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Learning Exchange Foundation

Learning Exchange Foundation

Category Archives: Hotel

Results of the young leaders in business training Dec.2012

17 Wednesday Jul 2013

Posted by Bhutan Learning Exchange Foundation in Bhutan, Hotel, School, Sustainability, Tourism, Uncategorized

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Dear friends,

I like to share with you the results of the 5 days training we did with 40 young (unemployed) people in Bumthang, Bhutan last December.

Of the 40 young men and women that attended the training, we were capable of helping 20 young men and women into finding a direction in their lives. For example: one young woman was very dedicated to start a travel-agency, (Bhutan has already more than 700 travel agency’s, therefore more are not needed) during the training she realized there is no future to start another travel agency, so instead she started a bakery in Paro. She is selling cakes and bagels! Good luck Yachna!

Others started to work in a construction company, or started a shop, a cafe, or resumed studies. One young man was very dedicated to establish a cooperation for organic produce in the east of Bhutan. Two other participants planned to work with him. One of the participants wanted to start producing organic dairy products and the other participant wanted to establish a poultry farm.

These are great initiatives and Phuesum Gyalwang with the Learning Exchange Foundation will continue to help them and grant guidance as much as we can.

We would like to conduct a follow up training and we need about 7000 euro, we received some donations but it is not sufficient. I would like to ask everyone to contribute 50 Euro or more so we can continue our work.

For the Dutch friends: your donation is tax deductible. This is a great opportunity to improve your karma!

Tashi Delek!

Rieki Crins

Founder and director Learning Exchange Foundation.

Bank account number:  IBAN: NL37 RABO 0154429791

t.n.v. Stichting Learning Exchange,
or donate online:
http://www.lefoundation.info

Hotel School cover

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Share4more

23 Sunday Jun 2013

Posted by Bhutan Learning Exchange Foundation in Bhutan, Hotel, School, Sustainability, Tourism, Uncategorized

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Dear friends,

I am happy to announce that the Learning Exchange Foundation received a donation from the Rabo Bank Share4More. For us to be able to continue our work with the youth in Bhutan we need donations like this! Thank you Rabo Bank Share4More!Image

Five days seminar for unemployed youth in Bumthang Bhutan

09 Wednesday Jan 2013

Posted by Bhutan Learning Exchange Foundation in Bhutan, Hotel, School, Sustainability, Tourism, Uncategorized

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Image

These are the 40 participants who joined our seminar in Bumthang Bhutan from 15 till 21 december 2012. The seminar was a huge success.

The purpose of the seminar was to give these young people guidance to find their purpose in life. Most of them come from broken homes and have illiterate parents. So they lack support. We want to work further with these young people – and others- to help them to become responsible entrepreneurs or get a training and work in the hospitality sector.

60% of the population in Bhutan is under 25 years, giving a hand to the young people is very rewarding.

We will shortly post a final report and video of the seminar. Stay tuned.

Young leaders for business in Bhutan

14 Wednesday Nov 2012

Posted by Bhutan Learning Exchange Foundation in Bhutan, Hotel, School, Sustainability, Tourism

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Bhutan

This is the advertisement for the first programme for 40 unemployed youth in Central and East Bhutan in the Keusel the national newspaper of Bhutan.

Thanks to generous donations from well-wishers  we can start with this urgent needed programme. We will film it and keep you updated. We need your support to keep our work going. So donations and grants are needed and very welcome!

 

Bhutan first organic country in the world

28 Sunday Oct 2012

Posted by Bhutan Learning Exchange Foundation in Hotel, School

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Bhutan, Organic Farming, Social Enterprise, Travel Bhutan

Bhutan Pledges to be First 100% Organic Agriculture Nation

The small, Himalayan kingdom plans to be chemical free within decade.

When I was living in the remote village Tsachaphu 22 years ago, all activity by the villagers was organic. They were self sufficient. Nature provided most of their needs. Then, the so called western specialists came in to convince the people to use “miracle seeds”. They told the villagers that they needed to have 2 or 3 crops per year instead of one with diverse rice seeds, to avoid risk. The miracle seeds needed chemical fertilizers, which was expensive for the villagers to buy. In addition, a threshing machine was needed to husk them ( before done by feet) and the machine needed petrol to operate it. All need to be carried on horse to the village 12 hours from the main road and needed to be paid for with money people did not have. The miracle seed were not liked because they did not taste good and people claimed to get “heart-pain” from it.

Glad to hear that Bhutan has the wisdom to go back to its traditional agricultural techniques. Great example, and I am looking to serving local, traditional, organic Bhutanese food in the restaurant of our hotel.

Yak farmer in Bumthang

Discovery trip to Bhutan

21 Sunday Oct 2012

Posted by Bhutan Learning Exchange Foundation in Hotel, School

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Bhutan, investor Trip

Join us for an exciting trip to Bhutan. Learn and discover a country that has much to offer.

Closing date for the bookings is November 30 2012! For full details Bhutan Investment Discovery Trip

For questions contact Dr. Rieki Crins

Phuntsho Choden, the young architect from Bhutan, her experiences in Amsterdam

24 Monday Sep 2012

Posted by Bhutan Learning Exchange Foundation in Bhutan, Hotel, School, Sustainability, Tourism, Uncategorized

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Amsterdam…..A unique travel experience

I have always dreamed of going abroad since my childhood and I am pretty sure that many people from different countries have the same feeling. I always found that learning about different cultures is always an interesting thing to do and interacting with new people also. That’s why when I got this opportunity  ( because of the Learning Exchange Foundation) to come to Amsterdam I was super excited and to top my excitement I was going to work with a very well known architectural firm (RAU Associates), which was like a golden opportunity for me. I was really looking forward to the trip.

A truly unforgettable travel experience – that’s what the short visit to the Dutch capital meant for me. My wait was finally over and I reached Amsterdam on 11th August 2012. I met Rieki and Robert for the first time at the airport and I was very happy to see them. It’s hard to describe how I felt in those first few hours. Obviously the excitement of being in a new place was one of the major factors, but also being away from home for the first time and to top it the long flight from Delhi to Amsterdam could also be the reason.

Many people back home told me that things were different here, but what I found was a truly cosmopolitan city full of people and amazingly varied architecture. The next day I went to the city centre and it was quite an experience. It was a little crowded but that was maybe because it was a weekend but the city core was like a web with tree-lined canals, gabled buildings, curved bridges, cobblestoned streets equipped on every corner to accommodate the passage of strollers, bicycles and even self-propelled wheelchairs. This all sight was a really amazing thing to see for me. There were flower stalls brimming with gorgeous bouquets and the neighborhood bakeries bursting with the fresh breads that is a very important part of the meal for people here. I have never seen so many varieties of bread and cheese in my life. And yes cheese is also the next important part of the meal. After seeing this I was telling my dad back home that this place is heaven for him because he is a big fan of bread and cheese. Apart from that I tried a wide variety of food after I reached here and I love Italian food the most. Rieki is a really good cook so in the food department I think I have tried everything possible and the best part is I like almost everything. And one more to the list is the varieties of the bicycles I saw, those constantly passing by and also the amazing variety parked just outside or locked to a nearby light post. And there are bicycles for mothers, which like transport two, three and sometimes four little ones at a time, using a box in front and a baby seat (or two) behind. This was a sight I would never get to see in Bhutan. Bicycles are a very important mode of transport here, my fist day at office I saw many people in suites riding bicycles to office and I found it really cool.

I even visited the red light district area which is very famous here in the city and it was a really weird and creepy experience. I would never like to go there again. Another really interesting thing was the Marijuana, out here there are so many coffee shops which sells marijuana and they have a menu for the varieties of it. And back home it grows in abundance and it’s totally illegal. That was quite a contrast.

Then my first day at the work started. Of course, the first day at a new place is always kind of weird, because you don’t know anybody, but I got used to the atmosphere meeting new people and making few friends also. I started with my new project and loving the job I am doing and the stuffs I am learning. I am very thankful to Rieki and Thomas for that. Many people at work have no idea about my country and its architecture so I talked to them about my culture and traditions and they seemed interested and I understand how it is amazing to represent your own country and explain many things about it to people who have never heard of it. It made me proud of being a representative of my little country in my own way.

So far all the people I met have been very friendly and communicative. They always ask how you are, what do you do and how do you like Amsterdam. The purpose of your visit is not important, but people will always give you some questions, which are not mere acts of courtesy, but curious and friendly. When did you come to Amsterdam? And how do you like it? If good now, it will be even better. You will love it. The conversation is always the same everywhere. Even in stores and markets what is immediately notable is that everyone is smiling to you, saying “hi,” wishing you to have a good day and asking if you need help.

Amsterdam I think offers everything a tourist could wish for like various forms of accommodation, restaurants and terraces, bars, discos and nightclubs open 24 hours a day, cultural destinations (theaters, museums, monuments and churches), parks, markets, botanical gardens, zoo and many others. I still have a long list of stuffs to be done and a long list of places to visit.

Phuntsho Choden September 24, 2012

News from the Learning Exchange Foundation Bhutan

06 Monday Aug 2012

Posted by Bhutan Learning Exchange Foundation in Bhutan, Hotel, School, Sustainability, Tourism, Uncategorized

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The government of Bhutan has  implemented a weekly pedestrian day in the capital.

In effect as of June 5, coinciding with the World Environment Day this year, every Tuesday will be observed as a vehicle-free day in the core downtown Thimphu area.  The ban applies to motorized vehicles, not to bicycles, which will be allowed on these days.

The vehicle-free day is initiated to  minimize environmental impacts of motorized vehicles, reduce traffic congestion, avoid ever-rising fuel prices, and to control the major outflow of Rupee. It is also to encourage healthy living and increased exercise. Five agencies, including the National Environment Commission Secretariat, the Thimphu City Corporation, Road Safety and Transport Authority, Thimphu Traffic Division, and the Bhutan Post, are working together to implement Pedestrians’ Day in Bhutan.

The policy causes problems to a lot of parents  bringing children to school, or transporting the elderly. This is one of the main concerns of the policy, by residents of Thimphu.

Workshop December: We are making good progress on the workshop for 40 young unemployed Bhutanese women between the ages of  16-24. We have received donations but we are not there yet.   This workshop heralds the startup of the Vocational Training Institute, as well.

Please help us to make this workshop and the ongoing vocational training institute possible by donating (see below). We need your help! Image

Learning Exchange Foundation

News from the Learning Exchange Foundation

23 Monday Jul 2012

Posted by Bhutan Learning Exchange Foundation in Bhutan, Hotel, School, Sustainability, Tourism, Uncategorized

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RS group from HongKong make substantial grant to learning Exchange Foundation

The grant will be used to fund a 5-day leadership and social entrepreneur workshop  for 40 unemployed women in December in Bumthang Bhutan. Thank you, RS Group Hong Kong, for your generous donation.

LEF arranges educational exchange for Bhutanese Architect

The Learning Exchange Foundation is welcoming Phuntshok Choden, a young architect from Bhutan, to Amsterdam. She will learn green building techniques from Thomas Rau, the leading Green architect in the Netherlands.

LEF presents at Impact Investing Conference in Lugano

Rieki Crins, founder and chairman of the Learning Exchange Foundation, presented the Bhutan project at the Partnering for Global Impact Conference in Lugano. It was wonderful to meet so many people working in the field of impact investment. But we still have a long way to go.  I want to thank Zamir Islam Shah and Clair Macht for making it possible for me to attend the conference.

We need your support.  Please help us ensure that unemployed youth in Bhutan have access to a better future.  We still need contributions to make the workshop and the school possible.

News from The Learning Exchange Foundation Bhutan

21 Saturday Jul 2012

Posted by Bhutan Learning Exchange Foundation in Bhutan, Hotel, School, Sustainability, Tourism, Uncategorized

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Bhutan, LEF News

RS group from HongKong make substantial grant to learning Exchange Foundation

The grant will be used to fund a 5-day leadership and social entrepreneur workshop  for 40 unemployed women in December in Bumthang Bhutan. Thank you, RS Group Hong Kong, for your generous donation.

LEF arranges educational exchange for Bhutanese Architect

The Learning Exchange Foundation is welcoming Phuntshok Choden, a young architect from Bhutan, to Amsterdam. She will learn green building techniques from Thomas Rau, the leading Green architect in the Netherlands.

LEF presents at Impact Investing Conference ( Partnering for Global Impact ) in Lugano

Rieki Crins, founder and chairman of the Learning Exchange Foundation, presented the Bhutan project at the Partnering for Global Impact Conference in Lugano. It was wonderful to meet so many people working in the field of impact investment. But we still have a long way to go.  I want to thank Zamir Islam Shah and Clair Macht for making it possible for me to attend the conference.

We need your support.  Please help us ensure that unemployed youth in Bhutan have access to a better future.  We still need contributions to make the workshop and the school possible.

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Learning Exchange Foundation

Watteaustraat 36
1077 ZM Amsterdam
+31204205458
08:30-18:00

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