With donated funds we have been able to offer support to bhikkhuni communities around the world. Here (in chronological order) are the projects your donations have supported in 2012. We express our sincere appreciation to everyone who offered dana in money or in volunteer time to support these projects!
Project: Paying Healthcare Premiums
When: Ongoing Amount: $13,672 per year
AfB is the steward of a fund by a generous donor designated to pay health care premiums and medical bills for members in good standing of the North American Bhikkhuni Association. This year the fund covered health care premiums for two bhikkhunis. (Note: as the fund goes down, we welcome donations to this account.)
Project: Production of a Video “A New Beginning” on Becoming a Bhikkhuni
Date: August 2012 Amount Donated: $450
Saranaloka Foundation is a nonprofit stewardship organization that was started in 2005 by a group of Buddhist lay practitioners for the purpose of bringing Theravada Buddhist nuns to the United States to visit and teach, and to establish a training monastery for women. The video is a story of developing a place of respect and opportunity for nuns, and the story of Ayya Anandabodhi and Ayya Santacitta and their path to becoming bhikkhunis. AfB made a contribution toward the production of the video which was shown at the recent Sakyadhita Conference in India. It can be viewed at: http://saranaloka.org/about/videos/.
Project: Construction of Temple Sat Saraniya Hermitage, Ontario, Canada (Ayya Medhanandi Bhikkhuni)
Date: August 2012 Amount Donated: $385
Last year AfB was pleased to be able to make a small contribution toward construction of the new temple at Sati Saraniya Hermitage in Ontario, Canada. We have followed the progress on their website http://satisaraniya.ca/ and were happy to hear from Abbess Ayya Medhanandi in June, 2013 of the opening and blessing ceremony for the new temple.
Front view of the new temple taken at the temple blessing ceremony. Abbess Ayya Medhanandi receives a food offering from a young girl during activities associated with the temple blessing ceremony.
Project: Donation Toward Training Centre Construction Fund, Ayya Khema International Meditation Centre, Sri Lanka (Ayya Kusuma)
Date: August 2012 Amount Donated: $365
Ayya Kusuma Theri
Alliance for Bhikkhunis was able to donate some funds for the establishment of a proper training centre in the capital city of Sri Lanka, Colombo, with in-house training facilities for about 20-30 persons at a time. The training courses will be conducted by senior bhikkhus and bhikkhunis, as well as lay teachers who are well versed in Buddha Dhamma, meditational practices, social service, psychology, environmental conservation, and the English language. The centre will be purely for bhikkhunis and ten-precept nuns who will receive a comprehensive and sound training in all aspects that will enable them to go back to their respective villages (sometimes in very remote areas) and be well equipped to become spiritual leaders who will be able to guide others in society.
Project: Airfare for Bhikkhuni Visuddhi to UK to Teach
Date: August 2012 Amount Donated: $195
Bhikkhuni Visuddhi
Organizers of the International Bhikkhuni Day in the UK had been in contact with Bhikkuni Visuddhi in the Czech Republic and wished to have her come do a teaching. In keeping with our goal of education, AfB paid for the airfare for Bhikkhuni Visuddhi to travel from the Czech Republic to the UK.
Project: The Cost of Attending the Sakyadhita Conference for Underprivileged Indian Nuns
Date: September 2012 Amount Donated: $1200
Date: : November 2012 Amount Donated: $1100
13th Sakyadhita Annual International Conference on Buddhist Women in Vaishali (Bihar) India, January 5-12, 2013. Sakyadhita, “Daughters of the Buddha,” is the world’s leading international organization of Buddhist women. It is an alliance of women(and men) committed to transforming the lives of Buddhist women. Sakyadhita seeks to unite Buddhist women of diverse countries and traditions, to promote their welfare and to facilitate their work for the benefit of humanity. The conference theme for this year, “Buddhism at the Grassroots” highlighted the efforts and achievements of Buddhist women who look to alleviate the suffering of living beings “on the ground.” Visit the Sakyadhita International website: www.sakyadhita.org. AfB made a donation to Sakyadhita to help cover the transportation costs of underprivileged nuns who would not have been able to attend the conference.
Project: Donations To Mahapajapati Monastery Toward Ordination Ceremony
Date: November 2012 Amount Donated: $200 (directly from supporters for the event)
Alliance for Bhikkhuni provided funds for the purchase of farming implements to the International Women’s Meditation Center, a Buddhist Center for nuns in Rayong, Thailand. With the help of neighbors they hope to provide a garden that will sustain them in years to come.
Fruit saplingsMange tree and vegetable garden
Educating the Public About Bhikkhunis
In addition, fulfilling our secondary purpose to educate the public about bhikkhunis, we were able to continue publishing our beautiful and informative online magazine Present
Projects Funded 2012
Project: Paying Healthcare Premiums
When: Ongoing Amount: $13,672 per year
AfB is the steward of a fund by a generous donor designated to pay health care premiums and medical bills for members in good standing of the North American Bhikkhuni Association. This year the fund covered health care premiums for two bhikkhunis. (Note: as the fund goes down, we welcome donations to this account.)
Project: Production of a Video “A New Beginning” on Becoming a Bhikkhuni
Date: August 2012 Amount Donated: $450
Saranaloka Foundation is a nonprofit stewardship organization that was started in 2005 by a group of Buddhist lay practitioners for the purpose of bringing Theravada Buddhist nuns to the United States to visit and teach, and to establish a training monastery for women. The video is a story of developing a place of respect and opportunity for nuns, and the story of Ayya Anandabodhi and Ayya Santacitta and their path to becoming bhikkhunis. AfB made a contribution toward the production of the video which was shown at the recent Sakyadhita Conference in India. It can be viewed at: http://saranaloka.org/about/videos/.
Project: Construction of Temple Sat Saraniya Hermitage, Ontario, Canada (Ayya Medhanandi Bhikkhuni)
Date: August 2012 Amount Donated: $385
Last year AfB was pleased to be able to make a small contribution toward construction of the new temple at Sati Saraniya Hermitage in Ontario, Canada. We have followed the progress on their website http://satisaraniya.ca/ and were happy to hear from Abbess Ayya Medhanandi in June, 2013 of the opening and blessing ceremony for the new temple.
Project: Donation Toward Training Centre Construction Fund, Ayya Khema International Meditation Centre, Sri Lanka (Ayya Kusuma)
Date: August 2012 Amount Donated: $365
Alliance for Bhikkhunis was able to donate some funds for the establishment of a proper training centre in the capital city of Sri Lanka, Colombo, with in-house training facilities for about 20-30 persons at a time. The training courses will be conducted by senior bhikkhus and bhikkhunis, as well as lay teachers who are well versed in Buddha
Dhamma, meditational practices, social service, psychology, environmental conservation, and the English language. The centre will be purely for bhikkhunis and ten-precept nuns who will receive a comprehensive and sound training in all aspects that will enable them to go back to their respective villages (sometimes in very remote areas) and be well equipped to become spiritual leaders who will be able to guide others in society.
Project: Airfare for Bhikkhuni Visuddhi to UK to Teach
Date: August 2012 Amount Donated: $195
Organizers of the International Bhikkhuni Day in the UK had been in contact with Bhikkuni Visuddhi in the Czech Republic and wished to have her come do a teaching. In keeping with our goal of education, AfB paid for the airfare for Bhikkhuni Visuddhi to travel from the Czech Republic to the UK.
Project: The Cost of Attending the Sakyadhita Conference for Underprivileged Indian Nuns
Date: September 2012 Amount Donated: $1200
Date: : November 2012 Amount Donated: $1100
13th Sakyadhita Annual International Conference on Buddhist Women in Vaishali (Bihar) India, January 5-12, 2013. Sakyadhita, “Daughters of the Buddha,” is the world’s leading international organization of Buddhist women. It is an alliance of women(and men) committed to transforming the lives of Buddhist women. Sakyadhita seeks to unite Buddhist women of diverse countries and traditions, to promote their welfare and to facilitate their work for the benefit of humanity. The conference theme for this year, “Buddhism at the Grassroots” highlighted the efforts and achievements of Buddhist women who look to alleviate the suffering of living beings “on the ground.” Visit the Sakyadhita International website: www.sakyadhita.org. AfB made a donation to Sakyadhita to help cover the transportation costs of underprivileged nuns who would not have been able to attend the conference.
Project: Donations To Mahapajapati Monastery Toward Ordination Ceremony
Date: November 2012 Amount Donated: $200 (directly from supporters for the event)
Project: Farming Implements (Rattanavali Bhikkhuni)
Date: December 2012 Amount Donated: $450
Alliance for Bhikkhuni provided funds for the purchase of farming implements to the International Women’s Meditation Center, a Buddhist Center for nuns in Rayong, Thailand. With the help of neighbors they hope to provide a garden that will sustain them in years to come.
Educating the Public About Bhikkhunis
In addition, fulfilling our secondary purpose to educate the public about bhikkhunis, we were able to continue publishing our beautiful and informative online magazine Present