the bhutan canada foundation organizational booklet

www.BhutanCanada.org


Our Vision A vibrant and thoughtful democracy for the people of Bhutan, supported by strong educational practices and effective social services.


Our Values ■ We support cooperation and

partnership within the Foundation and with our external partners.

■ We promote honesty and transparent dialogue.

■ We are passionate about encouraging learning at all levels.

■ We are devoted to fostering best practices across the organization.

■ We are committed to our fi duciary responsibility and to our stakeholders both in Canada and in Bhutan.

Our Mission The Bhutan Canada Foundation (BCF) works to further the development of Bhutan and its people through programs that impact its educational and social institutions. We achieve our goals through partnerships with the people of Bhutan, carrying on a long-standing tradition of Canadian and Bhutanese knowledge exchange, cooperation and goodwill.


When I fi rst visited Bhutan in 1988 I could not have imagined that 25 years later I would have developed such an enduring tie to the country or to its people. Now, after many visits to Bhutan and four years since the founding of The Bhutan Canada Foundation, my connection to Bhutan is stronger than ever.

Since 2009, The Bhutan Canada Foundation has played an important role in furthering ongoing cooperation and goodwill between Bhutan and Canada, primarily through our work in education. As an emerging democracy, Bhutan’s goals are to develop thoughtfully, reduce poverty and cultivate an educated populous who

can meaningfully participate in both national and local affairs. To this end education is crucial; according to a 2004 Poverty Analysis Report, the attainment of at least a mid-secondary level of education is enough to raise a person out of poverty.

By providing of teachers, supplies and scholarships BCF is helping the Royal Government of Bhutan to achieve these goals. With support from generous donors and committed global partners, we continue to increase the number of qualifi ed English-speaking teachers on the ground in Bhutan. The impact these teachers have on their students and local Bhutanese teachers is undeniable; creative collaboration blossoms, cultural

awareness evolves and English language skills improve. Each year our program continues to grow, reaching new communities across Bhutan.

I was once told that Bhutan is a small kingdom that works its way into your heart. I hope you will open your heart to the kingdom and join The Bhutan Canada Foundation in our support of Bhutan’s efforts to build a sustainable and vibrant democracy.

Tashi delek,

Sam Blyth

From the Chair

Volunteer Directors of the BoardChair of the BoardSam Blyth

Ian Aitken

Kathy Allan

Staff Executive DirectorNancy Strickland

BHUTAN OFFICE

Education ManagerMeena Subba

Offi ce & Liaison ManagerKarma Tshering

Transportation & Offi ce Assistant Nima Dorji

Chief of Hospitality Pushpa Chertrie

TORONTO OFFICE

Managing Director, North AmericaKristen Scott

Program AssociateJenna Therrien

Gerry Clarke

Charles Finlay

Alan Gill

Lauren Hitchman

Guy Pemberton

Rosemary Phelan

His Excellency, Lhatu Wangchuk

Jamie Zeppa


Teach in Bhutan BCF works in collaboration with the Ministry of Education in Bhutan to recruit highly qualifi ed native-English-speaking teachers to work in public schools across the country, where they help to address a teacher shortage of nearly 1,000. BCF teachers have an incredible impact in the classroom where they encourage English language literacy and comprehension and bring problem solving, critical thinking, and innovation to the forefront of educational practice. www.teachinbhutan.org

School Development ProjectsOutside the classroom, BCF teachers champion school development projects that support the unique needs of their school community. In 2012 school development projects included: initiating a waste management and recycling program, renovating a library, beautifying a school campus, producing a student newspaper, and creating a music program.

Student ScholarsBCF works in partnership with Blyth Academy to provide full scholarships to high-achieving Bhutanese youth to complete secondary education in Canada.

Educational AdvisementBCF provides advisory services to Bhutanese students pursuing studies at Canadian post-secondary institutions, as well as Bhutanese professionals attending study tours and conferences in Canada.

Resource SupplyBCF works with global partners and individual donors to send educational supplies and books to schools in rural Bhutan.

Bhutan Dental MissionBCF partners with the Bhutan Dental Mission to provide dental health services to communities in eastern Bhutan through an annual dental camp. www.bhutandentalmission.org

Honorary Consul of Bhutan to CanadaAs Honorary Consul, BCF’s Founder & Chair, Sam Blyth, works to support continued cultural understanding and friendship between the two countries.

Our Programs


FROM THE FIRST DAY, I began the routine of taking a walk after school.

An athlete at home, I needed a way to keep my body moving and wind down after teaching. Since Rukubji is a small village surrounded by mountains and forest, there are beautiful paths to walk. Yet the best walks have been on the road with my students. Many students at my primary school walk for up to an hour to reach school each day.

Walking them home has become a favorite activity. At fi rst, the students were a bit shy to talk and ask questions, but that quickly faded. They began torrential questioning, asking me about all the things I know and don’t know. They began to open up, to talk about their lives, to share jokes, songs, and stories. I can hear the improvement in their English too, as they try to make me understand – searching for words, asking for meanings. They now ask me, “Where are you walking today, Miss?”, eager that I’ll say the name of their village.

I have developed relationships with my students that would not be possible without these walks. I have learned who they are beyond the classroom, something that is far more diffi cult to do in an American school. Knowing who they are has helped me teach them. I can draw on my experiences with them and contextualize and connect what we are learning.

One of my favorite walks began with teaching the words to “Doe, a deer …” from “The Sound of Music”. By the time we had reached the road from the path out of Rukubji, I had the whole crew of Chazam-bound students chanting at the top of their voices. We sang the entire 3-kilometer walk, entering the village of Chazam as if we were the musical itself.

These walks will forever be in my heart because of the students who made them so memorable.

– Iman, teacher at Rukubji Primary School, 2012


Teach in Bhutan | Stories from the Field


52 teachers sent to 35 communities

Our Impact | Since 2010

renovating a school library

sent to B H U TA N

1,200 patients treated through the annual Dental Mission. In 2012, 6 dentists saw over 300 patients, completed 101 fi llings and extracted 249 teeth. They also offered oral hygiene instruction to hundreds of students.

1,200 patientsdentists saw over 300 patients, completed 101 fi llings and extracted 249 teeth. They also offered oral hygiene instruction to hundreds of students.

4 scholarships awarded to Bhutanese students to study in Canada

4awarded to Bhutanese students to study in Canada

2,000 books sent to school libraries

4

sent to school libraries

7,800 students directly impacted

2,000

directly impacted

1 international symposiumon Educating for Sustainable Happiness held

1 international

Creating a

school music program

Creating a

school music beautifying a school campus

producing a student newspaperstudent

Developing a

waste management& recycling program

9 school development projects funded Projects funded in 2012 include:


How Your Gift Helps

720 Bathurst Street, Suite 411, Toronto, ON M5S 2R4 ■ Phone: (416) 572 – 3767 Email: [email protected] Post Box 201, Thimphu, Bhutan ■ Phone: 975 2 32210 Charitable Organization Number: 817719891RR0001

The Bhutan Canada Foundation is funded through the generous support of individuals, foundations and organizations.

Your donation will make an immediate impact in the lives of Bhutanese youth.

Donate online at www.BhutanCanada.org

$0.76 of every dollar goes directly to program development, implementation and support

$0.17of every dollar goes to operations and governance

$0.07of every dollar goes to fundraising


Donate online at www.BhutanCanada.org

the bhutan canada foundation organizational booklet

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