Community

A HEART OF PHILANTHROPHY

Travel, at its most meaningful, is less about crossing borders than about crossing into lives unlike our own. For our guests, travel is a chance to listen as much as to give, to offer time, skills, or resources while receiving new ways of seeing the world. In these raw and unfiltered encounters, generosity becomes a bridge—connecting cultures.

Our expertise stems from 15 years of guiding visitors in Bhutan, aligned with their “High Value, Low Volume” tourism policy and the principles of Gross National Happiness. Building on this foundation, we are now expanding through our global network to work closely with rural communities—partnering on projects in education, environmental stewardship, and empowerment. We encourage our guests to go beyond standard itineraries, and work with partners and NGOs to connects local initiatives to a wider, worldwide audience. For discerning travelers and organizations seeking meaningful engagement, cultural depth, and social impact, philanthropy travel offers a path to purpose. We curate our tours built on a foundation of deep respect—for people, culture, and place. Similarly, we try to deliver positive economic impact by partnering directly with local communities to support their priorities.

Interconnected for Good

Collaborate with organisations driving meaningful change. Through thoughtfully designed experiences, you can engage directly with communities, contribute to sustainable development, and leave a tangible impact.

Some of these initiatives include:

1. Supporting Education - "Guardians of Culture" Programs for the Museums of Bhutan

The Experience: Participate in skill-sharing workshops where you share your professional expertise. Your guidance inspires curiosity, creativity, and confidence, helping young learners grow into compassionate global citizens.
The Impact: Your engagement goes beyond education—it cultivates global citizenship. Contributions support educational resources, technology, and infrastructure, empowering teachers and students to thrive while fostering empathy, cultural understanding, and a sense of responsibility toward the wider world.

2. Collaborating with Social Enterprises & Artisans

The Experience: Go behind the scenes with a local social enterprise. Spend a morning with a women's cooperative producing traditional textiles, learning their techniques and stories.
The Impact: Your participation provides direct income and market access for these groups. You become an ambassador for their craft, helping to preserve cultural heritage and create dignified employment opportunities.

3. Engaging in Environmental Projects

The Experience: Participate in community-led environmental initiatives. This could include reforestation, sustainable farming, clean water projects, or habitat restoration, working alongside local residents to make a visible and lasting impact.
The Impact: Your efforts support the long-term resilience of our planet's natural ecosystems while empowering communities to implement sustainable solutions.

4. Contributing to Food Security

The Experience: Visit a local farm and learn about indigenous agricultural practices.By helping with planting or harvesting, you gain a deeper appreciation of the journey from farm to table. You may also participate in a cooking class using ingredients cultivated through your collective efforts.
The Impact: Your involvement supports local growers, promotes sustainable practices that reduce environmental impact, and strengthens community resilience by enhancing food security.

Mountain Hazelnuts Local Grower Farm Visit

Our Promise: Ethical & Impactful Engagement

Every “Interconnected for Good” experience is guided by our core principles:

Community-Led: Projects are initiated by and for the community. As invited guests, we learn from local challenges while contributing meaningfully.

Skill-Based: Activities are matched to the strengths and interests of our travellers to ensure genuine, valuable contributions.

Respectful: All encounters are built on mutual respect, cultural sensitivity, and a shared desire to learn.

Sustainable: Initiatives are designed for long-term viability, continuing to benefit the community well beyond our visit.

Transparent: We clearly communicate how your time and financial contributions directly support the local project.

Our C.A.T.A.L.Y.S.T approach

We want to bring together stakeholders to create lasting, meaningful change that benefits future generations. We handpick experiences that encourage collaboration and empower communities with economic opportunities and long-term benefits.

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SOME OF OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS

Laptops

Distributed to schools & monasteries

112

Shoes

Were distributed in Bhutan

Schools

Have been assisted

600+ Book

Collected and distributed across to schools

Family

Supported by us

House

being refurnished

Monasteries

Assisted

Students

Museums of Bhutan

The Museums of Bhutan comprising the National Museum of Bhutan in Paro, the Royal Heritage Museum in Trongsa, and Ta-Dzong, Trashigang, are powerful symbols of Bhutan’s unique cultural and spiritual heritage as the last Vajrayana Buddhist kingdom.

Our museums, originally designated as watchtowers to safeguard the country against invaders, have evolved into sacred sites dedicated to preserving and sharing Bhutan’s rich heritage with the world.

Through thoughtfully curated exhibits, immersive experiences, and community-centered programs, we aim to inspire a deeper understanding and appreciation of Bhutan’s spiritual teachings, sacred practices, and historical treasures.

We have launched the Building Fund for the Museums of Bhutan, a transformative initiative aimed at renovating heritage landmarks and constructing versatile outdoor venues for cultural gatherings, international conferences, and private events. This US$12 million global fundraising campaign seeks to reimagine our museums as dynamic community hubs, blending tradition with modernity.

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Laptsakha Community School

Druk Asia identifies community schools which we can help to improve their quality of education. We usually focus our effort on projects which can provide the most immediate benefits in consultation with school management. Laptsakha Community School is a small community school for the Laptsakha village at Talo in Punakha. The school has 143 pupils studying in 7 different classes from Kindergarten to Primary 6. These are some of the projects we have done for them.

a) New Green Boards for all classrooms To have conducive classroom environment, effective teaching and learning. The previous boards were old and outdated. Made from ply board, students could not read writing clearly due to sun reflection and difficulty in keeping it black. It also produces lots of dust in the classroom since the board is rough.

b) Water Filter. The school doesn't have a proper water source, especially during peak summer season students drink water from the tap despite repeated reminders to use boiled water. The government doesn't have separately allocated budget to procure sanitation materials.

c) Syntax Water Storage tanks (2000 litres). Due to small existing water source for the school, the school does not have enough water during important celebrations and gatherings. The Bigger water tank is also needed to tie over time when water gets muddy especially during monsoon season.

The Gyalyum Charitable Trust

The Gyalyum Charitable Trust, under the visionary leadership of Her Majesty Gyalyum Sangay Choden Wangchuck (Queen Mother) aims to ensure the long-term sustainability of organizations that enjoy Her Majesty’s Royal Patronage. She has been at the forefront of raising awareness on social issues for more than 20 years and takes personal interest in the welfare of women, youth and children, and the disadvantaged and marginalized of society whom she has interacted with extensively while touring the nation as the UNFPA Goodwill Ambassador.

The initiatives under the Trust include:

RENEW - Committed to the empowerment of vulnerable women in Bhutan, particularly survivors and victims of domestic violence. RENEW focuses on advocacy, outreach, counselling, education, and rehabilitation.
Gyalyum Scholarship Programme - Aimed at helping children from disadvantaged families continue their education
The Craft Gallery – This project is still under development but when completed, it will be a dedicated outlet for the sales, marketing and development of Bhutanese handicrafts
Royal Textile Academy - An education centre for training individuals in the traditional art of weaving, thereby preserving their rich textile heritage
Gyalyum Dharma Initiative - Devoted to the maintenance, upkeep, restoration of monasteries and support for monks and nuns

Website: www.Gyalyum.org

Image credit RENEW via Facebook Page

VAST Bhutan

Voluntary Artists Studio, Thimphu, popularly known as VAST was set up in 1998 by a group of professional artists as a not-forprofit organisation with the primary aim to provide opportunity to the Bhutanese youth to participate and develop their potential artistic talents especially in contemporary art, develop sense of social responsibilities through community services and also to explore art as a vocation.

Sponsorship of 3 artists to particpate in USK Symposium 2016 in Singapore
Art exhition in Singapore - Happiness 2014
Art exhibtion in Singapore - Discover Breathless Bhutan @ ION , October 2016
Nomination to IFC Congress 2018 Scholarship
Bringing travellers to VAST studio and gallery

Visit VAST website here: www.vastbhutan.org.bt

OTHER PAST INITIATIVES

Druk Asia also donated towards the establishment of a staff canteen for the Gyalyum Charitable Trust. The canteen was created to provide staff with a comfortable space to enjoy daily meals and foster a sense of community. This initiative reflected Druk Asia’s commitment to well-being, ensuring that those working tirelessly for the Trust had access to better facilities and improved well-being.
A new Heritage Gallery was established in Lingzhi Dzong. The exhibition showcased the history, culture, and traditions of Bhutan and displayed artefacts that highlighted significant historical events, achievements, and cultural heritage, aiming to preserve and educate visitors about the past.

Druk Asia supported the establishment of the Heritage Gallery as part of our commitment to promote and preserve Bhutan's unique culture.
As the title sponsor for six years, Druk Asia has played a pivotal role in providing financial support, resources, and opportunities that have greatly benefited the club. With Druk Asia’s backing, Paro Football Club has been able to enhance its training facilities, secure top-quality equipment, and attract talented players and coaching staff. This significant investment has been instrumental in elevating the club’s performance and achieving its objectives on both domestic and international fronts.
Druk Asia sponsored two girls from Punakha, who had lost both their parents and were staying with their grandmother, through their middle and higher secondary school. Together with our friends of Bhutan, we rebuilt the roof of their house, which had been made of plastics and zinc sheets. We hoped to be able to identify more young children who were in need of assistance.

Our Philanthropy Journeys include

Private touring with your knowledgeable guides and drivers
Preferred rooms in the very best luxury hotels
Itineraries that are customized according to your interests and schedule
A seamless travel experience, including all logistics, private airport transfers, internal transportation, VIP and access to our network of experts around the world

Each journey is tailor-made, offering an intimate experience that nourishes the soul, combining meaningful impact with the highest standards of comfort and service.