༄༅། ། ཏཱ་ར་ཡ་ན་གཞི་ཚོགས།།

Tarayana Foundation

"Service from the Heart"

Over 20 Years of Rural Transformation

About the Foundation

Tarayana Foundation was founded by Her Majesty, Queen Mother Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck, and formally launched by His Majesty, King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, the then Crown Prince, on 4th May 2003. Tarayana Foundation is a Civil Society Organization (a Public Benefit Organization) registered (Registration No. CSOA /PBO-08) with the Civil Society Organization Authority of Bhutan.

Tarayana Foundation is established primarily to help addressing the international goals, national initiatives and grassroots development. Tarayana commit its services from the heart for rural transformation serving to the vulnerable and disadvantaged rural communities through the approaches of three dimensions of social, energy and economic development.

Tarayana Foundation is governed by a Board of Directors and the Executive Committees. Currently, there are 32 dedicated staff, including 12 field officers covering all the 20 Districts.

Our Vision

A Happy and Prosperous Bhutan

Our Mission

To help the vulnerable and the disadvantaged help themselves

Our Motto

Service from the Heart

Core Values

Compassion: We will be guided by the spirit of compassion from which the Foundation derives its name

Dignity: We will act with dignity in our work and seek to respect the dignity of those we serve

Integrity: We will follow the highest ethical standards

About Logo

Explanation of the Name and Logo Tarayana is a name coined using two words “Tara” and “Yana”. “Tara” is the Sanskrit name for Jetsen Dolma, the Goddess of Compassion, who vowed to help Avaloketeshvara in his efforts to deliver all sentient beings from ignorance and suffering. “Yana” means the vehicle or the path. Hence “Tarayana” stands for the use of compassionate wisdom in the service of those in need. The left hand of “Tara” holding the flower of compassionate wisdom fruition has been borrowed for the logo. The all-seeing wisdom eye in the palm depicts the unwavering quest to seek and serve anyone in need. The logo was designed jointly by artist Karma Wangdi (VAST) and Mr. Kunzang Dorji, one of the then Executive Committee Members – both volunteers.

Awards and Recognitions

The National Order of Merit (Gold)

His Majesty The King awarded the National Order of Merit (Gold), during the 109th National Day celebrations in Trongsa in recognition of Tarayana Foundation’s contributions in the upliftment of the poorest and vulnerable communities of Bhutan.

Silver Award Winner 2021

World Habitat, an international charity organization awarded the Silver Award to the Tarayana Foundation’s Integrated Community Development for Poverty Reduction programme

Smile Asia Philanthropic Visionary Award

Her Majesty The Queen Mother Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck was awarded the Smile Asia Philanthropic Visionary Award. The award was bestowed upon Her Majesty the Queen Mother for Her contributions to transforming the lives of thousands in Bhutan through Tarayana Foundation and Smile Asia.

Pope Francis Charity and Leadership Award

Her Majesty the Queen Mother Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck, the president and founder of Tarayana Foundation, was honoured with the Pope Francis Charity and Leadership Award by Caritas in Veritate International at a ceremony in New York City on October 22. The award was offered in recognition of the work that the Tarayana Foundation was doing under Her Majesty’s leadership in uplifting the lives of the remote communities in Bhutan.