named programs · 3 · from sources
What they call their work
Early Childhood Development (ECD) Program
Transforms traditional early learning environments into interactive, play-based classrooms in India and Nepal, focusing on sensory, imaginative, and symbolic play to build cognitive, social, and emotional skills in children aged 0–5.
Parent Engagement and Home Learning Support
Equips parents with tools and practices to extend early learning into the home environment through play, conversation, and structured activities that reinforce classroom development.
Teacher Training in Child-Centered Pedagogy
Trains educators in Nepal and India on child-centered teaching methods, including sensory learning, local material use, and interactive assessment, to replace rote memorization with holistic development.
activities · 10 groups
What they do
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Student-Led Community Service Programs 1 activity
- Advance youth leadership and civic engagementSupports teachers in establishing and leading youth clubs in Nepal that promote leadership and civic engagement among students. Facilitates student participation in team-based projects involving budget management and community initiatives.
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Urban Resilience Planning & Advocacy 1 activity
- Advocate for municipal-level disaster prevention and climate adaptation planningSupports the co-development and official adoption of five-year disaster prevention and climate change adaptation plans by two municipalities in collaboration with local stakeholders.
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Direct Clinical Care Delivery 1 activity
- Deliver healthcare services through permanent and mobile clinicsProvides permanent outpatient medical consultations, basic diagnostics, treatments, and referrals, and operates mobile medical clinics that deliver care and affordable medicines to isolated villages. Also offers telemedicine services connecting patients to specialists, with plans to conduct one outpatient session and three mobile clinics weekly, each serving approximately fifty patients.
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Integrated Community-Led Development Programs 1 activity
- Implement integrated community development programs in India, Nepal, and TibetImplements interdependent programs in health and hygiene, education, food security, economic development, and environmental preservation for women, men, and children living in conditions of extreme vulnerability. Supported 628,400 people through 50 development projects in India and Nepal, including direct support to 466,800 individuals and reaching 161,600 indirect beneficiaries.
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Play-Based Early Childhood Education 1 activity
- Operate early childhood development centers with play-based learningRuns early childhood development centers that support social, emotional, and cognitive growth through structured, play-based learning in literacy, numeracy, and classroom readiness. Transforms classrooms into interactive learning spaces using locally available and recycled materials, establishes designated indoor play zones (sensory, imagination, construction, symbolic), and increases attendance and parental engagement through joyful learning approaches.
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Teacher Professional Development 1 activity
- Provide teacher training and support for education programsTrains early childhood educators in child-centered pedagogy and provides capacity-building training to strengthen teachers’ leadership and organizational skills. Supports teachers in establishing youth clubs and delivers training in creative and compassionate pedagogy, while equipping classrooms with educational game kits and supporting parents to extend learning at home.
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Animal Welfare and Rescue Support 1 activity
- Provide veterinary care in underserved communitiesDelivered veterinary care to 4,989 animals in target communities.
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Women's Microenterprise and Livelihood Development 1 activity
- Support economic empowerment and vocational training for womenSupports women in launching home-based tailoring enterprises generating monthly profits of 3,000–4,000 INR and trains women in envelope production, resulting in over 12,000 envelopes produced monthly by participant groups.
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Clean Water Infrastructure and Access 1 activity
- Support water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) infrastructure improvementsFacilitated community-led construction of individual household toilets by 59 households within six months and enabled installation of dedicated water taps in each household through a new village-wide water pipeline system. Also provides training on hygiene, safety, and waste management to students, teachers, and parents.
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Fire Safety Education & Prevention 1 activity
- Train community members in disaster preparedness and climate resilienceTrains 32 disaster management groups (741 community members) to respond to fires and extreme temperatures, including heatwaves and cold waves. Trains school staff and safety officers in emergency procedures and supports the development or updating of safety plans in thirteen schools.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$415K
Contributions & grants$415K100%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$520%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$485K
Program expenses91%
Admin / overhead9%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$0
Grants paid out$444K
Largest expense lineProfessional Fees
balance sheet
Total assets$784K
Cash$762K
Investments$0
Liabilities$19K
Net assets$765K
Liquid reserves18.8 mo
4 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue -20.3%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
board members · 3
- ALEXANDRE LIPPENS — TREASURER
- GIANLUIGI BUITONI — DIRECTOR
- WENDY WORNHAM — PRESIDENT
relationships · 16
Who they work with
- 120 organisations Partner — Organizational partners collaborating with Karuna-Shechen
- 5 400 donateurs Partner — Individual donors supporting Karuna-Shechen's programs
- Anganwadi Partner — Collaborates with Anganwadi centers to deliver early childhood development programs.
- Australian Aid Partner — Provided external support for disaster prevention planning in Yashodhara, in collaboration with local authorities and Karuna-Shechen.
- Better Future Council (BFC) Partner — Local community council of 2 to 10 villages that co-identifies, co-designs, and implements local initiatives with Karuna-Shechen.
- Centre de formation professionnelle Karuna-Shechen Partner — Local vocational training center in Jharkhand, India, where Karuna-Shechen implements teacher-supported education programs.
- India Government — Operates community development programs in vulnerable regions of India.
- Juri Anganwadi Center Partner — Partner early childhood center in Potka, Jharkhand, India, implementing Karuna-Shechen's DPE program.
- Matthieu Ricard Partner — Founder of Karuna-Shechen and advocate for compassionate education.
- Nepal Government — Implements integrated development initiatives in marginalized communities in Nepal.
- Premlata Partner — Participant in Karuna-Shechen's vocational training and microenterprise program
- Shechen Rabjam Rinpoché Partner — Abbé du monastère de Shechen who encouraged Matthieu Ricard to transform spiritual inspiration into concrete humanitarian engagement.
- Shree Aadharbhoot School Partner — Partner school in Kapilvastu, Nepal, where Karuna-Shechen implements early childhood development programs.
- Tibet Government — Provides essential services and community support in isolated regions of Tibet.
- Transform Aid International Partner — Provided external support for disaster prevention planning in Yashodhara, in collaboration with local authorities and Karuna-Shechen.
- UNICEF Partner — Collaborated with Karuna-Shechen in supporting the development of disaster prevention plans in Bijayanagar.
strategies · 5
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Community-Led Developmentmethodology: community-led developmentBy co-constructing projects with communities through shared decision-making and local leadership, the organization ensures program relevance, sustainability, and dignity because local ownership leads to more effective and culturally appropriate outcomes.
- Compassion-Centered Developmentmethodology: compassion-centered developmentBy grounding programs in altruistic love and compassion, the organization fosters meaningful change and personal growth because emotional and ethical connection is essential to well-being and sustainable transformation.
- Integrated Community Developmentmethodology: integrated-services-modelBy implementing interdependent programs across health, education, food security, economic development, and environmental preservation, the organization produces sustainable improvements in living conditions because poverty is multidimensional and requires holistic solutions.
- Integrated Vocational and Financial Empowermentmethodology: integrated_vocational_training_and_microfinanceBy combining vocational training with microloans, the organization enables women to launch independent businesses because skills alone are insufficient without access to capital for economic self-reliance.
- Play- and Sensory-Based Early Learningmethodology: play-based_learningBy using play and sensory awakening instead of rote memorization, the organization enhances children's cognitive, emotional, and social development because joyful, experiential learning builds confidence, engagement, and foundational skills more effectively.