Bhutan , a country in the eastern Himalayas, is sandwiched between two most populous countries: China in the north and India in the south. Bhutan, a small Himalayan Buddhist Kingdom is home to Drak-Tsho Vocational Training Centre for the Disabled (DVTCD).

The Centre was established October 2, 2001, with the blessings of Her Majesty the Queen, Ashi Tshering PemWangchuck, the President of the Youth Development Fund (YDF) , a Bhutanese non-government organization. DVTCD is popularly known as Drak-Tsho. Drak-Tsho combines the two words for 'mountain' and 'sea' to the new meaning of as high as the mountains and as deep as the ocean, Also embedded in 'Drak-Tsho' are the high aspiration and the deep commitment of DVTCD to provide the means for disabled youth to raise their self esteem and live in dignity. Drak-Tsho strongly believes that everybody has the right to be independent and equal, has the power to choose, and to live their life to its fullest potential. The Centre is the first and only of its kind in the country. It is a service oriented and non-profit making day centre open five days a week. In early 2007 it trained already 30 students aged between 14 and 30 years in its three year courses. Bhutanese staffs provide guidance and training to the students. The products made include traditional craft items as well as souvenirs for the growing tourist market. Through the training, product development and commercial marketing the Centre has successfully raised awareness about the skills and potential of the students. The course programme and the certificates are fully recognized by the Ministry of Labour and Human Resources. The Centre aspires to enhance the living standard of disabled youth through empowerment by training, and eventual integration with the mainstream population. Its main focus is to equip the trainees with vocational skills to enhance their opportunities for gainful employment. It also aims to build their self-esteem and self-reliance, thereby making them more independent, confident and contributing members of the society. This project encompasses opportunities that allow them to grow in their aptitude, determination, goals and dreams. One of the greatest challenges for the Centre is to erase the deeply embedded stigma. After a period of just over five years, Drak-Tsho Vocational Training Centre for the Disabled (DVTCD) has come a long way to grow into an exemplary institution. Since its inception in 2001, the Youth Development Fund (YDF), with blessings from Her Majesty the Queen, Ashi Tshering Pem Wangchuck, the President of YDF, was both promoter and financier of DVTCD. It must be acknowledged that without YDF support and good will, DVTCD would have never reached its current state. Again with support and leadership of YDF, an elaborate Master Plan for DVTCD was prepared in September 2006. This Master Plan will serve as a road map with a clear sense of direction as well as a guide for resource utilization and mobilization for DVTCD. We strongly believe that under the patronage of Her Majesty the Queen Ashi Tshering Pem Wangchuck and the support of the YDF Management as well as so many other generous supporters from Bhutan and abroad, DVTCD will move forward in fulfilling dreams of young Bhutanese people with special needs. To further develop the institution, and in particular to develop in-house capacity in special needs education, the Centre is keen to establish contact with potential donors, specialist institutions or individuals with interest in helping us in this ground breaking work in Bhutan.