For students in remote Sakteng, Bhutan, roadblocks are more than a transport problem—they can mean missed educational and extracurricular opportunities. This issue was highlighted by 16-year-old Sonam Tenzin, a Class IX student of Sakteng Middle Secondary School, during the Bhutan Centre for Media and Democracy’s Story Development and Showcase Series 2026. Sonam shared his personal experience of travelling to Thimphu while presenting a story about the road challenges faced by his community. He explained that Sakteng’s roads are unsuitable for small vehicles, often forcing residents to hire Bolero vehicles, while additional roadblocks can make journeys longer and significantly more expensive. On one such trip, a roadblock in Rangjung due to bridge maintenance forced a detour through Bartsham, increasing the fare to around Nu 8,000 compared with the usual cost of about Nu 6,000. For students, however, the impact goes beyond financial costs. Sonam recalled how his school missed a district-level competition after a roadblock prevented the team from travelling despite qualifying through a previous match. The opportunity was subsequently given to another school. Sonam and other student citizen journalists brought such community issues into focus through the showcase, giving young people a platform to share experiences from their own communities. Jigme Khandu, Programme Officer at the Bhutan Centre for Media and Democracy, said the organisation prioritises students’ well-being and aims to ensure that youth participation remains voluntary, meaningful and supported. The experience highlights how infrastructure challenges in remote communities can have consequences far beyond delayed travel, affecting students’ access to competitions, education and opportunities that may not come again.