Benevolent Organisation for Development, Health and Insight
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The Benevolent Organisation for Development, Health and Insight is a Non-Governmental Organisation that undertakes sustainable interventions in the developing world. BODHI is an example of engaged Buddhism: their goal is "to utilise skillful means in helping sentient beings, in the developed as well as the developing world." Their activities are principally in Tibet, Thailand and the North of India, and their founding patron is His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
BODHI's projects include a revolving sheep bank, adult literacy programmes and health clinics such as the Jamseng Health Center, which is a branch of Gaden Relief, another example of engaged Buddhism. BODHI also assists with the purchasing of medical equipment, environmental programmes and animal/sanitation programmes.
As well as sustainability, one of the particularities of the organisation is its investment in smaller projects that have a direct impact on community education and health - examples being
- windmills to produce electricity
- solar cookers to reduce deforestation
- bicycles and educational material provided to rural schoolchildren in Thailand and Tibet
They make extensive use of local and visiting volunteers to maintain their project activities, including students, teachers and doctors.
BODHI was founded in 1989 and has directors in Australia and the USA. Its advisory board includes
- Robert Aitken
- Shelley Anderson
- Bob Brown
- Mila de Gimeno
- John Guillebaud
- Maurice King
- Christopher Queen
- David Rapport
- Sulak Sivaraksa
