Background

Krama Yoga exists to support personal transformation and empowerment by offering yoga and life skills to children and adolescents who may be challenged by poverty, abuse, addictions, or lack of familial support. Krama Yoga is a non- political, non-profit, non-governmental Cambodian organization legally registered in the Kingdom of Cambodia since October 2010. The seeds of Krama Yoga were planted in November 2008 when seven young Cambodians began intensive yoga training under the founder and yoga teacher, Isabelle Skaburskis, assisted by a qualified Cambodian yoga teacher, Yan Vannac. By 2010, the training had evolved into an apprenticeship program geared specifically to the needs of young Cambodians from under-privileged backgrounds and came to include outreach classes taught by the apprentices for over 300 children and adolescents from children’s NGOs, orphanages and rehabilitation shelters. As of March 2011, all teachers at Krama Yoga are internationally certified instructors, having completed in-house teacher training as well as external certification programs with international yoga trainers. Krama Yoga provides gainful and fulfilling careers for the core team members and aims to create future employment opportunities for other young people who are now growing up with yoga.

Value

Krama Yoga values, as embodied in our teaching and organizational structure, are inspired by the Yamas and Niyamas of yoga philosophy, the core tenets of Cambodian Buddhism, and the secular articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. We believe in the innate value of every human being and every living thing, and the inviolable right of living things to be shown respect Self-awareness is the basis of an empowered life Cultivating self-awareness and self-love enables a person to develop relationships based on mutual compassion and respect A supportive community has the power to elevate an individual to achieve his or her potential Every person has the potential and right to lead a meaningful and socially fulfilling life and live according to his or her own values

Mission

The mission of Krama Yoga is to build and sustain a yoga community for people from all backgrounds, by providing yoga-based classes and programs that cultivate healthy bodies and peaceful minds. Our mission is achieved through kids, teen and trauma sensitive yoga classes for young Cambodians through partnerships with NGOs that offer educational or therapeutic services to underprivileged youth. Krama Yoga believes that awareness and self-care skills are essential to becoming stable and empowered adults in a changing social environment.

Vision

A community based on a shared understanding and commitment to healthy and non-violent living. A community that believes that bringing peace in society starts by finding peace within one’s self and that positive relationships and mindful living enables such peace to last.

Goal

Krama Yoga will continue to develop the BodySmart Lifeskills program curriculum, including teaching manuals and student books for future teachers Krama Yoga will continue to run an apprenticeship program for serious students of our BodySmart Lifeskills program who have a genuine interest in becoming yoga teachers Krama Yoga will elevate its teaching to an international standard by sending Cambodian teachers abroad for intensive training opportunities, as well as continuing to bring in world-class teachers and teacher trainers for in-country professional development Krama Yoga will promote public yoga classes in Khmer language at Nataraj Studio and disseminate information about yoga on television and in Khmer language media with the intention to awaken a national interest in the practice of yoga