The Bhutanese Leading the way.
The members of the Happy Green Cooperative has started their annual retreat in Phuntsholing which is aimed at building and exploring the possibility of establishing business linkages with interested business houses especially in the Agriculture sector both inside and outside the country.
The first day of the Annual retreat was spent in interacting with different relevant agencies and organization like food processing industries, farming communities, Food Cooperation of Bhutan and other cooperatives located in the region.
A total of 19 ‘happy members’ which includes 10 male and nine female of the Happy Green Cooperative attended the retreat from 29 December last year.
The retreat program also included some side events such as social campaigns and activities such as Health Walk – Organic Walk and Cleaning Campaigns in the town. The cooperative would also explore the possibility of meeting local youth groups and interested students in the region.
“We would be interested to interact with as many people as possible to advocate for the organic and healthy food,” Sangay Richen, Chief Executive Office of the Happy Green Cooperative said. He added that the cooperative would also advocate for the importance and pride of farming in Bhutan.
Sangay Rinchen shared that the typical program comprises of all the activities that would be carried out as a group which would build team work in even doing daily and small routines.
The members also discussed and passed the draft Human Resources Plan 2012, Draft Marketing master plan 2012, Draft Finance and Accounting Rules and Regulations 2012, Draft Project implementations strategy 2012, and also reviewed the Happy Green Cooperative Constitutions 2010.
The retreat will also include inviting technically relevant professionals in the region to some of these technical sessions.
This retreat is expected to bring more dynamic integrations and interaction amongst the members of the cooperative. It is also expected that there would be more inputs and discussions on the overall work plans and programs as the retreat was taking place in a different locations with new ideas and technical personnel.
“More than anything this retreat outside the working place is expected to give all the members of the cooperative a new sense of joy,” Sangay Rinchen said.
He said that the achievements ultimately contribute to the happiness of every individuals and this increased the degree of cooperation and work relations in the cooperative for 2013.
According to the, Sangay Rinchen, one main objective of such a retreat is to take a break from the world of work and time to appreciate and reflect back on the achievements and successes of different activities in the group.
He also said that such program would also help to rejuvenate and revitalize the energy of its participants through meditation and silence to get ready for the New Year of 2013.
The annual retreat would end on 2 January this year
“Happy Green Cooperative” a youth formed and youth lead primary cooperative registered with the Department of Agricultural Marketing and Cooperatives, Ministry of Agriculture and Forest (MoAF), Thimphu in 2010.
Today, the Happy Green Cooperative exists to serve its 22 youth members and 20 farming household, representing 130 family members as its members under Punakha Dzongkhag.
The youth members of the cooperative include talented actors, singers and show host, street theatre artists, dancers, chefs and cooks, business graduates from universities and young ex- government employee and other active social workers. The age group of the youth member ranges from 18 to 30.
