Thimphu, Bhutan
Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project Fellow
Dema, 32, has been a reporter for 10 years. She works for Business Bhutan and is freelancing for BBC, The Wire, The Diplomat and other outlets. In 2019 she won the Women in Politics story of the year in country-wide awards.
During the fellowship program, Dema will work for KCUR, the NPR-affiliated station in Kansas City, and the KC Media Collective.
From her application essay: “I have been doing investigative, crime, community-related stories, politics, and women-centric stories and with such fellowship, it will help me do better stories that will have a better impact on the community, Bhutanese democracy, and society.” Such a fellowship will strengthen investigative reporting in Bhutan by having the capacity to expose corruption, inform citizens, and empower the public to push for greater government accountability and transparency.
From her editor: “She is not only tough physically, mentally and emotionally but she is a survivor who has overcome many professional hurdles like education limitations to become one of the most renowned journalists in the country.”
Articles:
Glacial lakes in Himalayas get bigger, more dangerous.
The Diplomat article revealed hydropower projects in Bhutan are “implemented in complete secrecy”
Her land conflict story in The Diplomat described a proposed highway that would run through one of Bhutan’s key national parks to one of the least developed areas, epitomizing the difficult balance between development and the environment.
Dema tends to her child while working in her home office
