High in the remote community of Dagala, yak-herding families have long lived in rhythm with the land. As a nomadic community, herders move with their animals across seasons, processing cheese in temporary camps along the way. While this way of life is deeply rooted in tradition, it also limits production capacity, consistency, and access to markets.



Through Small Grants Program, that story is beginning to change.

In partnership with the Royal Government of Bhutan, we introduced the production of two high-end French cheese varieties Serja (Tomme) and Serjom (Gumdel) - bringing new skills, equipment, and market connections directly to herders. What started as a small pilot has quickly become a powerful source of hope and income.

In just one month in 2025, herders in Dagala produced 720 kilograms (1587 lbs) of cheese, generating approximately $7,400. For the first time, yak milk is not only nourishing families, but creating a reliable pathway to income.

Encouraged by this success, more herders are eager to participate and demand for these unique, high-quality cheese continues to grow.



But there is a critical next step...

Because Dagala is not connected to the national power grid, and production still takes place in mobile herders’ camps, maintaining consistent quality and scaling production remains a challenge. To address this, we are now working to establish an integrated, solar-powered cheese processing facility.

This marks the transition from a successful Small Grants pilot to a larger, scalable initiative.

The proposed facility will:

• Provide a stable, hygienic processing environment
• Increase production capacity and product consistency
• Enable more herding families to participate
• Create a sustainable, community-level enterprise

With your support, we can scale this success.

This is the power of Small Grants

Your gift will help expand this program to reach more families, strengthen resilient livelihoods, and preserve a unique highland culture while adapting it for the future.



Please consider making a gift today to help bring this vision to life.