Lhak-Sam, which literally means altruism, embodies the principle of selflessly thinking of others before oneself. Established in 2010, Lhak-Sam is the only Bhutan Network of People Living with HIV and AIDS (BNP+) registered under the Civil Society Organization Authority (CSOA) of Bhutan.

On the 8th of October 2009 in Thimphu, eight PLHIV (four male, four female) residing in the city came together for the first-ever coordination meeting. During these meetings, one of the rules was to keep the meeting room door tightly shut, communicate in hushed tones, and remain vigilant for any potential eavesdroppers. We were driven by our own fears and preconceptions.

In 2011, coinciding with World AIDS Day on December 1st, five PLHIV (four male, one female) made a collective decision to sacrifice their private, social, and family lives by publicly disclosing their HIV status. This courageous act humanized HIV/AIDS in Bhutan. Despite our apprehensions about public opinion and acceptance, we were astonished by the inspiring and appreciative response from people, who regarded our actions as bold and compassionate. Since then, Lhak-Sam has been dedicated to preventing new HIV infections, reducing social fear, stigma and discrimination, promoting human values, and eliminating AIDS-related deaths through various programs.

In 2016, in recognition of our commitment and efforts toward the national cause, His Majesty the King of Bhutan awarded Lhak-Sam with the National Order of Merit in Gold on National Day. We were honored for volunteering our time and efforts to promote humanitarian values, our culture and traditions, and our national objectives. Our unwavering dedication to supporting and assisting where the government falls short, and our commitment to upholding the sacred values of compassion and empathy, were acknowledged.

Throughout our journey of growth and development, we have been profoundly assisted and supported by various generous organizations, stakeholders, and donors. Their unreserved contributions have been significantly instrumental in enhancing our capacity, expanding our exposure, and raising our standards for meaningful engagement. We are deeply touched and grateful for their invaluable investment in vigilantly strengthening the community-system and our dedication to the cause remains unwavering. For the last twelve years we have been successfully leading the HIV response, building valuable experience, knowledge and wisdom along the way.

Today, our voices resonate powerfully, even among the policymakers, and the public appreciate our sincere contributions to the cause of the society. Furthermore, we take great pride in being regarded as equal partners in the nation’s response to the epidemic, advocating for greater involvement of people living with HIV (PLHIV), and Key Affected Populations (KAPs) in the fight against AIDS.  

Guided by the edict released by His Majesty the Fourth King of Bhutan in 2004, our united response to HIV/AIDS is built on His Majesty’s visionary principles of “SHARED CONCERN, JOINT RESPONSIBILITY, AND COMPASSION”.

In our demonstration of resilient to the epidemic, we are actively contributing to the achievement of several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which includes No Poverty (1), Zero Hunger (2), Quality Education (4), Gender Equality (5), Decent Work and Economic Growth (8), Reduced Inequalities (10), Peace and Justice (16), and Partnership for the Goals (17).