Partner projects

Support innovative programs run by our “favorite” associations

Since 2020, Karuna-Shechen has been working alongside friendly associations aligned with our missions and values, to support and co-construct innovative, collaborative projects.

Through these partnerships, Karuna helps to create a positive impact in society and support innovative ideas that make a difference. These projects represent around 10% of the total budget devoted to all our programs in the field. This investment also enables us to forge strong links with inspiring organizations, creating fruitful collaborations for the future.

H.E.L.P. Nepal

Building climate resilience on high ground

To extend the efforts of his association Tergar Charity Nepal in combating climate change in the Himalayas, Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche founded the Himalayan Environment and Life Protection (H.E.L.P.). This new initiative aims to empower communities to become resilient in the face of climate challenges and preserve the Himalayan ecosystem.

The climate resilience project combines several strands of action: learning permaculture techniques to diversify the local population’s diet, growing medicinal plants and producing yak cheese. These traditional activities, sometimes neglected, are being revived to generate income both for the local market and for export. In order to preserve the forests, electric ovens are being distributed to limit the consumption of firewood. At the same time, an experimental reforestation program has been launched and the first tree nursery created.

As suggested by H.E.L.P. staff, I have completely changed the way I cut timber for firewood for my guesthouse. I stopped using electric saws and cutting  live trees. From now on, we only cut branches by hand – with an axe – branches that are already dry or dead. I hope that this way of cutting firewood will have a positive effect on the growth and survival of the trees in the village.

Migmar Tsering Lama, guesthouse owner

In 2024, 14 fully-equipped guesthouses

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RUIT FOUNDATION, India & Nepal

Cataract surgery at high altitude

Founded by Dr. Sanduk Ruit, a renowned Nepalese ophthalmologist, the Ruit Foundation is recognised throughout Asia for its commitment to providing access to eye care. The association is dedicated exclusively to one mission: restoring sight to people suffering from blindness or visual impairment caused by cataracts, by carrying out simple and rapid operations in the most remote areas.

Since July 2024, Karuna-Shechen has been supporting the Ruit Foundation in setting up mobile eye camps in rural areas of Nepal, India and Bhutan. Working together for a three-year period, we are collaborating with partner hospitals and local teams to organize these campaigns to enable cataract cases to be detected and high-quality surgeries to be carried out, accompanied by full follow-up care: medical examinations, local anaesthetic, operation and post-operative care. The cost of each operation is USD 60 in Nepal and USD 80 in India and Bhutan, giving local people access to high-quality care.

For three years, I struggled with daily household chores such as preparing meals, fetching water, and chopping vegetables. I found it difficult to recognise people around me. When my daughter heard about an upcoming microsurgical eye camp, she brought me and I underwent surgery on my right eye. The following day, when my eye patch was removed, I was overjoyed to see clearly from one eye once again.

Basmati Kohar, woman undergoing cataract surgery

In 2024, 784 people underwent cataract surgery

I support this initiative.

Learn more about our partner projects