Are you a young person wishing to understand the entrepreneurship culture in Bhutan and learn the fundamentals of entrepreneurship? Do you have an idea to start a business but lack the capital and the support to do so?

Together with UNICEF Bhutan and Youth Centre Division, Department of Youth and Sports under MoE, we are so excited to share that we are coming back to the four integrated youth centers based at Gelephu, Phuntsholing, Thimphu and Samdrup Jongkhar to lead a three-day entrepreneurship training. Learn basic skills required to become an entrepreneur, get a chance to interact with seasoned entrepreneurs as mentors and stand a chance to win up to Nu. 1 million interest and collateral free loan to kick start your business idea.

How does the program work?

  1. Participants will learn basic skills such as business proposal writing, marketing and branding, budgeting, soft skills and more
  2. Participants will then pitch their business ideas during the training and stand a chance to compete up to Nu. 1 million interest and collateral free loan if shortlisted from the individual centres

The interest and collateral free loan will be supported through the Loden-UNICEF Bhutan funding window. Business ideas that not only provide solutions to the current challenges posed by Covid-19 but also have the potential to sustain and scale up will be given preference.

Abiding by the COVID-19 norms, the number of participants at the training will be kept very small so we encourage you to register at the at the earliest by contacting the center managers. Only 20 participants will be accepted for the training at each centres so hurry up! We limit the number to 20 keeping in mind the importance of maintaining social distancing and other important measures that needs to be put in place during the training.

Eligibility criteria:

  • Must be between the age of 18-30 years old
  • Some level of educational qualification is desired but not mandatory
  • Already has an innovative idea to start business in any location in Bhutan
  • Graduates who have been selected for employment at any firm or have applied for further studies will not be eligible to participate.
  • Individuals who are already employed will not be accepted
  • Nuns and monks with support from their institutions and with an idea of starting a social enterprises to sustain their institutions are also encouraged to participate.

Registration and Training dates:

  • Gelephu Youth Centre : 29-31 July | Mr. Chandra Bdr Subba, Contact 17602866 or email at  gelephuyc@moe.gov.bt to register
  • Phuntsholing Youth Centre : 4-6 August | Ms. Pema Deki, Contact 17621854 or email at plingyc@moe.gov.bt to register
  • Thimphu Yoputh Centre : 11-13 August |  Ms. Pema Tshoki, 17252090 or email at pematshoki@moe.gov.bt to register
  • Samdrup Jongkhar Youth Centre : 19-21August  | Ms. Phuntsho Choden, Contact 17958476 or email at sjongkharyc@moe.gov.bt to register

This project is supported by UNICEF Bhutan and led by Loden Foundation in partnership with the Youth Centre Division of the Department of Youth and Sport under the Ministry of Education.