Respect for the environment and community empowerment are at the heart of every project Karuna-Shechen implements. We strive to improve the livelihood options for vulnerable communities by providing them with the tools and knowledge they need to make sustainable use of local resources.
The solutions and methods we use are always based on our commitment to the importance of preserving our planet for future generations.
Kitchen Gardens to Reverse Soil Depletion
In India, with environmental concerns in mind and to prevent malnutrition, we offer an alternative to mono-cultures that lead to soil depletion, by planting hundreds of organic kitchen gardens in villages. Poor rural communities in Bihar and Jharkhand now have access to nutritious and organic food that is grown locally and with sustainability in mind.
We teach participants how to grow and rotate different crops to naturally restore the nutrients and vitamins in the soil. To ensure the sustainability of this project, we distribute free organic seeds and seedlings from our nurseries and encourage communities to start their own local organic nursery.
Preserving Water Resources
Similarly, our access to water programs provide our beneficiaries with a reliable source of clean water that does not contribute to groundwater depletion.
Karuna-Shechen installs systems that allow villagers to collect rain water from roof tops and store it in large underground tanks for community use, or smaller tanks for private domestic use. Most regions where these are installed are drought-prone. Thus, it is crucial for the well-being of future generations to install these methods and to teach them how to manage local water resources for the long-term.
Our systems help prevent groundwater depletion caused by deep wells that eventually cause the drying up of natural springs. In certain villages, with the help of the local community, we also dig rainwater retention dams to allow water to seep into the soil instead of evaporating quickly.
These projects prove that there are alternatives that can greatly improve the living conditions of current generations without sacrificing future generations’ livelihoods.
October 19 2021
In January 2021, Karuna initiated its very first project in France in collaboration with the association Mindfulness Solidaire. Resilience is a program targeting caregivers, which aims to provide them...
July 27 2021
For more than twenty years now, the notion of altruism, defined as selfless concern for the good of others, unites and inspires Karuna-Shechen’s benefactors, beneficiaries, volunteers and teams. It ...
July 26 2021
Hinduism has many festivals and rituals. They celebrate the major stages of life as well as the deities and are an opportunity to spend time with loved ones. Among these celebrations, one, particularl...
July 6 2021
While the Ruby Valley is a region of scenic beauty, it owes much of its charm to the cohabitation of humans with other species and their environment. The valley is populated by more animals than peopl...
June 29 2021
Dominated by the Himalayan reliefs, the Ruby valley offers landscapes of a rare beauty. Named after the precious stone, as deposits are said to be found there, it is a mountainous region in central Ne...
