An enlightened education should aim to preserve these natural inclinations to cooperate, so that the child develops a holistic understanding of the world around them and contributes constructively to the society in which they live.
Matthieu Ricard, founder of Karuna-Shechen
Science has shown it: from birth, long before learning the rules of the world, children are already naturally altruistic, cooperative, and open to others. This is not a value to be taught to them, but a disposition they already carry within. But this window is short. Between ages 0 and 5, everything is shaped.
This is exactly where Karuna-Shechen works in India and Nepal, alongside teachers and families, to provide them with the tools and resources that enable every child to grow in the best possible conditions. What Matthieu Ricard defends in his writings, Karuna-Shechen builds, classroom after classroom, family after family.
Supporting Karuna-Shechen means giving children the environment they deserve during the critical period when everything is being shaped.
Matthieu Ricard and Sunita Sharma explain why these years are so decisive.
In India and Nepal, early childhood education remains the “forgotten stage” of education. Public funding is insufficient, educational resources are scarce, and parents often lack the tools to support their children at home.
Since 2014, Karuna-Shechen has been working on three complementary levers: training teachers in creative and compassionate pedagogy, equipping classrooms with play kits so that children learn through cooperation and expression, and supporting parents so that this approach continues at home.
Training a teacher in compassion means protecting a child’s natural capacity for cooperation. Equipping a classroom with games means creating the conditions for learning that nurtures the best within them.
And because a child’s development cannot be reduced to the classroom, the program is grounded in a holistic approach: access to healthcare, food security, and maternal support. Each dimension strengthens the others.
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Behind every classroom, every child, there is a human story.
The most powerful evidence is not found in reports, but in personal stories. Here we share two accounts among many others: the words of two teachers and the testimony of the family of a child who has been supported. Two stories that put a human face on the changes made possible thanks to your support.
Nancy: When School Becomes a Place of Freedom and Trust
In a preschool in Bihar, a young girl who was once too shy to speak now dares to sing, play, and guide the other children. Through Nancy’s story, discover how play, care, and everyday interactions can transform a child’s confidence and help them grow with ease and security. A sensitive immersion into the earliest years of life, where everything begins.
Pabitra and Seema: Two Teachers, One Shared Vision of Childhood
In Nepal and India, two teachers share how their approach to supporting young children has profoundly evolved. Through play, everyday objects turned into learning tools, sensory exploration, and active participation from the children, the classrooms of Pabitra and Seema reveal learning as a living experience—one that strengthens children’s confidence and their desire to explore.