A Heartfelt Partnership

By Glenn Fawcett

26/01/2011
Pammy Croci asked Lotus Outreach for a short update to publish in the Gentle Voice and I thought it would be nice to tell you more about Lotus Outreaches growing relationship with a relatively new organisation, Buddhist Global Relief (BGR). BGR is also dedicated to alleviating the suffering of the poor and disadvantaged in the developing world.

BGR was founded by a Buddhist scholar-monk, Ven.Bhikkhu Bodhi, as a response to his views that, “the narrowly inward focus of American Buddhism, had been pursued to the neglect of the active dimension of Buddhist compassion expressed through programs of social engagement.” This view is precisely the basis on which Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche founded what was originally, White Lotus, out of which Lotus Outreach was eventually born.

We of course loved the idea of working with BGR from the outset and quickly found common ground for their funding support in our Girls Access To Education (GATE) scholarship programs across Cambodia. This work is through the medium of rice support for the poorest families whose girls are vulnerable to dropping out of school and therefore to the real and present danger of being trafficked, due to the most extreme poverty. Our relationship deepens as we continue to find other areas of common interest. BGR is now supporting small business training and startup funds for Peer educators from our Safe Migration and Reduction of Trafficking program at Poipet on the Thai Cambodian border.

Altogether, BGR is partnering LO to deliver food security elements through several LO programs including provision of agricultural tools, seeds for crops and profitable home gardens in rural Pursat. Other programs are nutrition education and food preparation training programs for sex workers, vulnerable children such as the orphaned, from single parents and those living with HIV AIDS.

As secular organisations which have grown from the same ideal we obviously have a lot in common, so it’s sure this ‘heartfelt partnership’ will be a long and happy one.

Growing, Selling and Sharing under the guidance of Lotus Outreach and Buddhist Global Relief projects