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.

The award was received by the country’s permanent representative to the United Nations on behalf of Her Majesty.

Caritas in Veritate International is an alliance of organisations dedicated to equipping and mobilising youth in bringing charity and truth to the poorest of the poor, according to a press release from Tarayana Foundation.

Tarayana Foundation complements and supplements the efforts of the government in poverty reduction by espousing the national goal, Bhutan 2020: A Vision for Peace, Prosperity and Happiness.

Established in 2003 by Her Majesty the Queen Mother Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck, the foundation helps bridge local needs of disadvantaged remote communities with larger national initiatives.

Staff reporter