Thank You for Everyone’s Support!
50 Events in 15 Countries Participated

Now more than ever, we are called to take action.

Join YGB’s esteemed Advisors and Ambassadors supporting this global campaign to give back to Mother India, who gave us the eternal gift of YOGA.
Just follow easy steps below.

Anouk Prop

“Being part of team Yoga Gives Back the Netherlands & Belgium, we already organized many events in the last years to raise funding and awareness for the women and children in India, the country where yoga has its origins. Now the time has come for some real action at the source. In India, for children, since they are the essence of existence. That’s my deepest motivation to volunteer at one of the sister aid projects of YGB, orphanage Deenabandhu Trust since October, 2014. My goal is to help as many orphans by supporting them directly in practice (psychotherapy and yoga) and by raising funds for them to grow and develop to their full capacity. To reinforce this, I climbed the Kilimanjaro mountain in 2015, dedicated to the orphans in Deenabandhu. With this extraordinary endeavor Expedition KILI, I would like to inspire other people to take action as well. For me, planting a seed on the top of the world for love and acceptance is a dream that comes true.”

Birgette Kristen

“Yoga is an amazing and gift to the world. I am so very thankful for yoga and the opportunity to help spread the profound and ancient teachings. In meeting with Kayoko, I was immediately convinced to be part of Yoga Gives Back. It is her passion, heart, and integrity that is the backbone of this beautiful organization. Yes, I am happy to give back, empowering women and children in India to build sustainable livelihoods.”

Chad Hamrin

“If people stay with the idea concept of Yoga and really do embrace the practice Vinyasa, Vipassana. Take a deep inner look everyday, start to open up their heart, start to get to know themselves in different ways and start giving back to the world in general for all the wonderful gifts that we received in our lives. Yoga Gives Back is taking it back to the source mother India. If we can spread the seed of that throughout India and throughout the world I think we would have a good thing going on.”

Chama

“I am always working to be able to practice YOGA, in addition to instructing yoga. I will be very happy if my participation in Yoga Gives Back will create an opportunity to everyone to think about practicing YOGA while bringing happiness in others’ lives.”

Chuck Miller

London

David Swenson

ashtanga.net

Deepika Mehta

Elena Brower

“Yoga Gives Back grants us a direct way to offer concrete, valuable support to our sisters in India. Rather than giving them funds that will eventually be depleted, Yoga Gives Back inspires and encourages their creative vision, enabling them to become businesswomen who sustain their homes and families with their ideas. With Yoga Gives Back, the women served have same chance that we have in our society.”

Gurmukh

Harmony Slater

“Yoga Gives Back is an inspiring, transformative organization that invests in one of India’s most valuable and yet, underrated resources: women. By empowering these motivated women to create something for themselves, their families, and their communities, and by encouraging them to further invest in their children’s education, this simple act of micro-financing becomes powerful enough to change the lives of many generations. As a daughter, wife, and mother, my heart was deeply touched by the testimonies of the women whose lives have been forever changed because of their involvement with this non-profit organization. India is a place that is very close to my heart, and I, personally, have been forever changed because of my connection to Her, and Her gift of Yoga. India is a country where my spirit feels very much at home, and my heart breaks for so many women there who work so hard to support their families, and yet, are often victims of abuse and inequality. My life has been blessed by India in more ways than I can express, and by several great Teachers, Gurus, who have brought me out of darkness and into the light. I feel that Yoga Gives Back is an opportunity to share this light with the people, the sisters, who reside in the country of my heart and truly need our assistance. It is a tangible way for me to say “thank you” to Mother India for all that She has given to us, and continues to share.”

California

Kia Miller

kiamiller.com

Kino MacGregor

“The daily practice of Ashtanga Yoga has transformed my life and through Yoga Gives Back I have the chance to give something back to the home of Ashtanga Yoga in the world in India. For as little as the cost of one yoga class you can change someone’s life in India. Yoga helps Westerners find peace and thus make their lives more sustainable. With the power of micro-financing Yoga Gives Back helps Indian women gain access to opportunities that would otherwise simply not exist. I am honored to do what I can for Yoga Gives Back.”

Laruga Glaser

“The practice of yoga has been a lifeline. The moment I tasted the spaciousness the practice awakened within, there was no turning back. From then on, I have never been the same, and that spaciousness inside has been filled with a deep sense of gratitude for the vast lineage of teachers and aspirants who came before me in the backdrop of India. To be aligned with Yoga Gives Back fills me with energy and purpose. Giving those the resources to better the lives of women and their families, through Microfinance, lights a flame that will be passed on through generations just as the tradition of yoga has. A circle I am honored to be a part of in any little way I can serve.”
California

Lauren Peterson

yogacompanion.com

Lisa Walford

“My teacher B. K. S. Iyengar always said that “Generosity does not impoverish.” I’m so incredibly grateful for the opportunity I’ve been given to giving back in particular to the country from which Iyengar came from, India. There are those of us to whom generosity, gratitude is kind of the core who we are. I think for those of us who have the capacity to cultivate that muscle, that heart muscle of gratitude is a tremendous practice in small ways, in big ways.”

Japan

Maneesh Kalra

manthan-yoga.com

Marc Holzman

I am a Yoga Gives Back ambassador not out of mere generosity, but because it is a duty and responsibility, as someone born into privilege, to look after the least amongst us. India is the motherland of Yoga – and Yoga is a gift that both enhances my life and has saved my life. My gratitude is immeasurable. Yoga Gives Back is dedicated to raising awareness and funds to alleviate poverty in India. If you are enjoying the riches of Yoga in your life, won’t you join me in channeling your gratitude into action. “…we are privileged, and the duty of privilege is absolute integrity.” ~ John O’Donohue

Mark Robberds

“My life has been blessed by the gift of Yoga and India is the source of this wealth of knowledge that has the potential to uplift the lives of all people from all walks of life across the planet. When we take part in the journey of Yoga there is a natural and spontaneous opening of our own heart of compassion, and we want to help our brothers and sisters, fathers and mothers, especially those less fortunate than us. This is why I am proud to be an Ambassador for YGB. It is the greatest honor to be able to share my love of Yoga with others and at the same time give back to those in need in Mother India. I hope to see you at the next YGB event! “

Marysia Do

“As an individual who lives with a certain amount of abundance I believe it is my responsibility to give back to the community. I choose to give my time and energy to Yoga Gives Back because by supporting micro credit programs the organization grants women and children in India the opportunity to not only have a good life, but also to contribute to their local community.”

Michiko Minegishi

“While we acknowledge our blessing to be able to practice yoga, we should never forget about those who suffer from poverty and hardships in this world. One person can do only so much, but we can achieve tremendous work when our thoughts come together. I would like to take part in Yoga Gives Back to be part of such community of action.”

Radha & Prem

“I want to see yoga available for all people everywhere, and particularly want to support other women and children, who deserve the same opportunities that I have been blessed to have in my life as yoga shaped my entire life.”

Sarah Platt-Finger

“The real question is: why wouldn’t I want to support YGB? As someone who has chosen her life’s purpose as a Yoga Teacher, and being the mother to a daughter myself, I feel passionate about empowering people – especially women – through yoga. Yoga has the ability to heal and transform others and YGB is doing just that to the women and children of India through its educational funds micro-loans. In my eyes, it is my duty to give back to the the people, the culture and the spirit of India because I would not be where or who I am without its wisdom.”

Seane Corn

“I am so proud to be an ambassador for Yoga Gives Back- an organization that supports the women and children of India. I honor their vision and hard work and know that so many benefit from their dedication to serve a culture and its people who have done so much to enhance the lives and beliefs of yogis like me.”

Tim Feldman

“As an aspirant of yoga I have found myself looking for personally meaningful ways to help sustain all things in this world of ours. to somehow contribute to establishing a living with the least amount of suffering for some young people in an area of the world which is both without much abundance and yet a place which I hold dear in my heart, is one step to fulfill such meaningful service for me. the privilege of simply backing an initiative already established instead of having to create one from the ground up makes it both easy and simple for me to lend a hand. YGB is an initiative whom have trust and it is my honor to be helping out as an ambassador.”
Check Global Calendar here for all classes listings

While many of us are blessed to have yoga practice that sustains us at this difficult time, many women and children in India are struggling for their lives due to enormous stress added by the nationwide Covid-19 lockdown and the catastrophic Cyclone Amphan in West Bengal.

India’s COVID-19 nation-wide lock down has caused 500 impoverished mothers of YGB’s micro loans programs in rural villages of West Bengal to lose their job and daily income. Many of 700 young girls under YGB’s education programs are facing their family’s financial pressure to drop out of school and get married.

On top of all of this, Cyclone Amphan hit the rural villages outside of Kolkata very hard. Many of our 1200 fund recipients in the region lost their homes. They need to rebuild everything.

India has generously given the world the eternal gift of yoga. It is our goal to create a community of #OneMillionYogis to give back especially at this time.

Over the past 13 years, Yoga Gives Back has empowered nearly 1400 mothers and children in India with micro loans and education funds, each with a five-year commitment.

Thank you to these generous sponsors

Our goal is to raise $50,000 with this global campaign to ensure our assistance to urgent relief needs to rebuild lives as well as YGB’s micro loan and education programs to empower underserved women and children.

Are you in?

It’s easy.

Host one class:

a- Register your event below

b- Download Event Tool Kit
(YGB logo, Flyer Template, Press Kit)

c- Promote Your Event
(YGB will post your event on Global Calendar and Social Media)

d- Use this link for direct donation or payment

* If you use this link for all donation payments, make sure that your event’s attendees mention the host teacher’s name in this payment form.

Let’s come together as the force of #OneMillionYogis!

Additionally, there are two other ways to have immediate impact:

Thank you in advance for your contribution and support of the underserved women and children in India.

Any inquiries, please write to info@yogagivesback.org.
Namaste.

Question? Comment? Want to hold a fundraising event?
Contact Us

TESTIMONIALS

Join the Community

“I immediately resonated with Yoga Gives Back’s ethos as it truly shows karma yoga in action. When I look at the kind of aid the YGB campaigns support, I see how not only “the price of one yoga class can change a life” but potentially generations. Being able to support women to start a business or gain vocational skills to help them move out of poverty, cultivate entrepreneurship and gain independence will have a profound effect on their whole families now and in the future. So what to us might seem like a drop in the ocean will create a lasting rippling effect. This is such an inspiring way to create sustained change. Supporting YGB also gives me the opportunity to give something back to the motherland of my practice, the practice for which I am so profoundly grateful. Yoga shows me how to find freedom and choice in my own life, so I am honored to be working with YGB to provide the women we support in India with freedom and choices which aren’t naturally available to them.”

Tanja Mickwitz
YGB Ambassador, London

“What a beautiful day we had in the Stadspark Maastricht were we celebrated International Yoga Day 2018 together for Yoga Gives Back! With the summer sun on our faces accompanied by a soft breeze we took the time to stand still by the country that gave us the gift of yoga and where many women and children live in sadness and poverty. In a flow of meditation, asana and deep relaxation we connected with our hearts and the essence of the true meaning of yoga.The unifying vibes of yoga were going through the park connecting us and many #onemillionyogisglobally spreading the intentions of world peace and happiness. Thank you all for your presence, positive energy, connection and great donations for Yoga Gives Back!
Show your gratitude and compassion as a yoga practitioner, yoga teacher or just as a human being and join us in supporting real change. No one ever became poor of giving. Are you with us?”

Anouk Prop
YGB Ambassador, The Netherlands

“Recently, the most unfathomable thing happened to me. I was laid off from my job as a Pharmacist Project Manager after working for the same organization for 33 years. It was a shocking experience that I will never forget. Instead of wallowing in my sorrow, I chose to help those who need help. Since a year ago, I started practicing Yoga and Meditation to relief stress and anxiety. I met the founder of Yoga Gives Back (YGB) at a Yoga pop up class. Yoga Gives Back is an organization that helps empower women and provide scholarship to children and orphans by using ‘Micro-financing’, an unconventional financing to support women to start their own businesses.”

Mai Li
Volunteer, Los Angeles

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