SNV has been operating in the small Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan (population 640,000) since 1988. We work across all 20 districts of the country providing capacity development services at the national, district, and local levels with our primary focus being meso-level organisations. The Royal Government of Bhutan is our primary client, with new clients from within the private sector growing annually. 

Some key results

• Water, Sanitation & Hygiene - 250,000 people living in rural areas benefited from improved health standards (a substantial reduction in water and sanitation related diseases due to improved hygiene standards and environmental sanitation) due in part to the success of the ‘Community Planning and Management’ and ‘Community Development for Health’ workshop concepts developed by SNV and the Ministry of Health;

• Smallholder Cash Crops - 1,000 beneficiaries with increased family incomes as a result of the establishment of a citrus marketing group and pulp processing plant;

- Business planning and support services established in six offices across the country servicing all 20 districts;

• Pro-poor Sustainable Tourism - 1,050 people, across 6 villages, benefited from the first ever community-based tourism initiative in Bhutan;

• Forest Products - Management plans were developed for Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs), watershed areas, pastures and forest land which will secure access to, and use of, resources for local communities for the next 10 years;

- 1,500 family members benefited from the training of 300 artisans in the production of quality cane & bamboo handicrafts;

• Sustainable Infrastructure – The Environmentally Friendly Road Construction (EFRC) approach, institutionalised in 2007, ensured safer and more environmentally sound road access across the Kingdom;

- Twelve of the country’s 20 districts (350,000 beneficiaries) profited from increased engineering capacity in the field of infrastructure provision (better community schools, health centres, administrative offices, water supply schemes, and rural roads) through training and support to 200 district-based engineers.