Himalayan Higher Education Fund – Bhutan

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Our support program in Bhutan comprises of full degree course scholarships, internships, supplemental courses and a mentoring program for financially disadvantaged young women from rural Bhutan. The centrepiece of the program is a 4-year BSc Environmental Management degree at Royal Thimphu College.

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We support final year high school students who would otherwise be unable to pursue their dream of studying and completing a BSc in Environmental Management at university and pursing a professional career in the enviroment sector.

For Bhutan, climate change is “not just an environmental problem but a serious challenge to sustainable development and the livelihoods of its people” (UNDP, 2011). There is a need for stronger environmental management policies and plans in Bhutan to address emerging natural disaster and economic risks from climate change.

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Our project combines the benefits of educating women and increasing the number of university educated rural Bhutanese women with professional and decision making roles in environmental management. Supporting Bhutanese nationals also increases the likelihood of developing local climate change knowledge and expertise.

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Our Bhutan program has supported 14 young women since commencing in 2021. We expect to support at least 2 new recipients each year in future.

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Impact

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Our project is scalable and success would be creating a steady stream of young women who complete tertiary education, are employment ready and obtain well-paid employment. This will enable them to assist their families financially, marry later, have fewer and healthier children, and have a 40-year career helping manage Bhutan natural environment.

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Governance

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Our Bhutan project is registered with Global Development Group who ensure our compliance with Australian Government regulations and provide tax deductibility and international funds transfer capabilities.

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We work hard to minimise expenses to ensure over 90% of funds raised are available for project purposes.