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Motivation: Compassion
Mitgefühl in Aktion e.V. (MiA) is an independent Buddhist relief organization founded in 2019, following an initiative of the Suttanta Community together with Bhikkhu Bodhi.
Together with our partner Buddhist Global Relief we support projects of development cooperation.
We work according to the principle of helping people to help themselves and sustainability and provide emergency aid in crisis areas. Our main focus is on fighting hunger and supporting girls and women through education.
The association is supported solely by its membership fees, which cover all administrative and transfer costs. Our promise is: Everything you donate to the aid projects flows 100% into the project work on the field and saves lives. The association is recognized as a non-profit aid organization based in Hamburg and currently has official 32 members.
Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi, Patron of MiA
"Mitgefühl in Aktion e.V. was founded as a sister organization to Buddhist Global Relief, USA, in order to contribute more effectively together to the global fight against injustice, hunger and people in need. Together we do much important work to alleviate the suffering of people around the world and give them the opportunity for a meaningful and fulfilling life."
Raimund Hopf, Chairman, Association management
"As a Buddhist, I have always been uncomfortable practicing for my freedom from suffering and only meditating without also working to alleviate the suffering of others. So when Bhikkhu Bodhi agreed to join us in 2018 on a visit to Hamburg to start a European relief organization along the lines of Buddhist Global Relief, I thought, wow, I would love to get involved in that."
Dr. Karla Henning, Vice Chair, Strategies and Fundraising
"When I heard about MiA, the desire to get involved in this work arose in me. This is where two facets of my life meet, my long professional background in international development cooperation and my personal Buddhist practice. A clear view of the situation in the world combined with compassion motivates me to take responsibility."
Kirsten Schulte, Treasurer
"In knowing that we have a roof over our head, enough to eat and so many, often unnecessary riches, wouldn't it be painful to see others suffer and don't share anything? How wonderful that we can do this visibly here at MiA, Mitgefühl in Aktion, as Buddhists, because for me this path of feeling the connectedness with all beings develops with increasing practice and understanding of the path, the dhamma."
Olivia Haas, Relief Project Coordination
"As a Buddhist and a mother, I want to teach my sons not only with words what it means to be kind and compassionate, but to show them how to help others. We are one big human family and we should not look the other way, we should be brave, take responsibility and give a helping hand to everyone. With MiA, this compassion comes into action, the ideal goes into practice and it makes me very happy to make a small contribution to this work."
Why one more charity?
Malnutrition is again a growing global problem. It will remain the greatest global need in the face of the climate crisis, the consequences of COVID 19, and the war in Ukraine.... So can there be too many relief organizations?
Why "Mitgefühl in Aktion e.V."?
For too long, Buddhist practitioners have associated 'compassion' primarily with a sublime feeling expressed in a purely benevolent attitude or experienced or developed in meditation. Compassion, however, is directly aimed at the welfare of others or their suffering. It therefore seems somehow incomplete if it does not also manifest itself in acts of selfless love or help.
With "Mitgefühl in Aktion e.V." (Compassion in Action) we therefore want to create an opportunity for even more European Buddhists and people of goodwill to get involved together and actively help others in need. We would like to show that we as Buddhists feel co-responsibility for the well-being of all beings.
"Mitgefühl in Aktion e.V." is a cross-traditional Buddhist aid organisation which, according to its statutes, does not finance religious projects. It supports humanitarian aid projects and sustainable development cooperation aimed at equal participation and healthy livelihoods. The association is open to all people who can identify with it. Compassion is a universal human ability!
We would like to invite not only Buddhist groups, organisations and people to join this goal and to set a cross-traditional sign of love and co-responsibility in a world, our world, where food and economic opportunities are so unequally distributed.
Generosity (Dāna) is the most fundamental of all Buddhist practices. Please help generously to enable sustainable and long-term relief projects against hunger and need. May all beings be happy and free from oppression!
Address
Mitgefühl in Aktion e.V. is a non-profit association registered in the Lübeck Register of Associations under 4774 HL, revenue Nr. is 17/450/10330
Mitgefühl in Aktion e.V.
Dorfstr. 5
21493 Basthorst
Germany