Neten Dorji | Trashiyangtse

Entrepreneurship is about, ideas, innovation, and execution. More importantly, it is about courage and resilience.

A class 12 graduate, Tshering Dorji, is an entrepreneur in Trashiyangtse. He has a waste business in Doksum, Trashiyangtse.

When it all began, in 2009, many said it was a bad idea, but Tshering Dorji went on with it nonetheless.

“I just wanted to bring a sustainable business solution to clean up towns. And there is money in the much,” said Tshering Dorji.

Born and bred in Phuentsholing, Tshering Dorji was very familiar with the business of waste.

Money was the problem. Finding investors is difficult in waste business.




At long last came the Loden Foundation to Tshering Dorji’s support. He got Nu 450,000 to launch his business in Thimphu.

The business did not work out well in Thimphu. Tshering Dorji started a centre in Mongar. He made money from the business but found that the business was not benefiting the community.

His wife came to his support this time. They would be equal partners—availed a loan and established the business in Doksum.

“That’s when I decided to try again on waste business which benefits the community as well as the environment,” said Tshering Dorji. “If you are disciplined, have a support system and the drive to continue pushing forward; nothing is impossible.”




The journey wasn’t easy, though.

“While I was collecting waste in Thimphu streets in 2009, all my friends started neglecting me; even my parents discouraged me from doing what I was doing then,” said Tshering Dorji. “Waste will remain a problem in Bhutan if our people do not change their mindset.”

More importantly, there should be whole-hearted support from the government, Tshering Dorji said.

As the lone waste entrepreneur in Trashiyangtse today, Tshering Dorji, is doing a brisk business; the town is much cleaner today than it was a few years ago. The business has also created an income-earning opportunity for the people.

“If I had financial support, I can do a lot more,” said Tshering Dorji, who has plans to buy more machines.




Currently, he has three employees.

In 2017, Tshering Dorji was awarded people’s choice leader in Bhubaneshwar, India by the International Youth Committee. The following year, he was also awarded Asia Inspiration Awards Sri Lanka.

“This waste business is a profit initiative, but as a waste entrepreneur I also have a social responsibility to educate people on how to manage their own waste and create a better environment starting from our own places,” says Tshering Dorji.