The second batch graduated and all found jobs

Tags

Bhutan, Hotel, Impact Investing, Social Enterprise

This is what Kesang wrote on facebook:

Day to be remembered…. “Our graduation” we are the second batch of BIHT and I’m proud to be the part of BIHT. Thank you all the our mentors la chef Kelzang Dorji Memphis, chef Tshering Dema, sir Floris Pocerattu, madam Niki Kervezee, sir Tshering Phuntsho,sir Yeshi Tashi Gocha, sir Gyembo Dorji, madam Pema wang and madam Sapna Dits Siwa and thanks to the founder of BIHT Aum Rieki Crins

Thank you to all who donated to the foundation to make the dreams of these young Bhutanese come true. If you you would like to support the school you can make a donation here

 

Lonely Planet: “It will be the best meal you have in Bhutan”

Tags

Bhutan, Food, Impact Investing, travel

https://lnkd.in/enkpvWp

So proud of our restaurant in Bhutan. Wow! My dream came true, can you imagine, 5 years ago I dreamed of a hotelschool and a restaurant that train underpriviledge  youth of Bhutan to promote Bhutanese culture with quality hospitality service and now we are open for 2 years. Our students find work in the best 5 star hotels in Bhutan , India and beyond. Thank you Piero Grandi, Adrien Rebord, Auke Thijssen, Niki Kervezee , Floris Pocerattu, Clara Blanc, Mr.Norbu, Mrs Yangki and all teachers of BIHT to make this amazing project happen. Also thank you to all the donors.

If you want to reserve a table or room contact: floris.bihtbhutan@gmail.com

 

 

New Website for Bhutan Hotel School

Tags

Bhutan, Hotel School, Sustainability, Tourism

Last few months we worked hard at our hotel school in Bhutan and we are happy to announce our new website. For the next year ( 2016) we received more than 200 application from young people who want to be trained at our school. We only can enroll 34, the  quality training that we give is already known in Bhutan.

Bongde Institute of Hospitality and Tourism

We are excited to announce the launch of our new website! We hope that it will provide visitors with the necessary information on the hotel and institute.Please take a look around and you will find pictures and descriptions of what our hotel offers you from our amazing students. Browse through to get a clear understanding of how BIHT work and what courses we offer. Get up close and actually know the relationship between BIHT and students.

Support Bongde Institute-Adopt a Student, Book Hotel Stay

Our training hotel welcomes international and local guests. This unique hybrid business model provides a real-life learning experience for unemployed youth and the opportunity for guests to participate actively to make this institute self-reliant.

You can sponsor a student, give a donation or even better come visit and stay with us in Bhutan. More information: please contact riek@lefoundation.info

Special learning journey to Bhutan in November 2015

Tags

Bhutan

Learning Journey to the Land of the Thunder Dragon: Bhutan
20- 27 November 2015

Join us to ride the Thunder Dragon in this Himalaya – country of Gross National Happiness ! From the hustle and bustle of Bangkok ’s airport we fly to Paro, the  international airport of Bhutan.

The difference couldn’t be more striking. We are in a peaceful valley with a mountain stream, birdsong, and dotted with a kind of Swiss chalets where colourfully dressed Bhutanese live. Here our intriguing learning journey starts.
Special guide throughout: Dr. H.C. Crins. Mrs Crins has a PhD in cultural anthropology, specialized on Bhutan. She is exceptionally familiar with the country, having been coming there for nearly for 25 years and has guided groups there for nearly 15 years.

For more detailed information Bhutan Nov 2015

©George Lewis

For any questions and bookings,  please contact me,  tel: +3162397838

Indiegogo Crowdfunding-Bhutan Rural Business Academy

Tags

Bhutan, Hotel School, Hotel/Business Academy

Hello,

I’m writing to let you know about ‘Rural Community College Bhutan’.

Take a moment to check it out on Indiegogo and also share it with your friends. All the tools are there. Get perks, make a contribution, or simply follow updates. If enough of us get behind it, we can make ‘Rural Community College Bhutan’ happen!

Donate to Rural Business Academy at Indiegog

Important Update:

The École hôtelière de Lausanne is interested in working with Le Foundation in developing our Hotel School.

Young leaders for business in Bhutan

Tags

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

Tags

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

Tags

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

News from The Learning Exchange Foundation Bhutan

Tags

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.

Discovery Investor trip to Bhutan

Tags

Bhutan, Frontier Market, Impact Investment, Tourism

14-­day tour guided and mediated by Rieki Crins and Anne Marie Schreven

Date: FEBRUARY 28 TO MARCH 13, 2013 

Location: Bhutan

In close collaboration with the Bhutan Chamber of Commerce & Industry and Phuensum Gyalwang Consultancy Firm, the Learning Exchange Foundation and Leading2change invite you to visit Bhutan, to introduce you to investment opportunities that Bhutan offers.

Bhutan is the most interesting place in the world for a frontier market investor. The experience of emerging markets tells us how the vision of the best informed investors has led them to the most interesting and rewarding challenges first in the Far East and now in new markets. The Himalayan kingdom is one of the last remaining enclaves, with a cultural heritage that makes it unique.

Dr. Rieki Crins and Anne Marie Schreven will guide the tour. In this trip you gain an insight into the country, culture and opportunities.

Rieki is a cultural anthropologist, specialized on the Himalaya kingdom of Bhutan. She obtained her PhD in 2008 on Gender and Sustainability in Bhutan. Rieki authored many articles and two books on Bhutan, gives lectures at universities and institutions, and is tour manager and guide for cultural travels to Bhutan, Sikkim and India.

Rieki is now setting up a quality 4-­star hotel and a community hospitality college in the Bumthang Valley in Central Bhutan. In support of this, Rieki founded the Learning Exchange Foundation in 2009.

Anne Marie is founder of Leading2change, Consultant Organisation & Leadership. Her contribution lies in facilitating change through good governance, organisational performance and personal effectiveness. After six years in Bhutan as Senior Advisor Organisational Development in SNV and honorary consul to Bhutan, she now lives in Amsterdam. Anne Marie is board member of the learning Exchange Foundation.

Full details of Trip.

Investment opportunities

We will be looking at sustainable and impact investment opportunities (among others) in the fields of:

Tourism

Bhutan is developing a reputation as an exclusive high-­end tourist destination. The green pristine environment, vibrant Buddhist culture and recently the Gross National Happiness development philosophy have begun attracting many tourists. As the number of visitors increase there will be a need to provide additional tourist facilities such as four-­ and five star hotels, convention centres, and other infrastructure.

Medical Tourism

Historically, Bhutan has been known as Menjong -­ the land of medicinal plants, because of the great variety of medicinal plants found in the kingdom. More than 600 medicinal plants have been identified and given the favourable environment and proximity to huge regional markets. The government would like to develop Bhutan as a medical tourism hub as well.

IT

Based on the availability of surplus clean and green electricity at the lowest rates in the region, Bhutan is seeking to develop ICT and data centre related businesses.

Alternative Building Materials

To reduce the dependence on timber for construction, DHI is seeking partners to manufacture alternative building material s in Bhutan.

Mineral Based Industries

With the development of the Mineral Development Policy, there will be opportunities for investments in extraction of minerals and mineral-­based businesses.

Organic Farming

Bhutan is developing and promoting its green and pristine environmental image, and seeks to focus on organic farming and promote it through

Education

Bhutan aims to focus on educational institutes and knowledge-­industries.