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.
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.
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
April 12 2021
Vocational training is central to our goal of empowering the poor in India. Started in 2014 with a few workshops, the initiative has quickly grown into a full-fledged program that is operating success...
March 26 2021
Among the numerous Hindu festivals, Holi stands out as the most vibrant. The festival of colours, as Holi is fondly called, is celebrated on March 28th this year. Though Holi in its truest form is all...
March 12 2021
In November 2020, Karuna launched a major call to action as part of our solidarity movement: Action For Karuna. More than 70 people got involved by organizing virtual or face-to-face events, and thank...
March 2 2021
“"Women are leaders at heart! They care, they nourish, they help. They give meaning and direction to life. We must support and integrate them whenever we can.” ~ Shalav Rana, director of operati...
February 16 2021
In 2016, members of Karuna-Shechen followed a seminar with Frédéric Laloux, author of Reinventing Organizations. Specialized in processes of People's Change, Frédéric accompanied the members of Ka...
