC) to Change: Bhutan Foundation Annual Report category. Access to better health care and 2019 and will recognize the specific ways education in Bhutan were among the reasons your support contributes to Bhutan’s future. for this recognition. During this period, the We thank you most sincerely for your support country will be planning for a major transition during this important time in our history. Her Majesty the Queen Mother of Bhutan Gyalyum Tseyring Pem Wangchuck Co-Chair 2 From the field in Bhutan, to our offices in Thimphu and Washington, DC, we present to you The Road to Change: Bhutan Foundation Annual Report 2019. We hope you will enjoy reading about the many ways your support is contributing to progress in Bhutan by helping to build skills, training, and opportunities for its citizens. We were recently reminded of a speaker at Bhutan’s Mountain Echoes cultural festival who told her audience, “Change starts locally.” The programs the Bhutan Foundation support often start with a few Bhutanese citizens who see a need and ask, “What if?” With your support, the Bhutan Foundation provides the global expertise, training, equipment, and capacity so through peer exchanges and community- that Bhutanese citizens can effect the positive to-community interactions change they seek in their communities. In this year’s annual report, you’ll see examples of • entering a new phase of the historic change beginning at the local level and growing Wangduechhoeling Palace restoration to meet Bhutanese needs and visions, such as to create an onsite museum and cultural the following: center for future generations • training citizens, especially youth, to • expanding health-care services and be discerning news consumers and to opportunities for Bhutan’s remote understand citizenship and community nomadic communities participation • supporting local projects with small • building the capacity of educators and grants to promote drug rehabilitation, parent groups in planning transitions in art, entrepreneurship, and many other the lives of students with disabilities community initiatives • meeting a new need of community members in snow leopard regions We have seen a lot of change in the 33 years to support their continued interest since the Bhutan Foundation was founded, and the coming years will be full of new possibilities in conservation programs in their as we plan to work with the local Bhutanese communities communities and the Royal Government of • expanding an organic farming program Bhutan. We can’t thank you enough for your to promote sustainable agriculture continued support of progress in Bhutan—and we are excited to be on this road with you. Mr. Michael Philipp Dr. Bruce W. Bunting Co-Chair President 3 4 In Remembrance of Bhutan Foundation Co-Founder and Director Emeritus, Lisina M. Hoch This year, we pause to remember the life In 1986, Lisina and Frank Hoch, along with of Lisina M. Hoch, who died peacefully Henrietta and John Goelet, established the at her home in Irvington, New York, on Bhutan Foundation in the United States February 15, 2019. Known as an engaged to assist with Bhutan's development. philanthropist, Lisina served on numerous (Henrietta Goelet was a classmate in boards and as a volunteer for local, national, England and her family remains active and international organizations. Her role as in the Bhutan Foundation). Lisina and life trustee of the Bhutan Foundation was Frank visited Bhutan numerous times one of many such philanthropic positions, over the past six decades and hosted reflecting her commitment to conservation, many Bhutanese visitors at their home. cultural preservation, and sustainable Their friendship with the Bhutanese development in Bhutan. people continues, now encompassing four generations of her family. Lisina is Born in Switzerland, Lisina attended school survived by her four children—Steven, Alix, in England. One of her classmates was Daphne (current Bhutan Foundation board a Bhutanese woman who later married member), and Roland—their spouses, and the Crown Prince and became Queen of 11 grandchildren. Bhutan, Ashi Kesang Choeden Wangchuck. When Lisina and her husband, Frank Hoch, Lisina's long-time connection to the first visited her in the1950s, a life-long love Phelps Memorial Hospital in Sleepy of and relationship with Bhutan and its Hollow, New York, led to training teams people began. At that time, almost no one of medical personnel from Bhutan, who had heard of the landlocked kingdom, and in turn trained hundreds of Bhutanese reaching the capital of Thimphu required citizens after returning home. Lisina also a grueling six-day trek over Himalayan supported the cultural preservation efforts passes. The stories and documents from ofBhutan, including the restoration of the their early trips will become historic Wangduechhoeling Palace, the birthplace documents of a land that, in just 60 years, of Bhutan’s monarchy, and much more. has transitioned from a medieval Buddhist Her generosity knew no bounds, and her kingdom to a vibrant nation whose Fourth passion and commitment to Bhutan were King coined the development term "Gross immeasurable. The Bhutan Foundation National Happiness," now being widely greatly appreciates the legacy that Lisina adopted by other countries. has left in Bhutan and the leadership and guidance she provided the Foundation. 5 6 HEALTH CAMPS IN BUMTHANG 78 228 138 Cases screened in Procedures carried Patients treated Nomad Health Camp out during the camp during obstetrics and gynecology camp 14 10 Days of Nomad Days of obstetrics Health Camp and gynecology camp 7 Health Care Is a Necessity for Bhutan’s Nomadic Communities Access to health-care services is challenging for many nomadic communities living in Bhutan. Most nomadic families are yak herders who move from one place to another at high altitudes of 14,500 feet to 16,000 feet, which are inaccessible from the road. To visit the closest Basic Health Unit (BHU), families often have to walk hours, and sometimes even days. With these significant barriers in place, nomadic families often do not access regular health services or check-ups. As a response to this issue, the Bhutan Foundation supports annual Nomad Health Camps in Bumthang, Jomolhari, Merak, and Sakteng. Bumthang is one of the districts in central nomadic families in Bumthang through annual Bhutan, that has a high nomadic population. Nomad Health Camps. A diversely skilled, all The Foundation works in partnership with Bhutanese medical team composed of a doctor, the Bumthang Health Association, a local civil dental surgeon, ophthalmic assistant, laboratory society organization, to bring health services to officer, pharmacy assistant, indigenous 8 “Bumthang is one of the districts, with a high nomadic population that still remains unreached from the mainstream programs. With little-to-no health-care-service-providing facilities in the vicinity, nomadic families miss out on many critical public and curative health services. Annual nomadic health camps would not have been possible without the Foundation’s support. The support has been instrumental in fulfilling the nation’s and district health sector’s objective of reaching the un-reached and making basic health-care services available to all. We sincerely believe that the Bhutan Foundation has served the people of Bhutan in living and sharing the principles of Gross National Happiness. Let the harmony continue to grow to greater heights.” —Dr. Pema Wangchuk General Medical Officer at Wangduechhoeling Hospital in Bumthang in central Bhutan.