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Bodhicitta Foundation
Taking Light into the Dark Places of the World
" Counselling for poor and traumatized people / drug and alcohol / domestic
violence victims
" Sponsorship for poor children to go to school
" Free English classes for slum people (to help them get jobs and enhance their humanity and access to information)
" Sponsorship for poor young people to go to university
" Accompanying poor and uneducated people to hospital and assisting with the cost of healthcare
" Women's empowerment through skills and psychological development
" Sponsorship for poor children to go to school
" Free English classes for slum people (to help them get jobs and enhance their humanity and access to information)
" Sponsorship for poor young people to go to university
" Accompanying poor and uneducated people to hospital and assisting with the cost of healthcare
" Women's empowerment through skills and psychological development
Venerable Yeshe Chodron ordained as a nun in 2001. She discovered Buddhism
whilst travelling in Nepal and India at the age of 17 on a search for the meaning of
life. Coming back to Australia after a year of study and practice in monasteries,
she helped run a Buddhist Centre in Sydney and trained with her teacher
Khenpo Ngawang Dhamchoe for five years whilst working as well.
Upon ordaining as a nun at the age of 23 Venerable Yeshe, found like the majority of Western monastics before her that there was very little care or support for Western monastics, people preferring to access Tibetan Lamas who are already trained. She had no where to live and had to beg on traditional alms round to get food, she stayed with various friends and in garden sheds. She engaged in teaching Dharma in HIV hospices, schools, drug and alchohol rehab centres and trained as a yoga teacher.
Coming to India in 2004, Venerable Yeshe studied for two years in a monastery, but felt a need to make Buddhism accessable and socially engaged, whilst still trying to maintain her contemplative way of life. She met Indian Buddhists in 2005 and has been working with them ever since. Her teachers are Sakya Trizen (the second highest Lama in Tibetan Buddhism) and Ven Thich Nhat Hanh, the nobel peace prize poet and peace activist.
Upon ordaining as a nun at the age of 23 Venerable Yeshe, found like the majority of Western monastics before her that there was very little care or support for Western monastics, people preferring to access Tibetan Lamas who are already trained. She had no where to live and had to beg on traditional alms round to get food, she stayed with various friends and in garden sheds. She engaged in teaching Dharma in HIV hospices, schools, drug and alchohol rehab centres and trained as a yoga teacher.
Coming to India in 2004, Venerable Yeshe studied for two years in a monastery, but felt a need to make Buddhism accessable and socially engaged, whilst still trying to maintain her contemplative way of life. She met Indian Buddhists in 2005 and has been working with them ever since. Her teachers are Sakya Trizen (the second highest Lama in Tibetan Buddhism) and Ven Thich Nhat Hanh, the nobel peace prize poet and peace activist.
Our Founder -
Venerable Yeshe Chodron
Venerable Yeshe Chodron
Click on a link below to find out more about Our Social Work Projects:
For the price of a
Cappuccino a day you
can change the life of a
Poor Child through Sponsorship. Click on "How You Can Help".
Poor Child through Sponsorship. Click on "How You Can Help".
QUILT MAKING SERVICE
Direct from women in the Nagpur slums to the buyers...
"Its a way people can directly empower slum women and enjoy good quality hand made craft."
- Sister Yeshe. Approximate cost $150.
For more information contact Sister Yeshe
Direct from women in the Nagpur slums to the buyers...
"Its a way people can directly empower slum women and enjoy good quality hand made craft."
- Sister Yeshe. Approximate cost $150.
For more information contact Sister Yeshe
For only AU$40 a month, you can sponsor a
poor child in Nagpur, India. Your sponsorship can pay for school fees, transport, uniforms, books, tuition and extra food. Your will receive photos, updates and letters from your child. All funds received go directly to meet the child's individual needs. Contact Sister Yeshe for more information.
poor child in Nagpur, India. Your sponsorship can pay for school fees, transport, uniforms, books, tuition and extra food. Your will receive photos, updates and letters from your child. All funds received go directly to meet the child's individual needs. Contact Sister Yeshe for more information.
" Western monks and nuns sponsorship and dialogue programme
" Counselling and Dharma teaching in the West by donation
" Visiting Jails/hospitals and teaching meditation
" Teaching Dharma/meditation in Drug and Alcohol rehab Centres (when volunteers are available) .
" Counselling and Dharma teaching in the West by donation
" Visiting Jails/hospitals and teaching meditation
" Teaching Dharma/meditation in Drug and Alcohol rehab Centres (when volunteers are available) .
AUGUST 2011 - SLUM CUTS
We are still sponsoring them however and they
come twice a week for Dharma and english class.
The youngest nun, Sujata, is an orphan who had
never had a birthday party. I gave her a Barbie
(which she asked for). She told me her Barbie's
name is Twinkle and she goes to engineering
college (even though Barbie appears to be dressed
like a street walker!). I'm not allowed to see Barbie
change. Now Barbie sits next to Buddha on our
shrine (now and then!).
Two little girls came to my
vihara today and asked if they
could ordain as nuns. I asked
why, they said that they are
tired of being beaten by their
alcoholic father and that the
lock on their bedroom door is
not strong enough to keep
them and their mother safe
from him. 'Please take us' they
said. 'I will try to find a way'
I said.
I said.
Womens Self-Help Group
Children -
They stump you!
A child who comes to us for tuition was practically illiterate because his school was so bad. Now he's getting food, clothing, a good school and tuition classes. When asked why he's always late I said 'Youre a smart boy aren't you?" He said 'No I'm not.' What can one say to that?
They stump you!
A child who comes to us for tuition was practically illiterate because his school was so bad. Now he's getting food, clothing, a good school and tuition classes. When asked why he's always late I said 'Youre a smart boy aren't you?" He said 'No I'm not.' What can one say to that?
I recently had two little nuns
stay with me for almost 6
weeks. They enjoyed
themselves immensely, but in
the end they missed their
grandmother alot and I didn't
have the energy to manage a
large charity, teach, travel,
meditate and raise them.
Barbie comes to the Vihara
I was sitting quietly in my Vihara on my birthday
when suddenly I heard my gate being opened...
Suddenly 45 children had literally gate crashed
my Vihara and were proceeding to stuff
exceedingly sweet and spicey food into my
mouth and regale me with plaster of paris
Buddhas, hot pink flower vases and bright blue
plastic flowers. I ended up spending my birthday
sweating and playing pin the tail on the donkey
with kids from our slum schools who had invited
themselves for my birthday. Sometimes the
poorest places are where the most love is (not
to mention plaster of Paris Buddhas!).
Slum Love
The Things Locks
Cannot Keep Out
KALYANAMITRA means spiritual friend. The
Kalyanamitra fund is a socially engaged, grass roots
Buddhist charity and spiritual group that embodies
the Buddhist principles of peace, compassion and
equality to try and transform individuals and society,
to remove the roots of suffering and offer help to
some of the most oppressed people in the world.
The Fund was established in 2002.
KALYANAMITRA FUND
Social Work in India
Social Work in the West
(Known as Bhikshuni
Bodhicitta in India)
* Job training/placement
" Help with basic housing
" Spiritual teachings and meditation (which are very much needed in the often dark and oppressive environments of slums)
" Youth groups (to uplift youth, help them deal with depression, anger management, study pressure and help them grow into ethical and compassionate adults)
" Sunday schools for small slum children
" Sponsorship for monks and nuns
" Help with basic housing
" Spiritual teachings and meditation (which are very much needed in the often dark and oppressive environments of slums)
" Youth groups (to uplift youth, help them deal with depression, anger management, study pressure and help them grow into ethical and compassionate adults)
" Sunday schools for small slum children
" Sponsorship for monks and nuns
We hope to create a monastery/ Dharma Centre in India that will be a focus
for all of this work. Currently we can only afford small and inadequate
premises.
For the latest updates on our Social Work in India, go to ourYouth page.
Visiting volunteers with
local children in March
2012.
A large group of children
studying in our daily
tuition class.
tuition class.