Loden Foundation is a registered Civil Society Organisation (CSO) in Bhutan under the Civil Society Organizations Authority (CSOA), established to foster a happy and enlightened society by promoting education, social entrepreneurship and Bhutan’s culture and traditions since 1999.

Loden Foundation as the name of the organization has been chosen for its cultural, historical and educational significance. Loden ( བློ་ལྡན ) literally meaning “possessing intelligence” is an appellation of wise and learned people and of the Bodhisattvas. It is also an epithet of both Manjushri, the Buddha of wisdom and Padmasambhava, the supreme saint who established Buddhism in Bhutan.

The Loden Foundation’s motto is ཆོས་བདག་མེད་ཀུན་ལ་ཐོབ་ཐང་ཡོད། (chos bdag med kun la thob thang yod), a Buddhist proverb that knowledge/truth is without an owner and everyone is entitled to it.

In 1999, Loden’s founder and President, Lopen Karma Phuntsho, facilitated a small donation from the United Kingdom to ensure a child living in rural Bhutan completes her education. Fast Forward to today she is a history teacher, a mother and takes care of her younger siblings. Today, Loden Education Initiatives has supported over 182 children through its child sponsorship programme and 58 youth to undergo undergraduate courses within and outside Bhutan. In addition, 117 children below five years old attended early childhood care and development (ECCD) at five Loden Early Learning centers across Bhutan.

Since 2008, Loden has been helping young people find meaningful jobs after their education through entrepreneurship education and funding. Loden has trained over 5,000 aspiring entrepreneurs, funded over 200 businesses in 18 Dzongkhags in Bhutan, of which 72 are led by women. Loden also focuses on empowering students in colleges and technical training institutes in Bhutan to explore and learn about entrepreneurship through the Loden SEED (Student Empowerment Through Entrepreneurship Development) programme.

Bhutan is going through tremendous change, and its traditional way of life is disappearing fast. Loden has been at the forefront of documenting and studying Bhutan’s cultural heritage. With the dual aim of preserving Bhutan’s cultural knowledge and promoting Bhutan’s cultural heritage across generations and border, Loden’s culture programme currently has three components: written heritage, oral traditions and arts and architecture. Since its inception, the program has recorded 3,260 hours of oral-history, digitized approximately 4 million pages of written heritage and documented over 150,000 artifacts.

To apply for the Loden Foundation scholarship, you need to follow the application process outlined on their website. Here are the general steps to apply:

Prepare your documents: Combine all your documents into one single PDF file. The required documents may include a completed application form, a personal essay explaining your personal ambition, choice of subject/course, and financial need, a conditional acceptance letter from the college or institute, academic transcripts of Class X and XII, and recommendation letters from two referees with their contact details.

Submit your application: Send your application via email to the designated email address provided on the website. Applications in hard copy format delivered in person or by other means will not be accepted.

Adhere to the deadline: Make sure to submit your application before the specified deadline. Late submissions will not be accepted.

Please note that the specific requirements and application process may vary depending on the scholarship type and year. It is recommended to refer to the official Loden Foundation website for the most up-to-date and detailed information on how to apply for the scholarship.

Contact Information:

Phone Number: +975-77195599
Location: 274 Zèri Lam, Thimphu, Bhutan

Social Media:

Instagram : Loden Foundation on Instagram 
Facebook: Loden Foundation on Facebook

Twitter: Loden Foundation on Twitter 
YouTube: Loden Foundation on YouTube

LinkedIn: Loden Foundation on LinkedIn 

You can go to the navigation and click on the donation button where you will find comprehensive payment details for all available donation methods.