Jigme Wangchuk D

Currently i am serving as Executive Director for the Loden Foundation overseeing the management and administration and providing directions and policy guidance on the social entrepreneurship, Education and culture related projects and programmes. Before joining Loden, I have served more than 17 years in public sectors and international organizations as workforce planner and analysts, Project analyst, Policy analyst and advocate for economic sectors and a climate change specialist for the GEF project for environmental protection and conservations.

Loden Foundation is a registered Civil Society Organization in Bhutan dedicated to fostering an enlightened and happy society through the promotion of education, entrepreneurship and culture. Loden has three major programmes:
i) Loden Education Initiative
Loden spotlights the power of education to enhance human capacity and quality of life. Thus, it provides educational support and facilities at preschool, school and post-school phases.
ii) Loden Entrepreneurship Programme
This programme was launched in 2007 with the aim of curbing the rising unemployment, rural-urban migration, promote an ethical entrepreneurial culture in the country, and contribute towards building a self-reliant sustainable economy. Today, LEP has become a dominant programme of Loden, which is seen as the leading organization in promoting social entrepreneurship in Bhutan. So far, Loden has trained about 3100 young entrepreneurs, organized many dozens of events for entrepreneurial education, and funded 133 entrepreneurial ventures some of which have received international awards.
iii) Loden Cultural Programme
Loden, through its efforts of cultural preservation and promotion, strives to help bridge Bhutan’s past and future and facilitate a smooth transition. Loden has published many dozens of essays and books on culture in an effort to make Bhutan’s rich cultural heritage relevant to our times and leverage them to solve current problems and enhance the quality and meaning of life.

Loden Foundation through support from various national and international institutions, organization, agencies and stakeholders, Loden have been actively contributing and making impacts at grassroots and at the national level. Loden has been empowering women and children, key population group, economically challenged individuals and vulnerable group through 3 programmes to reduce poverty and income disparity in the community thus, promoting independence and better living standard.