Karuna-Shechen 2015 Annual Report (EN)

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

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FOREWORD by MATTHIEU RICARD

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WHO WE ARE

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OUR TEAM

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THE YEAR 2015

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NEPAL: EARTHQUAKES

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HELPING COMMUNITIES BUILD RESILIENCE

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QUALITY EDUCATION FOR ALL

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HEALTH: FOCUSING ON PREVENTION AND EDUCATION

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EMPOWERING WOMEN

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TIBET IN PICTURES

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FINANCIAL INFORMATION

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LOOKING TOWARD 2016

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OUR DONORS

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FOREWORD by

MATTHIEU RICARD In India, our multilevel programs have been flourishing under the creative stewardship of Shamsul Akhtar, the country director. We have reached hundreds of villages in Bihar and, more recently, in Jarkhand one of the most impoverished states of India. Through our health centers, mobile clinics, and dedicated teams, we are delivering health care and social services, empowering women, improving village schools, creating thousands of kitchen gardens, and implementing our unique small money, BIG CHANGE program.

In eastern Tibet, we are discretely pursuing various programs focused on education, health, and social services.

The year 2015 has been a time of solidarity, resilience, tragedy, and accomplishment. Two powerful earthquakes devastated Nepal —one of the poorest countries in the world. The situation was further aggravated by floods, landslides, and a shortage of vital supplies as goods could not come through the border for months because of political wrangles with India.

The vision of “effective altruism” is guiding our decisions. We need to constantly check our motivation and transcend self-centered bias in order to implement and sustain this vision and respond to the actual needs of the populations we serve.

Our projects can only be accomplished through a web of interdependent manifestations of good will —our teams in the fields, who carry out the projects; our branches in various countries, who endeavor to find ways to sustain the projects and raise awareness about the needs of our beneficiaries; and our benefactors, whose generous and faithful support make all this work possible.

During these trying times, led by our country director Sanjeev Pradhan, our local teams repeatedly visited the affected areas to evaluate the situation, listen to the needs of the population, and address them directly. Our benefactors from all over the world responded with their hearts, and we were able to assist 216,500 earthquake victims in 622 villages.

We are deeply grateful to our loyal patrons and to the increasing number of donors from all over the world who trust Karuna-Shechen and whose regular contributions will allow us to apply compassion in action for many years to come.

We provided much-needed help throughout the emergency relief phase. Now, we are implementing the second phase of support: the rehabilitation of badly affected villages through rebuilding schools, ensuring food security, bringing solar electricity, preventing human trafficking, and providing first responders’ training and basic health care.

Co-founder of Karuna-Shechen 3

Did You Know?

Karuna-Shechen’s name expresses its mission while paying homage to its roots: Karuna means “compassion” in Sanskrit, and Shechen is the name of a major monastery in Tibet.

who we are OUR WORK

With the goal of helping underserved communities in India, Nepal, and Tibet reach their full potential and create a better future, Karuna-Shechen was founded in 2000 by Matthieu Ricard.

We provide vulnerable and disadvantaged populations access to health care, education and vocational training, clean water, solar electricity, and other sustainable solutions that offer options to find a livelihood.

OUR MISSION We strive to reduce inequalities and work toward a fairer and more compassionate world.

We trust that communities can be lifted out of poverty, that change is possible, and that the well-being of every individual, regardless of race, gender, class, or caste, is important.

Rooted in the ideal of compassion in action, we serve others with joy and determination by cultivating altruism in our hearts and actions.

OUR STRATEGY We believe that building on local strengths and knowledge is the most efficient way to respond to the specific needs and aspirations of our beneficiaries.

Our comprehensive development strategy is based on active community

participation,

women’s

empowerment,

and

the

preservation of local natural resources, expertise, and culture.

To implement this strategy, we work with a network of grassroots organizations and partners as well as local teams of experienced professionals.

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Dharam Raju is a vocational trainer who joined our Indian team in 2014. Despite a lifelong visual impairment, he has trained hundreds of villagers in diverse skills such as pickling, candle making, and knitting. These vocations provide income to village women and their families.

“I believe that we always need to have a goal. Working with Karuna-Shechen allows me to achieve mine, which is to train disadvantaged Indian women and help foster their hidden potential into skillful activities.”

our team

Our Team in the Field:

2 field offices in Kathmandu and Bodhgaya

Over the years, we have established an effective collaborative team of local professionals, grassroots partners, and foreign volunteers who share our values. Together, we have been able to fund, initiate, and manage over 200 humanitarian and

125 local employees,

including 64

medical staff

13 local partners

development projects.

Dr. Kunsang, a gynecologist, is a pillar of our medical team at Shechen Clinic in Nepal, where she has offered essential medical care to destitute women since 2002. Much loved by all her patients, she provides expert care with compassion and kindness.

“I really feel blessed to be part of the Karuna-Shechen team. It provides me with a sense of true meaning. Working with a compassionate attitude and considering the benefit of others really gives us immense inner satisfaction that is greater than any external comfort.”

Our Support Team:

35 volunteers, including 21 administrators and board members

3 branches in France, Hong Kong, and the USA

4 affiliates in Canada, Jon Schmidt is a psychologist and family therapist from Lausanne who joined our dedicated team of volunteers in 2015. As our new representative in Switzerland, he recently visited our projects in India and Nepal.

“In the villages of Bihar, I met many inspiring people. I witnessed the commitment of the local population to learning new skills and contributing to the well-being of their communities with our support.”

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England, Monaco and Switzerland

4 staff members

the year 2015

OUR ACTIVITIES

BY SECTOR Education: School Construction, Support to Government Community Schools, Sponsorship of Children, Early Childhood Development, Informal Community Schools (non-government school in small villages),

In 2015, Karuna-Shechen helped hundreds of underserved

Literacy Classes for Adults.

Health:

communities in India and Nepal.

Shechen Medical Clinics, Mobile Clinics, Pelvic Organ Prolapse and

Our programs benefited nearly

Malnutrition Prevention, Women’s Health, First-Aid and Disaster

400,000 people, including

Training, Support to Old Age Homes.

216,500 victims of the 2015 Nepal

Community Development: Access to Water, Rural Solar Electrification, Kitchen Gardens,

earthquakes.

Vocational Training, Women Electric Rickshaw Drivers, Clean Environment Initiative.

Emergency: 2015 Nepal Earthquake Emergency Relief, Nepal Earthquake Rehabilitation Program.

2015 KEY DATES

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220 solar installation sets are delivered to Bodhgaya, India, bringing electric lighting to villages.

Karuna-Shechen’s General Meeting is held in India.

A magnitude-7.8 earthquake strikes Nepal.

Our medical teams immediately bring relief to those injured in the Kathmandu region and remote villages.

Nepal is struck by a second earthquake, causing landslides and more damage.

January

March

April

May

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WHERE WE WORK 1 2 3

NEPAL

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In 2015 we expanded our long-term activities to include nine new districts. This action allows us to

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reach more vulnerable communities and to help rebuild those affected by the 2015 quakes. We now have

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programs in 24 districts. Our office is located at the Shechen Medical Clinic in Baudhanath. In 2015 we

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worked with 13 local partners and NGOs.

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After the 2015 earthquakes, we provided emergency relief aid to the following 15 worst-affected districts.

1

13 14 15 16

2

17 18

3 5

4

19

10 6

20

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13

21

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NEPAL

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22

15

22

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23 24

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Humla Dolpo Jajarkot Surkhet Bardiya Baglung Dhanusha Sunsari Morang Kathmandu Lalitpur Bhaktapur Dhading Kavre Ramechhap Gorkha Sindhupalchok Nuwakot Solukhumbu Dolakha, Makwanpur Okhaldhunga Sindhuli Rasuwa

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16 7

8

12

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INDIA We work in four districts in Bihar and

NEPAL

in two districts in Jharkhand, two of India’s poorest states. Our headquarters are located at the Shechen Medical Clinic in Bodhgaya, Bihar. We also have a sub-office in Hata, Jharkhand, with a

INDIA

small medical dispensary.

BIHAR

State of Bihar 1 2 3 4

Gaya Jehanabad Nawada Aurangabad

State of Jharkhand

JHARKHAND

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East Singhbhum Seraikela-Kharsawan

Karuna-Shechen has provided emergency aid to over 500 Nepali villages devastated by the quakes.

The primary school we built in remote Dolpo, Nepal, opens its doors to pupils.

560 trees are planted around Bodhgaya.

Our new vocational center in Bodhgaya is inaugurated.

Our comprehensive Earthquake Rehabilitation program is launched in Nepal.

A vocational center is inaugurated in the city of Jamshedpur, Jharkhand State, India.

June

July

September

November

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Nepal earthquakes A Message from Our Nepal Country Director Even before the earthquakes, the last decade had already been a challenging time for Nepal when the country has struggled with a developmental slowdown triggered by political instability.

The devastating earthquakes of April 25 and May 12 and their continuing aftershocks wreaked further havoc. Immediately after the earthquake, our team sprang into action, bringing food, supplies, and vital medical and relief aid to 622 remote villages affected by the disaster.

The efficiency and wide-scale reach of our relief operations were possible only because of our history of humanitarian activities in the region, our long-standing relationship with local grassroots organizations, and the selfless efforts of our team. For over 16 years we have been an active contributor in the efforts to help the Nepali people better their lives. By joining forces with our partners, we were able to access key information and respond to the most urgent needs of small isolated communities.

Facts About The 2015 Earthquakes

8,856 lives lost 2 million people displaced 712,725 houses damaged or destroyed

4,786 schools severely

damaged

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We believe that incorporating local strengths and knowledge into our development programs is the best way to yield maximum dividends that help to alleviate the suffering of people. This philosophy drives all our projects, including our recent earthquake rehabilitation strategy.

The original scope of our rehabilitation program (launched in September) was to help 12 gravely affected villages to rebuild by offering them support in six interlinked sectors: Agriculture, Health, Education, Solar Electricity, Counter-trafficking, and Disaster Preparedness.

By the end of 2015, it was clear that more communities needed our long-term support. We progressively re-planned the scope of our interventions and extended our reach to help 58 villages.

In 2016 we will continue to offer region-specific solutions that take Nepal’s harsh geography and remote situation into primary consideration. We will work with and reinforce the natural resilience of the Nepali people and guide them into a more sustainable and better future.

Sanjeev Pradhan 8

We distributed:

15,445 Tents 705 tons Rice 52.5 tons Pulse 27.5 tons Salt 41.7 tons Sugar

OUR EMERGENCY RESPONSE In the two months that followed the earthquakes, our medical teams treated 8,146 victims. We brought vital food and relief aid to 216,511 people in 622 villages in the 15 most affected districts for a total

23,541 liters Cooking oil 70,299 Soaps 340 Water-purifying tablets 1,984 Oral rehydration salt packets

expenditure of 837,280 USD. To achieve this, we worked with three local partners.

REBUILDING COMMUNITIES Our rehabilitation activities started in September 2015. In collaboration with seven local partners, we have selected over 58 affected villages that will benefit from at least two of the following programs: School Support and Reconstruction

tricts; trained 575 people.

disaster; local surveillance groups were

2015: Selected 12 affected-schools.

2016: Conduct training in all 15 affec-

formed in villages.

2016: Build classrooms and toilets; pro-

ted districts; start building a nationwide

2016: Raise awareness of this threat in

vide additional teachers and new school

network of first-aiders.

schools; conduct counter-trafficking trainings for students, parents, and teachers.

supplies and furniture; monitor school management.

Solar Electrification of Villages 2015: Selected project sites; set up com-

Disaster Preparedness

Agriculture and Food Security

mittees to select future women solar

2015: Prepared training manuals for

2015: Selected beneficiary communities

technicians.

communities and local authorities on

in 12 districts.

2016: Train selected women and install

how to respond to unforeseen disasters;

2016: Train local population in sustai-

solar home lighting systems in villages.

this training included members of the Armed Police Force of Nepal.

nable and organic agricultural practices.

Counter Human Trafficking

2016: Conduct, monitor, and evaluate

Training First-Aiders to Save Lives

2015: Conducted training in how to curb

trainings and drills in all 12 districts.

2015: Conducted 14 trainings in 7 dis-

human trafficking, especially after a

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helping communities build resilience A Message from Our India Country Director Karuna-Shechen began its work in Bihar, one of India’s most destitute states, in the late 1990s by sending a mobile clinic to distribute medical help to poor villages. This small-scale humanitarian project has evolved into a successful movement for rural development.

We have a creative approach to helping vulnerable communities become sustainable and self-reliant. In addition to our health and education programs for adults and children, a crucial part of our work entails providing villagers with the tools and knowledge they need to make sustainable use of local resources and to contribute concretely to their community’s well-being.

Each of our activities is interconnected, and together they create an eco-system of interventions in which they build on each other’s success to empower rural communities. For example, our distribution of seeds and plants to villagers so that they can grow organic kitchen gardens gives them access to nutritious food, which leads to better health. Our water-harvesting teaches water management and proper use of precious resources to communities in drought-prone areas.

Facts About Rural India

21% of communicable diseases are related to unclean water

31% of people lack access to proper sanitation 3,000 children die every

day from malnutrition

55% of Bihari villagers are living at or below the poverty rate

In each village, local committees are set up and a motivator is chosen to act as an essential link between the people and us. By working with villagers in this way, we seek to affirm their dignity and self-determination.

Our Small Money, BIG CHANGE program allows communities to plan and implement small-scale projects that directly address their specific needs with a minimum of start-up funding. This directly benefits villagers’ daily lives while also teaching them about transparency and the responsibilities of ownership. Equally, it helps us identify the hidden talents and natural ingenuity of the people we serve.

In 2016, we will continue to engage villagers in projects that build their resilience and self-sufficiency. With this strategy, we strive to create a better and more sustainable world, one village at a time.

Shamsul Akhtar

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KITCHEN GARDENS

A villager picks vegetables that she and her family planted in the kitchen garden behind their house.

2015: We helped 8,911 households grow organic kitchen gardens in rural villages.

OUR WORK WITH VILLAGERS

SOLAR POWER

A young villager helps children with their homework after dark using solar light.

2015: We provided solar lighting to 251 households in rural Bihar.

RAINWATER HARVESTING

A villager washes dishes outside her home with clean water from rainwater harvesting.

2015: Rainwater harvesting beneďŹ ts 164 households and 5 schools in 10 villages.

SMALL MONEY, BIG CHANGE

Two women in front of community toilets we helped building in their village.

2015: 15 projects were completed in 14 villages, including the construction of toilets, irrigation systems, ponds, and shaded areas for children to play and study in.

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quality education for all In Nepal and India, insufficient government financing of community schools in remote areas is one of the main obstacles to achieving quality education. Rural schools are often poorly managed, and teachers lack basic facilities and supplies. As a result, there is a high dropout rate, forcing many schools to shut down and depriving children of access to any form of education.

In 2015, our education projects benefited:

We improve the quality of basic education in existing rural community schools and preschools by recruiting new teachers, repairing and building facilities, and providing supplies, teaching materials, and furniture.

We also help underserved communities to open small village schools in which their culture and language are respected.

To ensure the long-term sustainability of our projects, regular meetings are organized to promote parents’ engagement in school governance and education processes, introducing systems to bolster and monitor the management of schools.

This strategy has led to a significant decrease in dropout rates.

Enrollment figures are now on the rise in many of the schools we support. Girls are the first to benefit. Parents no longer have to make the hard choice of sending just one child to school, with traditional preference given to sons.

In 2016, we will extend our support to 12 new schools (selected in 2015) that were severely damaged in the Nepal earthquakes.

3,000 primary and

secondary school children

21 community schools

Nepal, including 6

in

new schools

3 community schools in India 800 preschoolers in 20 Indian villages

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EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT

HOW WE HELP COMMUNITY SCHOOLS

In Indian villages, we equip local kindergar-

A good example of how we have improved 21 small community schools is Sundarimai

tens with toys, crafts, and school supplies,

Primary in Nepal. Before our intervention, most children had dropped out of this small

and organize training for local assistants.

primary school located in a remote farming community because of its deficiency in

In 2015, because of the success of this

almost all the necessary resources. We successfully reversed this situation by:

program, we doubled its scope to reach

> Building toilets and a water-harvesting system

800 children in 20 villages.

> Hiring 3 additional teachers > Providing textbooks and school supplies

GIVING GIRLS ACCESS TO EDUCATION In collaboration with the local community,

> Supporting the school management committee Now there are 19 boys and 24 girls attending the school regularly with inspired eagerness to learn, and this advancement also has an uplifting influence on the community as a whole.

Karuna-Shechen built a primary school in Sheri, a small, underserved village located high in the Himalayan region of Dolpo, Nepal. In July 2015, 41 children began their first year of school there. We are pleased to report that 34 of them are girls. In Nepal, 61% of the children we help through our support to community schools are girls.

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health: focusing on prevention and education Many areas of India and Nepal have no access to even the most essential health care services.

The sick and injured often have to travel several kilometers to see a doctor, and many cannot even afford to pay the fees. Since patients are unable to consult a health professional in the early stages of their condition, treatable illnesses easily reach the point of being life-threatening. Such dire situations can and must be prevented.

In 2015, our health projects beneďŹ ted:

Our health programs place a strong emphasis on prevention through health education and early diagnosis and treatment. Our mobile medical clinics bring doctors and essential medications and immunization to the doorsteps of communities in remote villages and poor urban neighborhoods.

We treat common afictions and minor injuries, with special attention to the health of elders, pregnant women, mothers, and young children.

In Bodhgaya and Kathmandu, we run the Shechen Medical Clinics. Those two clinics offer complete medical care, treatment, referrals, and palliative services to those who cannot afford them elsewhere.

We also combat the lack of knowledge and the stigmas that are the root cause of many widespread health issues in Nepal and India. We use creative means to inform the local population on personal hygiene, disease prevention, nutrition, and maternal, neonatal, and women’s health.

Our focus on prevention and early screening has already contributed to a reduction in illness and mortality rates in the areas where we work.

144,168 medical patients 135 hospice patients 852 remote communities 688 trained first-responders

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WOMEN’S HEALTH IN FOCUS

OUR MOBILE CLINICS IN INDIA

Fighting Pelvic Organ Prolapse

Area of operation: Rural locations

For the last four years we have been working in Nepal to fight the stigma and lack of

outside Bodhgaya and Hata

treatment for Pelvic Organ Prolapse (POP). This painful and sometimes fatal condition is

Number of clinics: 3 in rural Bihar;

caused by repeated pregnancies followed by improper postpartum care and rest. It affects

1 in rural Jharkhand

25% of women and mothers in Nepal, but its treatment and prevention remain

Patients: Villagers from 852 remote

largely unknown. In 2015 we organized 17 screening camps for POP. We also

communities

increased awareness in the villages about methods of detection and prevention by

Days of operation: 6 days a week

presenting 44 street dramas, visiting 26 schools and 3816 homes, and installing 105

in Bihar; 3 days a week in Jharkhand

educational billboards.

Number of patients: 60–100 a day, or 52,942 a year

Promoting Menstrual Hygiene In India, we promote good menstrual hygiene and distribute subsidized sanitary napkins in villages and schools. In 2015 we moved this project one step further by starting a sanitary napkin production unit in Bodhgaya. Fifteen local women will run this small business and be trained in basic business skills. They will earn extra income from this part-time occupation. The production will start in 2016 and will produce cheap and eco-friendly sanitary napkins for our beneficiaries and help reduce illnesses caused by poor menstrual hygiene.

MEET OUR BENEFICIARIES When the earthquake struck Nepal on April 25, Sonam Tanam, 66, and his wife, Maile, 62, lost their house. The temporary shelter made of zinc sheets that they had to live in could not protect them from the cold, and they developed high fevers and coughs.

Through our mobile medical clinic visiting their village, they received proper medical care. “We do not earn enough money to buy medicine,” explains Maile. “We are so grateful to get free medical care and medicine from Karuna-Shechen.” In 2015, our mobile clinics served 95 different locations in Nepal.

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empowering women Over two-thirds of the world’s 796 million illiterate people are women. In India and Nepal, most of them live in rural areas and are involved in subsistence farming or informal occupations. The lack of access to education and professional opportunities restricts rural women’s ability to break the cycle of poverty.

In 2015, our projects for women trained:

13 solar eletricians 587 vocational and literacy students

10 electric rickshaw drivers 52 computer students

Statistics and our experience have shown that: > Increasing the share of household income controlled by women changes spending in ways that benefit children. > Educated women are more likely to ensure that their own children stay in school. > Women’s education is one of the most efficient ways of reducing child mortality.

Women can play a leading role in reducing poverty and inequality and can help create a more compassionate world. Our projects empower them to become active agents of change in their community.

We improve women’s livelihood options by giving them access to formal and informal education, vocational training, and entrepreneurial opportunities. By working in sectors traditionally reserved for men, many of our trainees contribute to overcoming taboos and become models for younger generations.

Equally life-changing for women are our programs that install rainwater-harvesting systems, kitchen gardens, and solar electricity programs. They allow female villagers more time for taking care of themselves and their families’ health and for furthering their education. Moreover, our health education programs also enable women to lead healthier lives.

The women we work with are very passionate about our work and deeply understand the value of our projects and the active role it plays in their lives.

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MEET OUR BENEFICIARIES

drivers and now earns US $180 per month and is the household’s main provider. She

Shobha Devi, an Indian mother of two,

is also planning for the future by opening

is one of our most enthusiastic electric

a bank account and saving money to build

rickshaw drivers in Bodhgaya. Before she

a house. “I always wanted complete

joined our program, her family often went

control over my life and job,” explains

without enough food. In 2014 she became

Shobha. “I have it in this profession,

one of our first women electric rickshaw

and now I feel independent and free.”

TRANSFORMING LIVES, BREAKING BARRIERS In 2015 our 13 women solar technicians installed 675 solar lighting systems in remote villages in Nepal and India. We offered them training and a fulfilling job that built their confidence and improved living conditions in communities. Solar lights provide a healthier, safer, and more efficient alternative to kerosene lamps and wood fires.

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Tibet in pictures Karuna-Shechen’s projects in eastern Tibet provide the local population with access to education, medical clinics, elder care, and cultural preservation. In 2015 we initiated new projects and continued our support of existing ones.

The overall situation in Tibet for NGOs continues to present numerous challenges, especially for the people in the ďŹ eld. In response to this sensitive situation, it has become necessary for us to limit our reporting. For more information about our humanitarian activities in Tibet, please contact a branch of Karuna-Shechen directly.

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ďŹ nancial information

Our total expenditure in 2015 for our programs in India and Nepal was 2.1 million USD. One million dollars was spent for projects designed to help the victims of the Nepal earthquakes.

Administrative and operational costs for work in Nepal and India represent 8% of our global budget.

The following charts do not include expenditures for Tibet projects and are in US currency (USD).

EVOLUTION OF GLOBAL BUDGET 2,153,702 India

2,000,000

Nepal

Nepal Earthquake (Emergency & Rehabilitation)

999,998

1,600,000 1,271,871 1,200,000 800,000 400,000 0

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814,010

821,574

646,225

557,260

167,785

264,314

816,613

455,258

595,195

558,509

BUDGET BY SECTORS OF INTERVENTION Administrative & Operational expenses 178,691 8%

Health 544,156 25%

Nepal Rehabilitation 162,717 8%

Education 258,585 12%

Nepal Emergency Relief 837,280 39%

Community Development 172,272 8%

NEPAL EARTHQUAKES BUDGET Emergency relief distribution Logistics 96,401 11%

Medicine 14,582 2%

Food & Toiletries 504,259 60%

Rehabilitation of rural communities Shelter 222,038 27%

Agriculture & Food Security 4,104 3%

Logistics 60,353 37%

Disaster Preparadness 4,605 3%

First-Aid Training 37,779 23%

Education 5,483 3%

Solar Elecrification 22,455 14% Counter Human Trafficking 27,938 17%

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looking toward 2016

Karuna-Shechen faced new challenges in 2015 and met them with courage, flexibility, and effective creative programs. We are pleased with our success in benefiting large numbers of people and delighted with the part that you have played in the teamwork that makes our programs flourish.

In Nepal, we will continue to implement our comprehensive rehabilitation program that directly targets 60,000 beneficiaries in rural communities hit by the 2015 earthquakes. We will also continue to provide health-care outreach and in-patient services, and offer education for children in remote areas.

In India, we will offer broad learning opportunities to an additional 1,000 disadvantaged women by giving them access to free nonformal education and vocational training. Other projects will be introduced and more village kindergartens will bring toys and education to over 1,600 deprived preschoolers.

This is only a quick sketch of what we want to accomplish with your continuing support in 2016. Our overall goal is to uplift today’s quality of life for our beneficiaries, and contribute to building a more equal and compassionate world.

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our donors We extend deepest gratitude to our donors, on behalf of all our beneficiaries whose lives have been transformed by your gifts in 2015. It is your compassion and generosity that have made it possible for our activities to continue and flourish.

$50,000 and up Anonymous (Oman, Switzerland, Thailand, USA) American Himalayan Foundation (USA) Les Amis du Tibet and ONGD-FNEL (Luxembourg) The Cagni Foundation (United Kingdom) Centre Missionaire Oblat (Canada) Raphaële Demandre and Claudie Despretz (France) Anne-Sophie Dubanton (Portugal) Emergences (Belgium) Alex Gavan & Asociatia Proiectul Cloud Climbing (Romania) Maryse Goeminne-Bernabé (Belgium) Hershey Family Foundation (USA) Huang Yu Zi and Huang Chen Mei Yu (Taiwan) Famille Janssen (Belgium) A.T. Keller (Switzerland) D. Oltramare (Switzerland) One Foundation - Attar Family Trust (USA) Hanna and Dieter Paulmann (Germany) Pema Foundation (USA) Dominique Rogeau (Switzerland) Association Santé Education Recherche (SER) (Switzerland) Shining Hope Foundation (United Kingdom)

$20,000 to $49,999 Anonymous (Belgium, France, Hong Kong, Netherlands) À Ciel Ouvert (France)

Owsley Brown III (USA) Fondation du Cegep André Laurendeau (Canada) Fondation d’entreprise Chanel (France) Christine et Jean-Michel Denis (France) Friends from Malaysia (Malaysia) The George Family Foundation (USA) Rajiv and Latika Jain (Vontobel Asset Mgmt) (USA) Barbara M. Keller (Switzerland) Ingrid Kwok (Hong Kong) Montagne Alternative and The Resilience Institute Europe (Switzerland) F. Oltramare (Switzerland) Renaud Samyn (Hong Kong) Thomas Struengmann (Germany) Fondation Tellus Viva (Switzerland) The Path (USA) Voyageurs du Monde (France) Steven Watson (Hong Kong)

$5,000 to $19,999 Anonymous (Belgium, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Switzerland, United Kingdom, USA) Akayogi (France) Allary Editions (France) Allibert Trekking (France) The Arsenal Foundation (United Kingdom) Claire Barnes (Malaysia) Brooke Brown Barzun & Amb. Matthew Barzun (USA) Francis Boespflug (France) John and Nancy Braitmayer (USA) Suzel Brosseau (Canada)

Christina Lee Brown (USA) Chi Bui (USA) Capital International, Inc (Hong Kong) Anita Cassimon (Belgium) Ceannate Corp (USA) C.G.R (France) Ray Chambers (USA) CLSA Limited (Hong Kong) The Community Foundation of Louisville (USA) Congregation Rigpa Lerab Ling (France) Jude Cummins (United Kingdom) Susan and Richard Davidson (USA) Delta Plus Foundation (Italy) Mariam Diaz Garcia (Switzerland) Mary Dickie and Leslie Dach (USA) Ann Down (USA) Charles Englehard Foundation (USA) Gere Foundation (USA) Giving Fund (USA) Google Matching Gifts Program (USA) Yolande Guyot (Canada) Heintz Immobilier (France) Marie-Rose Helderlé (France) Gill and Augusta Holland, Jr. (USA) Fondation Insolites Bâtisseurs (France) Jonathan and Kathleen Altman Foundation (USA) Myla and Jon Kabat-Zinn (USA) Karen (Australia) Ross Koningstein and Patricia Spezzaferro (USA) Kasper Leschly (Denmark) Mark Leuders (Austria) Mahakaruna Foundation (USA)

Toman Mak (Hong Kong) Olivier Marian (Belgium) La Martinière Groupe (France) The Maxwell Family (USA) Matthew T Mellon Foundation (USA) Phat Nguyen (USA) Man Orga (France) Fondation Petzl (France) PLCC sarl (France) Jasjit and Reshma Rekhi (USA) Eric Ripert (USA) Rolling Meadows Yoga and Meditation Retreat (USA) Roots & Shoots, QSI International School of Chengdu (China) Rotary Club (France) Shelley and Donald Rubin Foundation (USA) Samadhi Cushions (USA) Sata Foundation and the TKB Group (Japan) Savoir Faire (USA) Seva Foundation (USA) The Shapiro Family Foundation (USA) Tara Stichting/Foundation (Netherlands) Tan Teo Charitable Foundation (USA) Mark & Amy Tercek Foundation (USA) Tides Foundation (USA) Irène Turner (France) Vanguard Charitable (USA) Ursula Vollenweider (Switzerland) J Adam Weissman Foundation (USA) Wisdom 2.0 (USA) YellowKorner (France)

Thank you to Christophe André for kindly donating his proceeds of the joint conferences and events with Matthieu Ricard.

And a special thank you to all our recurring donors on-line!

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“Our work is rooted in altruism. We strive to build a fairer, more humane world by reducing inequalities and offering our beneficiaries the opportunity to live healthy, more educated lives so that they may reach their full potential.�

Matthieu Ricard, Karuna-Shechen founder

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CONTACT US:

Branches KS Asia: asia@karuna-shechen.org KS Europe: europe@karuna-shechen.org KS USA: usa@karuna-shechen.org Affiliates KS Canada: canada@karuna-shechen.org Fondation Tashipaljor (Switzerland): switzerland@karuna-shechen.org Kangyour Rinpoche Foundation (United Kingdom): england@karuna-shechen.org KS Monaco: monaco@karuna-shechen.org Field Offices Nepal: nepal@karuna-shechen.org India: india@karuna-shechen.org

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