Kiran, Inc.
Non-profit OrganizationsNorth Carolina, United States11-50 Employees
Kiran, Inc. is a nonprofit organization based in Raleigh, North Carolina, focused on serving the South Asian community affected by domestic violence. It describes itself as multicultural, non-religious, and community-based, offering programs intended to foster self-reliance and empowerment for both women and men. The organization operates as the state's first and only provider of culturally appropriate services for this population, estimated at over 60,000 people, and offers a range of core services including a 24-hour hotline, intensive client management, resource referrals, language support and translation, outreach and education, and support groups. Kiran was founded in 1998 by South Asian medical students, lawyers, and social workers who identified a lack of culturally attuned resources for domestic violence victims. It began as a volunteer-driven effort and expanded after grant funding in 2008 to assist with protection orders, housing and shelter, transportation to and from court, immigration concerns, and child-related issues. The organization serves clients from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka and collaborates with other groups in the United States and beyond.