Shanti Uganda is a project that I am seriously excited about! The women that started this project are deeply committed to the vision of yoga as a healing tool and are doing wonderful work to spread the love and peace (shanti) of the practice. If you happen to be here in the Portland area I currently teach a weekly class to raise money for the project and I will be traveling to Uganda this winter to volunteer with the project for a few months. Class schedule here.

(Excerpt from site)
The Shanti Uganda Society began with a vision to bring the healing power of yoga to communities experiencing trauma in Uganda. Kim Ridgewell and Natalie Angell began to discuss ways to make this vision a reality and with the support of friends and family created ‘Shanti Uganda’. In 2007, Natalie left for Uganda and worked at a local school, began a yoga program for children and supported birthing women at a health clinic. Here, she met Lubwama Julius, who was a teacher at the school. Over the next year they began to support additional schools in the region and an income generating group for women with HIV/AIDS. The Shanti Uganda Society incorporated in 2008.

Shanti is a Sanskrit word meaning peace. It reflects the belief that peace begins within. In order for communities to develop a greater sense of solidarity and unity, they must first allow themselves to heal from within and act from a place of love and compassion.

The Africa Yoga Project works to empower youth, build a global community and increase well-being in East Africa.
They have introduced hundreds of students in Kenya to the practice of yoga, and provide educational scholarships, job training
food stipends, temporary housing and health services.
The core group of students is from impoverished backgrounds in Nairobi, Kenya, and are between 16-30 years old and live on under $2 per day. Many are personally affected by HIV/AIDS and are living/have once lived on the streets.

AYP has created and works to sustain the ”Amani Circus” – “Amani” is the Kiswahili word for Peace. Amani Circus was created in 2008 in response to a two month period of electoral violence in Kenya that cost over 1000 lives and left 300,000 Kenyans homeless. The circus created is built on the themes of Chaos and Stillness and the peace that can be found between. This peace circus travels to the areas affected by violence and is a platform for youth leadership & non-violence.

 They are working to construct a center where youth can learn yoga, as well as other movement arts such as acrobatics and dance. The center will be a safe place to spend time, helping them to keep away from the glue- sniffing, stealing and begging that is so often the norm for those living on the streets. They will also learn skills that they can use to earn money by performing, and will receive the physical and mental stimulation that these children so often crave.

They will host a 2009 teacher training of young adults that hail from similar backgrounds so that they can become yoga teachers. These young adults have otherwise limited means of earning a living due to limited access to education during their own childhood. By training them to become teachers they will not only be supported by working with the street children that are part of the Africa Yoga Project, but will also be able to teach in their own time to the wealthier community in Nairobi.

Learn more and support them! Africa Yoga Project

 
Why Yoga?
Yoga reveals our authentic selves, perfect and flawed, uncovers our limitless potential to embrace change and to take action. The practice of yoga does not only work for upper class westerners, but for Kenyans too. Yoga transforms limitations into power.
Yoga revolutionizes our body, our emotions, our relationships and our ability to serve the greater good.

**All text excerpted from AYP site- Check ‘em out!!**