Vipassana Community Foundation

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Vipassana Community Foundation

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The Vipassana Community Foundation (VCF) supports the spread of Vipassana Meditation Centers globally.

Our mission is to provide resources for the spread of Vipassana Meditation as taught by S.N. Goenka in the tradition of Sayagyi U Ba Khin around the globe, by providing grants and capacity building investments to new and existing centers worldwide.

09/15/2026

The entrance path and garden at Dhamma Janani in Lumbini, Nepal, have been completed.

This work was finished earlier this year as part of the center's expansion project, which began in 2024 and is planned to continue through 2027. The path runs outside the main gate, along the road students walk before a course begins. It is a modest piece of a much larger plan, and the kind of work that becomes invisible once it is finished.

Dhamma Janani currently offers around 19 to 20 courses each year, with 800 to 1,000 students sitting there annually.

The work was partly supported by a grant made possible through the volition of old students. VCF serves as a bridge, helping old students direct dana to centers when giving directly is not practical.

Old students who wish to support the expansion of Dhamma Janani can learn more on the fund page: https://vcf.dhamma.org/nepal-janani

May these efforts continue for the benefit of many.

09/01/2026

More Ground for Dhamma Bhanu

Three parcels of land next to the center in Kyoto now belong to Dhamma Bhanu: woodland, low-lying ground, and mountain forest along its edges. That means more parking, wider walking areas for male students, and a protective ring of trees around the site.

The land came first for a reason. The local team is working through a full review of the construction master plan for Dhamma Bhanu, and settling the boundaries had to happen before anything else could be planned properly. Negotiations for one more parcel, the valley water intake area, are still going on.

The center covered the cost in large part from its own funds. In addition to this, international old students who wished to help were able to direct their danā through VCF.

If you feel the volition to support the next stage of work at Dhamma Bhanu, the center's page is here: https://vcf.dhamma.org/japan-bhanu

With mettā. 🙏

08/05/2026

Something quiet and beautiful has taken shape in Araçoiaba, Pernambuco, Brazil. A new center called Dhamma Punnama, which in Pali means "the full moon of Dhamma", has just welcomed students for its very first 10-day course.

Getting here took many stages and many hands. Old students internationally felt moved to give, and through VCF their dana reached the work itself, covering part of what it cost. The entire first building at the center was plastered, the kitchen and bathrooms tiled, the exterior painting completed. Sixty mattresses are now in place for meditators. The dining hall has been furnished, and the kitchen is equipped.

On August 1, Dhamma Punnama opened its doors for the first time, with 50 students now holding the first 10-day course at this center. It's a meaningful milestone for a this new center prepared with care, ready to offer the conditions for many people to learn and practice Vipassana.

May all beings benefit from this Dhamma center.

07/30/2026

A new project is now open on the Vipassana Community Foundation Website.

At Dhamma Pubbananda — the first urban Vipassana center in North America, in Claymont, Delaware — work has begun on the last of its original buildings. The expansion will add 25 private single rooms and 30 meditation cells, growing the center's capacity from 43 to 60 students. More room to sit, more room to serve, in a settled environment for years to come.

VCF acts as a bridge, helping old students direct their dana to projects like this one, when direct giving isn’t possible or practical. If you feel the volition to support this center as it grows, you can now do so through VCF.

Learn more here: https://vcf.dhamma.org/us-pubbananda

With gratitude to all whose quiet service keeps the wheel of Dhamma turning.

07/23/2026

Dhamma Kota sits on 21 acres in Gujarat, India, with space for 250 students to sit a course. The Dhamma hall, kitchen, office, and residences for students, teachers, and Dhamma servers are all in place — the first phase of building is complete.

The second phase is under construction now, along with the meditation cells (Shunyagar).

Old students who wished to help were able to direct their dana through VCF supporting a small part of the project at this stage of the work.

07/17/2026

Letting plants do the cleaning: Dhamma Viriya, Argentina

At Dhamma Viriya in Argentina, work is underway to improve the center’s wastewater treatment system — and we’re happy to share how it’s progressing.

Building on earlier improvements, the local team is expanding the system by building a natural, plant-based treatment stage. This new stage will eliminate odors, significantly reduce the organic load of the wastewater, and move the center closer to its long-term goal of producing water suitable for irrigation.

Through VCF, international old students who wished to support were able to direct dana toward this project, helping the local team continue this essential work.
Projects like this may not be the most visible, but they help create and maintain the conditions that allow centers to serve students for years to come.

07/03/2026

In February and March, two Vipassana courses (a 3-day and a 10-day) were held in Bilene, Mozambique.

Mozambique does not yet have a dedicated meditation centre, so each course is created from the ground up. Servers prepared the rented venue, carried and set up the equipment and cooked — so that others could sit in silence and work seriously with the technique.

Old student volition made the sittings a reality, with VCF serving simply as a bridge, helping old-student dana reach where it was needed.

To everyone who sat, served, and supported from near and far: a quiet thank you. May the practice keep growing, steadily and patiently, in Mozambique and across Africa.

06/27/2026

With the volition of international old students, VCF has been supporting Dhamma Phala's next chapter: the construction of a new dining hall in the Philippines. As always, VCF serves simply as a bridge. It's the wholesome intention of old students that makes projects like this possible.

While this project is still in its early phases, steady progress is being made. Alongside the beautiful Dhamma Hall completed at the end of 2024, the planning and architectural work for a new, permanent dining hall is now underway - a space that will eventually allow the center to welcome up to 60 students per course.

Scroll through the photos to see the completed Dhamma Hall, the current dining facilities, and a digital rendering of what's planned ahead.

Recent efforts have focused on finalizing the Dhamma Hall's electrical work, completing outstanding payments, and preparing the architectural drawings and plans for the new dining hall.

Read more about the ongoing projects at Dhamma Phala here: https://vcf.dhamma.org/philippines

May this continued progress benefit many. 🙏

06/22/2026

Recent updates from Sri Lanka show how local centers have continued to adapt and improve conditions for students.

Following Cyclone Ditwah, food and essential item prices increased significantly across the region. While centers faced additional needs, the generosity of returning old students helped reduce immediate pressures and created space for longer-term improvements.

At Dhamma Arana in Wellavaya, the foundation and columns for the dining hall are up and the walls are underway. Completing the dining hall roof is important so that the center can welcome its first students.

At Dhamma Kuta, new footwear racks now help keep shoes dry, organized, and protected from leeches during rainy periods. Updated timetable displays and improved food-waste collection systems have also enhanced daily operations around the center.

At Dhamma Sobha, new hot-water shower facilities were installed to address increasingly cold morning temperatures. These improvements have been especially beneficial for elderly students, helping make course conditions more comfortable. New water filtration systems were also added near the meditation hall.

VCF serves as a bridge, helping old students direct dana to centers and projects when international giving is difficult but meaningful.

With much mettā to all three communities and everyone that contributed to this progress. 🙏

Learn more: https://vcf.dhamma.org/sri-lanka

06/11/2026

Dhamma Takes Root in Veracruz, Mexico

We are happy to share news from a report we recently received: a 10-day Vipassana course took place this past January in Veracruz, Mexico, hosted in a rented venue by a dedicated local team.

42 students gathered in silent practice, supported by 10 staff members and 2 teachers – a quiet effort that made this course possible outside of an established center.

Swipe through the photos to see the students, the kitchen team, and the warm atmosphere they created together.

The VCF is grateful to have supported this course through a grant, made possible by the volition and dana of old students. With deep gratitude and metta to everyone who helped bring it to fruition.

Address

1099 E Champlain Drive, Ste A/1064
Onalaska, WA
93720

Telephone

+14159391432

Website

https://vcf.dhamma.org/

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