Isha Foundation

Scarborough, Ontario, M1C 5B7 Canada

Mission Statement

Isha Foundation is a volunteer-run organization that aims to bring physical, mental, and spiritual well-being for everyone

About This Cause

Isha Foundation is a volunteer-run organization that conducts Yoga Programs aimed to raise every human being to the peak of their potential, so that they are exuberant, all-inclusive, and in harmony within themselves and the world. Together with its active and dedicated volunteer base, the Foundation's activities serve as a thriving model for human empowerment and community revitalization throughout the world. Isha Foundation, a vibrant spiritual movement also implements several large-scale human service projects to support individual growth, revitalize the human spirit, rebuild communities, and restore the environment. These include: A. Cauvery Calling Cauvery Calling is a large-scale ecological movement launched by Sadhguru in 2019 to revitalize the Cauvery River. It aims to rejuvenate the Cauvery River through large-scale adoption of tree-based agriculture. It aims to revitalize the Cauvery River by facilitating 5.2 Million farmers to plant 2.42 Billion trees on their farmlands through tree-based agriculture. Cauvery Calling addresses pressing environmental challenges including river depletion, water scarcity, soil degradation, and climate change, while simultaneously enhancing rural prosperity. The initiative directly impacts 84 Million people and serves as a scalable model for river revitalization across tropical regions worldwide. Cauvery Calling is the world's largest farmer-driven ecological movement. It empowers farmers to shift toward agroforestry on their private farmlands, thereby improving their income by 300-800%, increasing soil organic content, enhancing groundwater recharge, and contributing significantly to carbon sequestration. The project implementation focuses on three strategic pillars: • Awareness and Education: Building farmer and public awareness about tree-based agriculture. • Sapling Production and Planting: Facilitating access to high-quality saplings at a token cost and supporting farmers during planting. • Continuous Farmer Support: Providing ongoing technical assistance through farm consultancy, a dedicated farmer helpline, and digital educational resources. • Project objectives This project seeks to: o Grow high-value trees to boost the income of 52 lakh farmers by 300 - 800% o To plant 2.42 Billion trees across a third of the Cauvery basin, estimating to sequester 9 to 12 trillion liters of water and cause the river to flow again o To establish a model for rivers across the tropical world, home to 470 crore people, where rivers are forest-fed instead of glacier-fed B. Isha Vidhya Isha Vidhya aims to transform the lives of rural children by providing affordable, high-quality education. The schools are designed to educate and nurture the well-being of rural children on all levels. Isha Vidhya is committed to raising the level of education and literacy in rural India and helping disadvantaged children realize their full potential. The project seeks to ensure quality education for children in rural areas, opening the door for them to participate in and benefit from India’s economic growth. Isha Vidhya's English-medium schools use innovative methods for the overall development and blossoming of each student. The schools empower rural children to meet future challenges. C. Action for Rural Rejuvenation Isha Outreach's Action for Rural Rejuvenation (ARR), spearheaded by Sadhguru in 2003, integrates allopathic and alternative medicine, providing primary health care to rural communities, while educating them about preventative health measures via camps. It also includes Siddha, to provide primary and preventive healthcare to underserved rural communities. Allopathic as well as, alternative medical solutions are provided, as preventative health awareness is raised through the camps. Through a hub-and-spoke model consisting of fixed Isha Rural Health Clinics (IRHCs), Mobile Health Clinics (MHCs) and health camps, ARR has reached over 5.4 Million beneficiaries across Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. It also incorporates powerful yoga practices and community games to support well-being. • Project objectives: This project seeks to: • Offer cost-free healthcare services to rural communities through Mobile Health Clinics (MHC) • Provide low cost affordable healthcare services to rural communities through Isha Rural Health Clinics (IRHCs) • Enhance public health awareness and deliver holistic preventive healthcare • Reach underserved women, children, and elderly in rural and tribal areas • Means of carrying out the project effectively The urgent need for rural health interventions calls for sustained and scalable measures. This includes both curative services and preventive health education. Our implementation model includes the following components, supported by a dedicated team of doctors, physician assistants, paramedics, support staff, and drivers: • Mobile Health Clinics (MHCs): Specially designed vehicles that offer weekly or fortnightly free medical services—including diagnosis, basic treatment, medicine distribution, and health camps—in remote villages. • Isha Rural Health Clinics (IRHCs): Permanent clinics located in core villages that provide allopathic, Siddha, and Ayurvedic consultations, diagnostics, and minor procedures. • Arokiya Alai - Health Awareness & Medical Camps: Regular community-based camps that provide multi-speciality consultations and promote healthy living through awareness on hygiene, nutrition, lifestyle, and traditional remedies. • Volunteer-based organization: The project is rooted in a spirit of service. Many senior professionals offer their expertise without remuneration, creating a culture that inspires salaried staff to work with equal commitment and compassion. • Services made affordable or made available at no cost. Urban standards of healthcare made available to rural beneficiaries D. Save Soil Movement After Sadhguru's 100-day solo biking campaign across 27 nations, bringing global attention to soil degradation. Covering over 30,000 km from the London to South India, Sadhguru joined PM Narendra Modi for the Save Soil Movement. Efforts aim to raise soil organic content to 3-6% in across the planet. With 52% of agricultural land already degraded, urgent action is crucial. Since 2008, Sadhguru's Isha Agro Movement has focused on farmer prosperity and soil regeneration, promoting ecologically sustainable practices through farmer-to-farmer knowledge sharing. In 2022, the Save Soil Movement saw unprecedented traction: 81 nations began developing soil-focused policies. In 2023, at COP28 in Dubai, the first-ever Declaration on Sustainable Agriculture, Resilient Food Systems, and Climate Action was passed with 134 signatories. Sadhguru and the Save Soil team were present to celebrate and support this landmark achievement. • Project description: The Save Soil Movement has attracted the attention of policymakers both in India and across the globe. Close to 81 nations are in the process of framing their soil regeneration policies. The Indian Government is actively promoting Natural Farming to restore soil health. The National Institute of Agricultural Extension Management (MANAGE) is signed an MoU after successful stakeholder meetings. SS-TKV is aligned with national government programs, as well as global initiatives like the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), UNCCD, by supporting sustainable agriculture, restoring soil health, and revitalizing rural livelihoods. • Project objectives: The project focuses on increasing farmer income and improving soil health through regenerative agricultural practices The specific objectives are to : • Educate and transition farmers to Regenerative Farming Methodologies o Access to successful farmers and resource leaders. o Access to successful model farms • Provide a reliable and robust support system that o Responds within a 24-hour turnaround time o Has experienced field staff available to visit farms for guidance and support o Provides technical guidance on social media platforms such as YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp to reach a large number of farmers. • Means of carrying out Project effectively: • Training Programs: Workshops, mega training events (800+ participants every 2 months), farmer-to-farmer trainings. • Model Farms: Two farms over 42 acres to demonstrate and train on regenerative techniques. • Handholding Support: WhatsApp groups, helplines, farm visits, one-on-one support. • Farmer Networks: Over 51,000 farmers connected via 242 WhatsApp groups. • Content Creation: Training manuals, video tutorials and social media outreach. • Market Access Initiatives: Developing platforms for direct farmer-consumer interaction. • Volunteer Mobilization: Building a movement led by lead farmers and volunteers. • Partnership with Government: Supporting policy shifts towards natural farming. • Aimed impact of Project: o These are the major outcomes expected from the operation in the FY 2025-26:  Train 9000+ farmers and support the transition of 3000+ farmers to regenerative agriculture.  Improve soil fertility by increasing organic matter and soil biodiversity.  Field validate soil biology-based regenerative agriculture in our own model farms.  Develop “model farmers” in the top five crops in each district  Create package of practices for all major crops in Tamil Nadu tailored for each agro-climatic condition.  Strengthen direct market access for regenerative farmers.  Support government initiatives by providing consultation on policy and execution of sustainable agriculture programs. • End goals of Project: o Increase in farmer income through:  Increased yields  Reduced chemical inputs and labour costs  Lowered crop diseases and pest issues o Benefits to ecology:  Increase in organic content and biodiversity in soil  Increase in water holding capacity of soil  Increase in the nutritional index of the food

Isha Foundation
Isha Foundation 26 Trellanock Avenue
Scarborough, Ontario M1C 5B7
Canada
Phone 1-416-300-3010
Unique Identifier 827218991RR0001