Sarvodaya USA is a nonprofit organization dedicated to building a world of communities based on non-violence, service, and cooperation. Started in 1988, Sarvodaya USA builds upon the Sarvodaya Shramadana Movement of Sri Lanka.
Dr. A. T. Ariyaratne founded Sarvodaya in Sri Lanka in 1958, based on the Gandhian philosophy of Sarvodaya = Sarva (All) + Udaya (Awakening) = “Awakening of All”. He established the concept of Shramadana = Shrama (Labor) + Dana (Gift) = “Gift of Labor”.
Learn more on our history page.
Your tax-deductible donation supports our programming. We put every last cent to good use. Sarvodaya USA is a registered 501(c)(3) organization (13-3358148).
Vision
Our vision is a world of communities based on non-violence, service, and cooperation.
Mission
Our mission is to facilitate individual and community development to meet basic human needs, reduce material, social and spiritual poverty, and enhance the quality of life for all.
Values
All human beings must have access to resources to meet their basic needs.
All human beings have the capacity to give and receive, and in the process, to transform themselves, the environment, and their society.
All people’s common interests and strengths can transcend differences in ethnicity, gender, physical or mental ability, nationality, social class, age, and other attributes.
The solutions to challenges such as poverty, conflict, and ecological imbalances require a holistic approach that involves building sustainable economies, providing social support, and integrating the insights of spirituality. These challenges can best be overcome in communities in which the power to make decisions is shared among many people at all levels of society.