Category Archives: News

We are so excited to share with our community about the 2024 Jharkhand Soccer (Football) Tournaments for girls’, annual events hosted and organized by our partner in the state of Jharkhand, Naya Sawera Vikas Kendra (NSVK). The annual tournaments are a part of Lotus Outreach’s work in Jharkhand, implementing community projects that nurture and empower women and girls from tribal indigenous areas in the region. We’d especially like to thank our donors who give up coffee monthly through 1000 Coffee and directly support these regional soccer tournaments! The tournaments are an incredible opportunity to not only empower girls through sports and support athletic talent, but also to bring communities together for a joyous occasion that centers girls’ joy and confidence. They are truly catalysts of social change.

We celebrate more than 12 years of Buddha Smiles and the Guru Krupa Foundation! Buddha Smiles is a project conceived of and operated by our brilliant partner, the Garden of Peace School, founded by Dr. Manivannan. It was when the founder of the Guru Krupa Foundation, Mukund Padmanabhan, connected with the Buddha Smiles project in 2012 that he became an unwavering supporter of Buddha Smiles and Lotus Outreach. Since that time, the Guru Krupa Foundation has provided generous and dedicated support for Lotus Outreach projects, including Buddha Smiles, Blossom Bus, and Lotus Pedals in India (new!). We'd like to take this opportunity to once again thank you, Guru Krupa Foundation.

Jharkhand ("The land of forest") is a state in eastern India, carved out in 2000 from what was the southern half of Bihar. It is the 15th largest state by area, and the 14th largest by population. The state is known for its rich deposits of minerals, forest land, various ethnic groups, waterfalls, hills, and holy places. Jharkhand is also known for its vast forest resources which sustain a tapestry of diverse communities, each with a unique cultural heritage. Among these are the 32 scheduled tribes (ST), recognized by the Indian Government as the most socio-economically disadvantaged groups in the country. 8 of the poorest tribal groups, further categorized by the Indian Government as Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) also live here, in Jharkhand.

We are thrilled to announce that our LO United Kingdom affiliate is hosting an online auction live from April 17th through May 1, 2024. The auction items available include luxury getaways, celebrated artwork, concert tickets, an internship, couture fashion, and much more. Join us in our efforts to make a tangible difference in the lives of those in need by bidding freely and generously to support the girls, women, and families supported by LO education, training, and care projects. *Note: successful bidders are responsible for all shipping and collection charges (where relevant).

Happy 2024! We’re delighted to share with you about our recent fifth Giving Back Project, hosted by Lotus Outreach Cambodia. In an effort to express their gratitude for the scholarship support our CATALYST university scholars receive, every year they raise funds themselves to help schools and students in remote areas, such as Mondolkiri, Siem Reap, Pallin, and Takeo. For example, the students we support provide study materials, teach sanitation, color pictures, build water tanks, and lead students in play based learning activities and games to give back to others and realize their own abundant abilities to help create goodness in others lives and the world. 

We are deeply grateful for our long-term foundation partners, such as the Guru Krupa Foundation who has assisted LO in our work ensuring access to education to girls, young women, and children for more than 10 years. We are touched to share with you about this partnership and Guru Krupa's profound generosity and dedication to both our Blossom Bus and Buddha Smiles programs in India.

Day of the Girl celebrates the power that young women have to influence change in their societies. While women and girls have historically been excluded from spaces that support and foster their leadership, education lays the foundation for girls' vibrant lives and empowerment.  Stand with Lotus Outreach beneficiaries and change makers this Day of the Girl and make a gift today.

The Solidarity Market serves 2,750 of the poorest families in São Gonçalo, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil through this free, self serve marketplace. MDP conducts interviews to ensure the neediest families have access to the market, prioritizing single-parent families headed by women, with special attention to families headed by women with children 0- 6. Additionally, participating families receive ongoing psychological assistance, guidance, and education and take part in group discussions, workshops and counseling related to well-being, food security, agriculture and human rights.

At LO, we believe in the power of collective giving and action. 1,000 Coffee is a community inspired event co-hosted by LO ambassadors and affiliates around the world. Since 2021, our community has hosted 14 bike rides to inspire people to come together around the simple sacrifice of coffee (or tea). In 2023, ambassadors, volunteers, and youth are connecting coffee drinkers and corporate networks around the world with LO's mission. We aim to subscribe 1,000 people. From there who knows what we can accomplish for at-risk girls and communities on this planet?

Lotus Outreach was originally founded by Khyentse Norbu in 1993 in Himachal Pradesh, India to serve refugees from Nepal. As time went on, Norbu reimagined the mission of LO to serve the most at-risk women and children in India and Cambodia. As we enter the 30th year of Lotus Outreach, we are expanding our impact beyond India and Cambodia to empower at-risk girls’ and communities in countries around the world. Learn about our new global impact partners and the ways we are scaling our impact to celebrate our 30th year!