ABOUT US
Our Beginnings
In 1980, a small group of Buddhists from the UK, deeply moved by the suffering of vulnerable communities in India, began fundraising in the UK while living together in a community. Before long, a new form of door-to-door fundraising based on the non-violent principles of Buddhism began to emerge and Aid for India, today known as Karuna, was created.
Karuna means ‘compassion in action’
Karuna Today
40 years on, we remain an organisation and community that facilitates personal and professional development, while striving towards our collective purpose of overcoming poverty and discrimination in India, Nepal and Bangladesh.
And, while we are still inspired by our Buddhist origins, our supporters, employees and volunteers come from many different backgrounds and beliefs. Instead of ideas, what connects us all is a set of universal and shared values, such as compassion and integrity, as well as a commitment to serve those who need it most. Accordingly, we select partner organisations based solely on the calibre of their work serving communities who are severely affected by discrimination. As such, we work with partners who identify as Christian Dalit, Muslim Dalit, Buddhist, Hindu, Tribal or prefer to have no designation at all.
At Karuna, ‘how’ we do things is as important as ‘what’ we do. We express our organisational values by working together as a ‘Buddhist Team-Based Right Livelihood.
Our Values
Compassion
Compassion is at the heart of our organisation. Our vision is for everyone to be free from suffering and live to their full potential with dignity and respect.
KARUNA MEANS COMPASSION IN ACTION
Integrity
Our ethical vision, rooted in Buddhist principles, means that we are committed to authentic communication and acting skilfully and mindfully in all areas of our work.
HOW WE DO THINGS IS AS IMPORTANT AS WHAT WE DO
Connection
We acknowledge our interconnectedness and know that when others suffer, we all suffer. Likewise, when we empower ourselves, we can uplift those around us. This is why working collaboratively and cultivating community is so important to us
UNDERSTANDING OUR SHARED HUMANITY
Generosity
Generosity is an act of kindness that transcends the barrier between self and other, impacting everyone who encounters it
GENEROSITY IS THE SEED OF ALL POSITIVE GROWTH
Transformation
We believe that social justice begins with the individual. When people have the power and opportunity to create positive change within themselves, they will transform their community and the wider society.
WHEN I CHANGE, MY WORLD CAN CHANGE
A Buddhist Team-Based Right Livelihood has four aims:
1 / ethical purpose
An ethical purpose, which for us is overcoming poverty and discrimination
2 / No Exploitation
To take care of those working for the organisation and not exploit workers
3 / spiritual practice
To provide a framework for spiritual practice for the team
4 / Sustainability
To ensure the
work is sustainable,
both economically
and for the planet
How we fundraise
Many of our supporters learn about Karuna from a Karuna fundraiser, who knocked on their door. It is important to us that people have time to make a considered decision to support the charity and not feel pressured to give on the spot. Since the early 1980s, Karuna has fundraised in this way.
Whilst a handful of our fundraisers are employed by Karuna, the vast majority are volunteers, recruited from the UK and international Buddhist community. We do not use agencies.
The volunteers will usually fundraise in a city or large town for a period of six weeks. In this time, they will live together as a community, meditating, eating, sleeping, fundraising and sharing their experiences with each other.
The volunteer fundraisers are often professionals: teachers, carers, accountants, taking time out to volunteer for a charity whose work they feel passionate about.
Registered with the Fundraising Regulator, Karuna is committed to achieving the best possible standards of practice and the best experience for our supporters.
If you have any concerns or comments about our methods of fundraising, we would really appreciate hearing from you. Please email Supporter Care or call our office on 0207 700 3434
