Empowering communities is at the heart of RENEW’s efforts to build a happier more inclusive society and central to this pursuit are the Community Service Centers, which have made services more accessible to those in need.

These centers serve as hubs for various services, including counselling, case management, legal assistance, emergency shelter, and efficient referrals to crucial support and services. The centers also play a pivotal role in empowering women and girls by offering training programs in livelihood skills.

Collaboration with Communities

Establishing community centers is part of the broader strategy to collaborate and involve community members, local leaders and district authorities in addressing issues. This collaborative effort enhances the effectiveness of the centers and fosters a sense of community ownership and engagement, which is crucial to sustain operations.

Widening Access to Services

RENEW began establishing Community Service Centers in 2022 in the districts with the first three centers established in Tsirang, Paro and Bumthang which were reporting the highest number of domestic and gender-based violence cases. Some of these centers were set up in vacant infrastructure in the gewogs and operated by the local community with support from the local government. Today, Community Service Centers have been established in 10 districts including Trashigang, Dagana, Punakha, Samtse, Chukha, Sarpang and Zhemgang. The Tsirang  Community Service Centre, which was inaugurated in May 2022, is the first Centre to be built by the district administration.