Our Story

When LO founder, Khyentse Norbu, traveled to Cambodia for the first time he visited a safe house orphanage where he encountered a young girl who held his finger really, really tight, and wouldn’t let him go. He said of the moment, 

“This particular girl held my finger–and she wouldn’t let me go. But so tight; really, really tight. She wouldn’t let me go. I had this really strong feeling, connection, so to speak. So I immediately asked the orphanage, I really want to support this girl, you know, all the way through her university and on. She was also a little bit blind. So, I have to really give credit to her strength to have Lotus Outreach here today. It is really because of her”.

LO was founded by Khyentse Norbu in 1993 in Himachal Pradesh, India to serve refugees from Nepal however our mission was deeply impacted by this experience at the orphanage. In 2002, LO was incorporated in California to establish a U.S. headquarters with affiliates present in seven countries around the world, including the USA, Canada, the United Kingdom, Hong Kong SAR, Taiwan, Germany, and Australia. Over 30 years we have touched the lives of hundreds of thousands of people.

Today, LO’s mission is to empower women and children living in poverty around the world, with a focus on the empowerment of women and girls. Our affiliates and ambassadors represent a diverse and global community committed to a sustainable vision of empowerment. Our team enjoys an inspired and collaborative rapport across the globe!