At the Yid-Zhin Throm vegetable market in Trongsa—once known more for hurried transactions than heartfelt stories—the air now carries something deeper than the aroma of freshly cooked khule, dengngo, and steaming suja. It carries the quiet triumph of women who refused to remain invisible.
Behind the sizzling pans and neatly laid plates is the EcoEmpower Women Group, a women-led Community Based Organization (CBO) that is transforming lives through Bhutanese cuisine, environmental stewardship, and collective resilience. What began as a fragile idea in June 2025, backed by sheer determination and a borrowed Nu 20,000, has blossomed into a thriving café and catering enterprise—one that feeds families, revives traditions, and redefines what empowerment looks like in rural Bhutan.
From Vulnerability to Voice
The EcoEmpower Women Group was born under the initiative “Establishment of a Women-Led Social Venture”, with a bold but simple vision: empower vulnerable and disadvantaged women—especially single mothers—through sustainable, community-based enterprise.
At its inception, the group consisted of just eight women, most of whom had never run a business, managed finances, or imagined themselves as entrepreneurs. Some had survived on irregular daily wage work, others depended entirely on family support. All shared a common reality: economic insecurity and limited opportunity.
Today, they are businesswomen.
Recognized formally by the Trongsa Dzongkhag Administration, the group was provided a space at Yid-Zhin Throm to operate a café and catering service, paying a symbolic monthly rent of Nu 2,719. For the women, it was more than a physical space—it was legitimacy, dignity, and a chance to be seen.
Leading this transformation is Ugyen Dema, the group’s chairperson, originally from Pemagatshel and now settled in Trongsa. Soft-spoken but resolute, she has become a voice for women long sidelined from the local economy.
“We established this group to empower women economically, especially those from disadvantaged families and single mothers,” she said. “Women are not less capable. Many are just financially backward. This café is our way of changing that.”
A Kitchen That Heals and Employs
For many members, EcoEmpower is their first stable source of income. Each day begins early—with procurement, preparation, cooking, cleaning, and service. The work is demanding, but the rewards are life-changing.
Earnings, though modest, mean school fees paid on time, groceries bought without anxiety, and families supported with dignity. Just as importantly, the women have gained confidence—learning to manage orders, interact with customers, and run a business together.
“This place gave us belief,” one member shared quietly. “Now we know we can stand on our own.”
Reviving Bhutanese Tradition, One Plate at a Time
In a time when cafés increasingly lean toward Western menus, EcoEmpower has taken a different—and deeply intentional—path. Their menu is unapologetically Bhutanese.
From jangbaled and dengngo to khule, red and white rice, and traditional curries cooked the way mothers and grandmothers once did, every dish tells a story. Even the tea—suja and green tea—is sourced locally from Samcholing in Trongsa, ensuring that local producers benefit from the enterprise.
This commitment to traditional cuisine is not nostalgia—it is strategy. By preserving Bhutan’s culinary heritage, the group has carved out a niche that resonates with government offices, civil society organizations, and visitors seeking authenticity.
Today, their catering services are regularly used by the Dzongkhag Administration, the Bhutan Center for Media and Democracy (BCMD), and other organizations for meetings, trainings, and official events.
Each order affirms a simple truth: tradition can be economically powerful.
The Support That Changed the Game
While determination lit the spark, support sustained the flame.
Recognizing the group’s potential, Helvetas Bhutan provided a startup grant of Nu 120,000, aimed at strengthening women’s entrepreneurship and participation in community development and local governance. The funds were used to procure essential kitchen equipment, furniture, and materials—transforming a humble setup into a professional operation.
But Helvetas’ role went far beyond funding. Through mentoring, capacity-building, and networking opportunities, the organization helped the women believe in their own leadership and plan for sustainability.
The Trongsa Dzongkhag Administration also emerged as a crucial partner—formally recognizing the group as a CBO, allocating café space, and even providing a dedicated room for waste recycling and sorting, reinforcing the group’s green mission.
Officials noted that initiatives like EcoEmpower contribute directly to local economic development while aligning with Bhutan’s broader commitment to environmental conservation and inclusive growth.
Linking Villages to Markets
A cornerstone of the group’s model is local sourcing, ensuring that the benefits of the enterprise ripple outward.
Dechen Wangmo, the Dzongkhag Coordinator, plays a key role in procuring grains, flour, and vegetables from nearby villages. These products are brought directly to the café, creating a steady and reliable market for rural farmers.
“This has helped villagers earn more income,” Dechen said. “For this benefit and our services, we are appreciated by the community.”
In a district where rural-urban migration and idle labor remain concerns, the café has become a bridge—linking villages to markets, and producers to consumers.
Young Lives, New Futures
The café is not only transforming the lives of its founders—it is shaping the futures of young women.
For 20-year-old Tashi Dolkar from Trashigang, EcoEmpower marked a turning point. Unemployed and uncertain, she joined the group two months ago.
“Now I am learning to prepare Bhutanese dishes,” she said, her hands busy in the kitchen. “This skill will help me earn my bread in the future.”
Beyond cooking, young women are learning teamwork, customer service, time management, and entrepreneurship—skills that will stay with them long after they leave the café.
More Than a Business
True to its name, EcoEmpower is about more than income.
Alongside catering, the women are learning waste recycling and upcycling, practicing sustainable waste management, and promoting environmental awareness. The group has also taken an allyship pledge to support persons with disabilities (PWDs) with dignity, respect, and inclusion.
Working with partners such as the Dzongkhag Administration, BCMD, Save the Children, and local schools, the group is expanding its role in community development and local governance.
A Café That Carries a Movement
Today, the café at Yid-Zhin Throm is more than a place to eat. It is a space of empowerment, learning, and quiet revolution. Visitors are invited to step in, warm themselves with a bowl of healthy soup, and taste a story of resilience served with every meal.
From a fragile beginning of Nu 20,000 to a growing social enterprise, the EcoEmpower Women Group stands as living proof that when women are trusted with opportunity—and supported with care—they do far more than uplift themselves.
They uplift families. They strengthen communities. And they quietly reshape the future of Bhutan—one plate at a time.
Sangay Rabten
From Trongsa
