Loden Foundation

Loden Foundation is a civil society organisation established to support education and promote entrepreneurship amongst the young Bhutanese men and women in Bhutan. The foundation is dedicated to fostering a happy and enlightened society through educational intervention at preschool, school and post-school levels. Its main programmes include the Loden Entrepreneurship Programme (LEP), Loden Sponsorship Scheme, Loden Early Learning Centres and Loden Knowledge Base. The foundation also organises educational events to raise awareness on education and social entrepreneurship.

The Loden Foundation was founded in 2000 by the Bhutanese scholar Lopen Karma Phuntsho. Karma came to study as a graduate student at Balliol College in 1997, when he met Robert Miles, the head porter of the college. Mr. Miles offered to sponsor the school education of a young child in need. He himself did not finish school education in his youth due to financial circumstances. Karma found a bright girl from a poor family for Mr. Miles to support. Following this example, many friends of Karma showed interest to support education of poor children. Meanwhile, Karma's former school headmistress and acclaimed Bhutanese writer Kunzang Choden who was living in central Bhutan, joined him to identify children in need and distribute funds. In 2000, Karma formalised the process by founding the Loden Foundation with the help of some friends but the organisation was constituted in Bhutan in 2003.

Today, the main office is based in Thimphu and run by a team of 10 employees headed by Mr. Dorji Tashi, with an advisory support from the governing board of trustees composed of seven prominent citizens. The Loden Foundation is one of the first registered civil society organisations under the Civil Society Organisation Act, 2007 Bhutan registered on 12 March 2010. The foundation is a partner of some of the worlds leading non-governmental organisations such as Prince's Youth Business International, Global Entrepreneurship Week, Entrepreneurs' Organisation, Swiss Swiss Development Corporations and many more.

Tibetan/Bhutanese word Loden (བློ་ལྡན་ wylie: blo ldan) literatlly means "possessing intelligence". It is an epithet of the learned and wise. It is one of the names of the Buddha of Wisdom, of Padmasambhava, who brought Buddhism to the Himalayan region and a term for Bodhisattva, an altruistic being who seeks enlightenment for the whole world.

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