Laxmi is a bright teenager and a shining example of why Karuna-Shechen focuses on improving education in the Himalayas. Sitting at a wobbly desk in a makeshift building that wasn’t secure enough to keep out the wind or rain, Laxmi was concerned. She dreamed of becoming a nurse, of saving lives and helping others in her community. But with the conditions of the temporary community school that had been erected after the earthquakes in Nepal in 2015, she found it difficult, if not impossible, to study and learn.

To invest in Laxmi’s future — and that of the other seventy-two children in the community — Karuna-Shechen constructed a new building with classrooms, toilets, and access to safe, reliable drinking water. We also provided the school with supplies and uniforms, and an additional teacher.

“I’m so happy,” Laxmi told us. “Education will help me and my   community have a better future.”

It is this level of opportunity that Karuna-Shechen works to provide in India and Nepal, where hurdles to quality education are often at the root of social injustice and low quality of life. We have seen firsthand that when people are prevented from pursuing their potential, they cannot contribute fully to their communities or accomplish what they could have, had they received access to even basic opportunities.

Equality for Girls

In India and Nepal, where the drop-out rate for girls is disproportionately high, Karuna-Shechen actively works to open doors for girls by enforcing a fair girl/boy ratio in the schools we support. Providing access is just the beginning — we also address related issues such as social taboos and access to feminine hygiene products to help keep girls in school throughout their teenage years.

By teaching equality, we are passing on to future generations the idea that every child has the same rights and opportunities to build a future for him/herself.

Opportunities for Women

Through our education programs, Karuna-Shechen also extends equality to adult women who missed out on the opportunity to learn in their youth. Many women, particularly in remote areas, dropped out of school before they even learned to read or write. In fact, out of 796 million illiterate people in the world, two thirds are women — and lack of education is a huge hurdle to achieving their potential.

We  provide free literacy classes to promote women’s empowerment. Some of the women we teach are in their 50’s, 60’s, and beyond, and they are learning to write their name for the first time! Learning to read and write gives women more autonomy and enables them to act as role models for new generations. Plus, children of educated women are more likely to stay in school themselves — yet another investment in the future!

Education for the Future

Our education programs are improving quality — and increasing equality — in India and Nepal. By involving the community, opening doors for girls, and empowering women to read and write, we’re investing in the future.

We invite you to join us!

Together, let’s empower our education, our future. Help teach a woman to read, provide training, or support a teacher’s salary!

Thank you!