End of Year Update

At our new Sunshine School project in the north of Sri Lanka with 96 children.

Foundation stone laying ceremony at Padma Lokah (Lotus Centre) in the north of Sri Lanka.

The lovely kids in our new Sunshine School project n the north of Sri Lanka.

Our Elders Wisdom Club where they have a nutritious breakfast and enjoy getting together with each other and where they can let us know about any problems.

One of our lovely special needs friends in our village, with his mum.

Handicrafts for girls - developing economic independence

As we approach the end of 2017, I wanted to give you all an update on what has been happening with the charity's work and our future plans.

With all your kind support, donations, prayers and love we have continued to run our projects in Sri Lanka - 
* the Sunshine School project for 40 children
* the elders breakfast club for 36 elders who have no family
* working with special needs children in schools, homes and in
the villages.
* in partnership with Special Yoga Global Network and the
Holistic Special Education Foundation, training school
teachers, midwives and ayurvedic doctors how to work with
children with special needs.

Our work in Sri Lanka is developing more and in 2018 we have
* the Sunshine School project for 96 children
* the elders breakfast club is also providing mosquito nets, bed
sheets, transport for hospital visits & a medical emergency
fund.
* working with the Ministries of Education & Health and other
NGO's to provide more training & help for special needs
children.
* supporting the children's home for abandoned special needs
children founded by Father Alfred & Dr. Jagaruban.
* building the Lotus Temple and Village Community Centre at
Padma Lokah (Lotus Centre) on our own land in the north of the country.

We are also setting up a Sunshine School in Rishikesh, India, where children will be given a proper cooked lunch after school and extra tuition, plus a yoga class. The school project will be overseen by our own new Heart Of Living Yoga Ashrama in Rishikesh.

Brazil has also now also come into our view - and 3 of our wonderful Heart Yoga teachers will be touring for a month in January, offering yoga, meditation & healing as they go, and connecting with those in need and those who can help. Apparently, there may already be some land offered for a Sunshine School & Heart Home.

By far the largest area of requests for help are now coming from the UK itself. It seems there are tremendous social problems which are affecting our children, our women and families. As our partner charity in the UK (AOK Rucksack Appeal) is winding down, we are now supporting the Felix Trust which works to make sure no child goes to bed hungry in London.

The Heart Of Living Yoga Foundation has been asked to take Heart Yoga into schools in the UK for both children and staff and is being helped to apply for funding.

In addition we are being asked to set up an initial "model" Sunshine School in the UK for children after school to receive perhaps their only proper meal of the day - and creative educational activities, meditation & yoga - to help soothe their anxious nervous systems and reconnect them with themselves and to discover their full potential. This "model" if successful may be rolled out all over the UK.

And the big news is that we have been asked to set up an inter-faith Sunshine School for between 150 and 300 children. We are being contacted by people within the U.K. education system as well as our own Heart Yoga teachers who want this and want to help make it happen. We are being helped and guided on funding & how to get political support for this project. It seems to be very much needed - as a free school and a faith school, it will be completely inclusive.

If you feel drawn to help, support or work on any of these projects, please contact us soon!

So may we thank you for all your past support <3 and thank you in advance for everything you will do to help us in the future! <3

If you have any fund-raising plans, please contact us - and also take a look at our Supporters page here on facebook - there may be someone near you already there to help you!

May all beings be safe.
May all beings have enough to eat.
And may all hearts know peace.

Lokah Samasta Sukhino Bhavantu

One Love

Rev. Padma Devi Sumananda
Founder & President