Karuna-Shechen’s co-founders, Matthieu Ricard and Rabjam Rinpoche, recently visited our new home for the elderly in Nepal, which had to be re-built after earthquakes hit the country in 2015.

“There were large cracks in the walls, and it was deemed unsafe,” explains our Nepal Director, Sanjeev Pradhan.

We’re happy to report that the construction, which began in late 2015, is now complete! The new home has 17 rooms, is equipped with solar power and a rainwater harvesting system, and has a retaining wall to help protect the building from landslides or future earthquakes.

Thank you for your generosity and for making this beautiful project possible!

Why homes like this are needed in Nepal

In Nepal and other Himalayan countries, urbanization and migration often severely impact the well-being and living conditions of the elderly. Driven by the hope of finding better economic opportunities in cities, young families leave their remote villages and end up living in small quarters with no spare space for older relatives. In Nepal, where seniors traditionally live with their families, more and more are thus left alone, often in harsh conditions.

Rebuilding a Home

Prior to the earthquakes, one of the few homes for the elderly in all of Nepal was located on the grounds of the Shechen Retreat Center in the hills of Namo Buddha. It housed eight elderly people in need of special care. When large cracks appeared on the walls from the earthquakes, the buildings had to be demolished and re-built from the ground up.

For over two years, our team faced and overcame many challenges in the construction, including rough terrain and difficulty sourcing building supplies. Committed to serving people in need, we persevered and even made improvements to the original building by increasing the number of rooms and incorporating environmentally-friendly features. We also added a retaining wall as an important safety feature to help protect the home in the case off landslides or any future earthquakes.

Thanks to your commitment to helping the most vulnerable, Karuna-Shechen’s new home for the elderly is safer, more comfortable, and can accommodate more residents!

Karuna-Shechen continues to be dedicated to alleviating the suffering of elderly people and other vulnerable populations. Thank you for your support.