Support Children in Bhutan
$100 funds a year of education & counselling for an at-risk student
Since 2011, the Australian Himalayan Foundation has partnered with RENEW to support the education and well-being of children in Bhutan who have been affected by violence, abuse or neglect.
How your support helps
$100 could help support one of the 205 vulnerable children that RENEW has identified this year.
Working with our partner in Bhutan, RENEW, we help children who have experienced violence or neglect at home to find safety, stability and support. We prioritise those most at risk, including girls, children with disabilities, young people moving into secondary school and children living in remote and economically disadvantaged communities, where access to education and protection is most limited.
Your donation provides:
Education scholarships to at vulnerable students.
Counselling services to children from some of the most difficult personal circumstances.
Children supported thanks to donors like you
About this program
Gender-based violence, including domestic violence and child abuse, remains a serious issue in Bhutan. Deep-rooted gender norms, stigma, weak enforcement of protective laws and limited rural services all contribute to the problem. Women and children, particularly those with disabilities, are especially at risk, with many facing significant barriers to education and long-term stability.
RENEW, under the patronage of Her Majesty the Queen Mother, is Bhutan’s first and only NGO dedicated to addressing gender-based violence and inequality. With Her Majesty’s full support, RENEW provides holistic care and support services for women, men and children impacted by domestic and sexual violence, while working to shift the underlying social conditions that drive it.
In the last year, our program supported 206 children (131 girls and 26 children with disabilities) across 17 districts, ensuring continued access to education through to Grade 12, with pathways to tertiary study or vocational training. Counselling and psychosocial support are core components, with adolescent girls, most at risk of abuse and early pregnancy, remaining the program’s highest priority.
Meet Lhaden
The Gawailing Happy Home in Bhutan is a place of sanctuary for women and children who have experienced domestic or gender-based violence, supporting them to rebuild their lives and realise their potential. Twenty-five-year-old Lhaden first arrived there as a child and now shares her story:
“I grew up at the Gawailing Happy Home after my family could no longer care for me. With the support of RENEW and AHF, I was able to complete my education. Today, I work as a caregiver in the same home, supporting children just as I was once supported. My journey shows how education and care can change a life, and now I am proud to give that same opportunity to the next generation.”
Stats from the last school year
206 students received counselling and were supported to attend school up to Grade 12
80% of students successfully finished Grade 12 (67% of these students were girls)
100% of the Grade 12 graduates continued on to tertiary or vocational study after high school
17 counsellors & case managers trained to strengthen the quality of services they provide
Frequently Asked Questions
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Your donation will support AHF’s Teacher Training and Quality Inclusive Education Project in Nepal’s lower Solukhumbu. In addition to assisting 120 vulnerable students, this program strengthens education across the region by training teachers in child-centred learning, improving school governance and parental engagement, and providing classrooms with essential books, furniture, and equipment.
Any funds raised beyond the support needed for the 120 students will be put towards this wider program, ensuring lasting impact for schools and communities across the region. -
Yes, donations over $2 to the Australian Himalayan Foundation are tax-deductible. If you make a donation, you will receive a confirmation email with a receipt for your records, which you can use for tax purposes.
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To protect the children’s identities and for child safeguarding reasons, no personal details of any school children will be disclosed to donors. Funds raised through this campaign will go towards supporting AHF’s program with RENEW: ‘Increasing opportunities and improving the well-being of children, particularly adolescent girls, who have experienced violence, abuse or neglect’.