Our Vision
The Loden Foundation is a registered Civil Society Organisation (CSO) in Bhutan established to foster a happy and enlightened society through the promotion of education, social entrepreneurship and Bhutan’s cultures and traditions.
Our Motto
The Loden Foundation’s motto is ཆོས་བདག་མེད་ཀུན་ལ་ཐོབ་ཐང་ཡོད། , a Buddhist proverb that knowledge/truth is without an owner and everyone is entitled to it.
Our Objectives
1. To promote education and learning at preschool, school and post-school stages, and thereby foster an enlightened and educated society in Bhutan.
2. To promote and support social entrepreneurship.
3. To preserve and promote the cultures and traditions of Bhutan.
4. To undertake, if need be, other charitable works that contribute towards the welfare of the public.
Our Name
Loden ( བློ་ལྡན ) literally meaning “possessing intelligence” is an appellation of wise and learned people and of the Bodhisattvas, altruistic beings who have pledged to rescue the world from suffering. It is also an epithet of both Manjushri, the Buddha of wisdom, and Padmasambhava, the supreme saint who brought Buddhism to Bhutan.
Our Logo
The Loden logo symbolises giving knowledge and wisdom. It is a Himalayan book in a rectangular format. The book on an open hand symbolises the gift of knowledge, which, the Buddha said, is the best gift.
Our Beginnings
Loden was founded by Lopen Karma Phuntsho in 1999 with the aim of providing support to children from poor families to attend school. Robert Miles, the head porter of Balliol College, who did not complete school due to financial difficulties in his youth, made the first donation of £50 from his small salary. This annual gift was used to fund a little girl from a family of seven daughters in Central Bhutan. Tenzin Pelmo, who received the benefit, is today a successful history teacher and trustee of Loden.
Following the first contribution, other friends made donations, which were then channeled through the Loden Education Trust set up by Karma and his fellow trustees at Oxford. The inaugural fundraising event was held with a talk by Dame Joanna Lumley and the second event was graced by His Majesty King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck of Bhutan, then the Crown Prince.
In 2008, Loden expanded its activities with the opening of its first preschool, inauguration of its office and first staff in Thimphu, Bhutan, and the launch of Loden Entrepreneurship Programme with support from Anne and Gerard Tardy. In 2010, Loden became the first organisation to get registered as a civil society organisation in Bhutan.
chapter of change