SEWA BHARATI, GUJARAT: HANDING OVER OF RECONSTRUCTED VILLAGES IN GUJARAT: Sewa Bharati Gujarat instantly swung into action after the tremors and started rescue and relief operations. Medical camps were opened at Bhuj, Bhachau, Anjar, Rapar, Radhapur, Mehsana, Dhanera, Disa, Unjha, Sidhhapur, Mehsana, Kadi, and Kalol.

Sewa Bharati Gujrat decided to plunge into rehabilitation work in a big way and therefore decided to reconstruct (a) 25 villages (b) 52 primary schools and (c) 100 community centers. Sewa Bharati Gujrat, had identified all the 25 villages it proposed to reconstruct.

Process of selecting villages:

The first and foremost requirement is the concurrence of the villages through a written resolution. The suitable alternative and adequate plot of land is then to be selected and approved by the Gram Sabha and the approval is to be communicated to the Government. Government then arranges to acquire, if necessary and hand over the land to the N.G.O. The next stage is to prepare a village layout plans and get them approved by Gram Sabha. The stages after this, though technical, are important and essential. These are (a) preparing and submitting to the government a project report for the village. (b) Getting the water and electricity supply arranged from the government for construction work. (c) Conducting land and contour survey and soil testing.

Jivapar: Jivapar village of Morvi Taluka in Rajkot District was badly hit by earthquake. Most of 360 houses were destroyed. India Development and Relief Fund, USA adopted this village for reconstruction. 202 families opted for reconstructed houses and rest of them opted for monetary help.

Reconstruction that started around May 2001 was handed over to the village community on May 15^th 2002. Reconstructed village was renamed Keshav Nagar, Total cost incurred on this project was Rs. 3,72,10,000 (US $ 7,90,000) Keshav Nagar has following infrastructure with 202 houses of different categories:

Out of 202,188 houses are already complete. 14 houses of A type are yet to be built.

Mayapar: Mayapar too was devastated by the earthquake. Rashtriya Sevika Samiti adopted this village. Sewa Bharati constructed 81 earthquake resistant houses with a total cost of Rs. 2,37,50,000 (US $ 5,05,000).

Village construction was completed in a record time of one year and was handed over to the community on May 3^rd 2002. More than 70 percent of villagers have already moved in and rest of them will do so in a week time.

Mithapasavalia situated at Anjar Taluka of the Kutch region was badly hit by earthquake. Sewa International, U.K. adopted this village.

Under the Gujrat Government’s package-I scheme Sewa Bharati drew up a plan to rehabilitate.

Midhapasavalia village having 157 families and a population of 700. Sewa Bharati successfully reconstructed 154 houses with a total cost of Rs. 2,83,10,000.

At a function on June 8^th 2002, Shri Sunder Singh Bhandari, Governor of Gujrat, handed over the keys of the houses to village Sarpanch Devaji Bhai. Devaji Bhai thanked Sewa Bharati, Sewa International and Government of Gujrat for reconstructing the village within a year. He was satisfied with the quality of houses.

At the time of laying foundation stone, the Sarsanghchalak of RSS, Shri K.S. Sudarshan, had said, “In reconstructing the houses rural technology should be used to as to turn the village totally self-dependent”. With Somnath Khedkar as its guiding force Sewa Bharati has successfully reconstructed most of the villages it pledged to reconstruct.

Apart from houses these villages have following social infrastructure:

1.  School building of 5 class rooms

2.     Samaj Mandir (community center) Panchayat Ghar.

3. Health Center

4. Doctor House

5. Temple

6. Overhead and underground water tank with 50,000 liter storage capacity.

7. Village Gate

8. Chabutrao and Chotarao (for birds).

9. Crematorium.

10. Water Supply System.

11. Rain and waste water disposal system.

12. Village Road.

13. Street Roads.

14. Electric supply to all houses and streets.

15. Compound walls.

Apart from villages many destroyed schools were constructed. Sewa Bharati, Gujarat constructed classrooms, office, principal’s room, toilets etc. Most of the schools have been inaugurated and are now being run by Government of Gujarat.

 

Alternative System of Medicine 

 A Step Forward: Vanvasi Kalyan Kendra, Mumbai started Alternative Systems of Medicine Scheme as an experiment but it has now become a passion, being encouraged by the tremendous response received.

The benefits of having Alternative Systems of Medicine are manifold. Treatment is affordable, patient-friendly, focuses on the cause and not just the symptoms and involves the extensive use of herbs and natural products, which do not cause any side effects. The vanvasi population which is no stranger to traditional medicine has not only taken to the system as a fish takes to water but also see a huge economic benefit by cultivating the various herbs and plants that go into it.

The forests in Dahanu are home to a wide variety of medicinal plants mentioned in the Indian materia medica and the vanvasis have a deep knowledge about these plants and their whereabouts. Herbs like asparagus racemosus useful as anti-diarrheal, diutretic and nervous tonic, oroxylum indicum used in over 55 ayurvedic preparations and saraca asoca useful in dyspepsia, fever, visceromegaly, colic ulcers, leucorrhea and pimples are some of the hundreds of medicinal plants native to this area.

All these mentioned factors have persuaded us to launch a scheme to cultivate a large number of medicinal herbs at our newly-acquired two and a half acre herbal farm and also to educate the vanavasi population going in for medicinal plants farming in a big way. And encouraging in our efforts is the policy of the Health Ministry of the Government of India which lays special emphasis in this area. Medicinal herbs, roots and plants not only have a lucrative market in India but also abroad. For instance, last year the country exported medicinal herbs worth Rs. 3.6 billion. Though in comparison with China’s exports of over US$5billion this is just a drop in the ocean. Given India’s bio-diversity, its ancient heritage of Ayurveda and Unani and the growing popularity of the alternative systems of medicine, and with right encouragement, training and support, India can surpass China in this field. But more immediately, the vanavasi will profit by the economic benefits from medicinal plants farming and this will solve the problems of unemployment and poverty and lead to overall improvement in the socio-economic condition of the vanavasi population at large.

Vatsalaya trust, Mumbai : A home for Less Privileged  

The word vatsalya means affection felt by an elder and stronger person for a younger and vulnerable. As members of the society we live in, we owe the same love and affection to those who are not fortunate enough to be born in a family. With this noble thought in mind Vatsalya Trust was registered in 1983 with the objective to accept destitutes of all ages and both the sexes, to nurture them, to educate them and rehabilitate them. A beginning was made by starting an orphanage for infants. Started with 2 girl infants in June 1985, this center, today takes care of around 50 infants on an average. Every year almost an equal number of infants are rehabilitated in caring adoptive families. The center is fully equipped with trained and dedicated staff and has renowned paediatricians on its payroll. So far placing them with caring adoptive families has rehabilitated 607 orphans. Shortage of space prevents the Trust from expanding its activities. To create awareness in the community about the problems of the innocent orphans and ensure healthy, receptive attitude about adoption, periodical group meetings and seminars are organized. Pre and post adoption seminars are arranged with active participation of the experts in the field as well as of experienced families.

A Balikashram for girls from the age group of 4-14 years who are either destitute or come from adverse family situations, provides long term development support under this project. Efforts are made to bring them at least to the average level of education. Vocational training such as sewing is also provided.

A shelter for women in distress has been set up. Many times women in certain critical periods need temporary shelter and sympathetic guidance. This facility is provided at Sanapada on a small scale.

An old age home, ‘Vanprastham’, too has been started. As traditional family structure is undergoing a rapid change in modern urban India, a large number of aged people need to be looked after in a newer set up. Here they are taken care of with dignity and are given a chance to participate meaningfully in various activities.

Vatsalaya Trust has some future projects. A plot nearby the present location has been allotted to the Trust at Kanjur Marg, Mumbai Building that would cater to the needs of many more orphans, destitute and underprivileged cost Rs. 1.5 crore. This complex will have following facilities:

Fully equipped orphanage for 60 children, Balakashram for 35 destitute boys, shelter and development facilities for children with deformity and a day care center or crèche already in operation.

Major source of funding has been a commendable support from the public at large. Government assistance is also available through its schemes, though on a very limited scale. Hence there is a constant need for funds to support ongoing and future projects of Vatsalya trust.

Traditional Wisdom Getting rid of Superstition:- It is true that an animal sacrificed in a Yagya attains ultimate salvation, then why does the host (of the Yagya) not arrange such salvation for his father by offering him in sacrifice. Page 473, Chapter I, Vishnu Purana, III Section/18/27.

  

A Home for Sewa

Every organisation needs some establishment not only for the sake of creating an image for itself, but for discharging the duties and achieving its objectives. Sewa international has taken upon itself the task of creating a positive image of Hindu concept of Sewa, through which the whole world would benefit in the long run.

Hindu heritage and tradition is rich wit sacrifice and charity. Right from the Vedas and the Bhagavad Geeta, every Hindu scripture encourages Sewa of the downtrodden, the poor, the illiterate. Saints & sages of Hindustan – right from the age of Maharshi Vyasa to Swami Vivekananda – spread the message across the length and breadth of the country that the best way to reach the Ultimate Truth is through serving others.

Hindu literature is rich with the stories of sacrifice and serving the humanity, and the nature itself, like none on the face of this planet. However, this message has not gone forth to the word boldly till now and the world knows not even a speck of it. This duty befalls on the Hindu society, wherever they be. But Hindus themselves are ignorant of this and need to prepare themselves for the awareness.

Sewa International wants to be a vehicle to reach out to the whole world to tell the tale of Hindu Sewa. Achieving this objective certainly needs some infrastructure. The opportunity of building up the infrastructure is at hand and a plot of land has been acquired from the Government for this purpose. All the readers are welcome to spread the message for joining hands and add their own together with their friends in creating the “Sewa Hub”.

The usual complaint from abroad is that the beneficiary organisation in Bharat does not send the report of or receipt of the donation itself, the communication is seldom received, what has happened of the contribution is never known! Sewa International plans to sort out such matters and both way communication that too in reasonably short time, will be the watchword. A data bank of information on all Sewa related issues will be in place and the modern communications system will enhance the dissemination of the information.

Youth from abroad regularly express their aspiration of serving some remote village, or an orphanage, or teach in a school. SI welcomes such aspiration youth for a rich experience in Sewa. The proposed building will be a place for all such youth to know more about the Sewa and voluntary effort in Bharat and get some basic training before they embark on their mission of Sewa. Liberal contribution are most welcome for constructing the building and installing infrastructure to serve the purpose

Reader’s Corner:- Thanks for sending me Sewa International's Newsletter. Is this a monthly or quarterly newsletter? I am pleased to read so many good deeds done by Sewa International. Dr. Gujja Magesan, New Zealand Ed. – This is quarterly information bulletin.

We would be publishing ‘Readers Opinions’ in these columns, subject to the availability of space. You are requested to be brief keeping in mind the size of the bulletin

News Snippets:

PERSONALITY DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOP : JAMMU AND KASHMIR

A two-day workshop on Personality Development of various voluntary organisation of Kashmir was held at Katra (J&K) on 26^th and 27^th of March 2002. More than 60 people including the leaders and workers of seven Voluntary Organisations participated. Issues concerning the role and responsibility of voluntary work among people especially in Kashmir, where the terrorists have let loose reign of terror and destroyed and social fabric. The major orgnisation taking part were: J&K Peace Foundation, J&K Peace Council, Border Peoples Front, Nari Jagran Manch etc. Shri Indresh Kumar, All India Saha Samparak Pramukh and Shri Rakesh Kumar, J&K Prant Pracharak, Shri Navin Prasad of Sewa International Delhi were present throughout as guides.

 

EDUCATION : THE RIGHT TO EDUCATION

With the passage of the 93^rd Constitution Amendment by Parliament, education to all those between 6 and 14 years of age is now a fundamental right. The implication of this is that the state is bound by the Constitution to ensure the infrastructure to provide primary education to all children and such a right is enforceable by law.

Article 21-A, an insertion in the Constitution, will provide the scope for judicial intervention (in the event of the state failing to provide the infrastructure) and every citizen is vested with the right to approach the apex court seeking a writ under the provisions of Article 32 of the Constitution. The constitution amendment is indeed a watershed in the campaign to achieve universal primary literacy, an ideal that was envisaged for achievement within a decade of the commencement of the Republic but left unattended by successive Government because it was only a part of the unenforceable Directive Principles of State Policy in the Constitution. The Constitution Amendment is a means to ensure that the Right to Education (for all those between 6 and 14 years of age) is legally enforceable and not merely a desirable goal as it was hitherto.

 

SEWA BHARATI, JHARKHAND: 

A two-day Personality Development camp was held at Ranchi on 4^th and 5^th of May, 2002. The camp was attended by 317 children from various slums and over 100 teachers, 3 students were selected from each Bal Samskar Kendra for participation in this camp from 15 districts of Jharkhand. The children participated in the camp with anxiety as well as enthusiasm, as the activities in the camp were new for them.

On 5^th of May, Late Rajabhau Memorial Prize distribution was held. The prizes were distributed by Smt. Rita Verma, Minister of State for Human Resource & Development. 12 Children were selected winners after a written test and then an interview. There were many other dignitaries like Shri Baba Rao Paoranik, Shri Pyare Lal Chopra, Shri Shyam Parande, Shri Rakesh Popli, Shri Navin Prasad & others.

SEWA BHARATI, RANCHI MAHANAGAR organized a health camp at Nivaranpur on May 5^th 2002. 75 needy patients were treated and medicines distributed free of cost at the camp. Sewa Bharati held 8 such camps at different place of Ranchi city. Dr. K.P. Sinha, Dr. Rekha Singh, Dr. Janardan Sharma, Dr. Laxmi Chaudhari and Dr. Geeta Manaki Sinha attended those camps.

SEWA BHARATI, VARANASI, KASHI: Sewa Bharati, Chandauli organized a health camp at Maharishi Vedbya temple of Dulahipur village in Varanasi district. Free of cost checkup and treatment was provided. Dr. Virendra Pratap Vyas and Dr. Loknath Patel extended their cooperation. Camp was held under the supervision of Shri Shobhnath, Zila Sewa Pramukh. IDRF, USA has donated a mobile medical van for serving the tribal villages of nearby locality in Kashi.

BSS KENYA: 22 FREE MEDICAL CAMP

The 22^nd free medical camp was organized by BSS, under the auspices of Hindu Council of Kenya and Children Mercy Fund at Waa Secondary School, Matunga on 15^th and 16^th June, 2002.

There were about 200 patients already waiting to be registered and examined when the team arrived at the Waa Secondary School at 9.30 A.M. on the 15^th June. There were lots o school volunteers and professionals, well-uniformed, of Africa On-line (Internet Service Provider) present to assist. The volunteers did a marvelous job in all areas of registration dental, general and pharmacy. About 60 cartoons of medicines of different kinds and various sizes were offloaded and pharmacy was set up initially with 3 counters with their respective kits of different kinds of medicines generously donated b 40 pharmaceutical companies. Doctors and dentists were given their respective kits to start off their sections.

In all there were 1823 cases of General Prescription, 307 Dental Extractions, 386 Eye Check Ups, 61 Blood Sugar Tests, 4 Minor Surgical Operations and 77 Cataract Operations i.e. total of 2658 patients were attended.

SURDAS JAYANTI CELEBRATED AT AGARA: A three-day Annual Convention for the visually impaired was inaugurated Ma. Madandas Devi, (Joint General Secretary of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) in Agra. The mission behind holding the convention was to instill confidence and make them self-dependent. Ma. Madandasji stressed the need to bring the visually impaired people to the mainstream of the society which would require lots of effort by the dedicated and selfless volunteers. The blind people were encouraged to join Vocational Training courses by which they can earn a prestigious life for themselves and in return make the country proud.

INAUGURATION OF ANOTHER MATRICHAYA IN DELHI: On 20^th May, 2002 a new child adoption center was inaugurated in Miyanwali Nagar locality of Delhi by Hon Union Minister of Home Shri Lal Krishna Advani. The motive behind starting another center of child adoption is to provide a good home with parental love to more and more destitute & abandoned children of the locality.

Shri Advani in his speech told that for three to four decades after Independence, people remained dependent on the Government for fulfilling all their aspirations. But time has changed and wealthy people of the society have joined hands for solving smaller social problems on their own. India being a huge country, faces lots of problems. The minister exclaimed that the time has to work in coordination to get rid of the social and other smaller problems.

The place of running this center has been provided by Smt. Rajrani Ahuja Charitable Trust and the expenses for running the center will be borne by Suravi Gyan Bharati, an organisation formed by some patriotic industrialists.

SURYA FOUNDATION PLANS TO UPGRADE 200 VILLAGES: The Surya Foundation, an NGO working for national development adopted 200 villages all over the country with the aim of developing them as ideal villages. This was decided at the recently concluded annual conference of the Foundation in the Capital. It also launched a programme of providing employment to 40 lakh rural families in the country through the development of the Khadi and Village industry. The Foundation, which was founded in 1992 with the establishment of a National Development Academy at Jhinjholi (Haryana) to carry out in-depth studies on various issues of national importance, will also be conducting 450 Personality Development Camps (PDSs) for children this year. The PDSs plan for the development of children in the sphere of culture, sports, swimming, horse riding etc.

VANAMAHOTSAV AT DAHANU: Vanvasi Kalyan Kendra, Mumbai observed van mahotsava on vata purnima day, June 24, 2002 at Dahanu. This is a traditional celebration dating back to several thousand years, to mark the beginning of the monsoons, the season of bounty, when married women offer worship to the banyan tree, a tree which symbolizes greatness, grandeur and benignity.

Varanasi women in thousands gathered at the venue of the celebrations and after the traditional Puja, participated in the tree-planting function that VKK organized. Thousands of neem, banyan tree, a tree which symbolizes greatness, grandeur and benignity.

Varanasi women in thousands gathered at the venue of the celebrations and after the traditional Puja, participated in the tree-planting function that VKK organized. Thousands of neem, banyan, peepal, tamarind, mango, harda and ashoka were planted. The function was replicated in dozens of other vanvasi localities and thousands of saplings were planted all over Dahanu taluka of Thane district in Maharashtra.

SEWA WARD IN HIMALAYAN INSTITUTE HOSPITAL: The Himalayan Institute Hospital Trust established by Swami Rama at Jolly Grant (Dehradun) has set up a SEWA WARD from 15^th April, 2002 within the hospital premises. This 30-bedded ward is located on the 2^nd floor of the Hospital and is being directly supervised by close disciples of Swami Rama. This ward is meant for the poorest of the poor who will be provided completely free treatment including investigations, surgeries, medicines, food, etc. The Hospital Trust authorities plan to make a modern ward to set an example for the whole hospital.

A new accommodation for the relatives of in-patients, Ram Sarai, was inaugurated on 5^th April, 2002.

Thus spake Swami Vivekananda:  Look upon every man, woman, and every one as God. You cannot help anyone, you can Only serve: serve the children of the Lord, serve Lord Himself…Do it only as a worship. I should see god in the poor, and it is for my salvation that I go and worship them. The poor and the miserable re for our salvation, so that we may serve the Lord, coming in the shape of the diseased, coming in the shape of the lunatic, the leper, and the sinner!

IDRF: CRICKET FOR A CAUSE

The 2^nd New England “Cricket for a cause” Tournament organized by IDRF at MITRE fields in Bedford, Massachusetts. 56 teams participated this year in ‘six-a-side’ tennis ball cricket tournament for charity.

More than 300 players plus a large section of cheering spectators, through their enthusiasm, clearly showed that they cared for IDRF cause. All matches were played in a great fun environment while maintaining a competitive edge. IDRF volunteers provided the players and spectators with delicious snacks at nominal costs. All the proceeds from the snacks-sale are also going towards the charity.

Last year, IDRF had raised $2,600 with the help of 28 teams that participated in the tournament. All proceeds were sent to Vanvasi Ashram Trust working for tribal development in Kerala. The sum was used by the trust to purchase and install a steam cooking machinery to cook the meals for students and also to construct a tank for drinking water.

IDRF will send all the proceeds (about $4,500) from this year’s tournament to Eklavya Ashram, working for integral development of tribal children in the district of Adilabad, Andhra Pradesh.

 

SEVING VANVASI IS SERVING GOD

  Vanvasi Kalyan Kendra, Ranchi is a part of Akhil Bharatiya Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram, the largest single organisation serving the tribal population of Bharat. With strength of 204 full-time activists the Vanavasi Kalyan Ashram Kendra is running 1938 village committees, 730 medical sub-centres, 46 primary schools, one middle school and one referral hospital. In total, out of 18,811 tribal villages, Vanvasi Kalyan Kendra has contact in 9877 villages. The area this organisation caters, is very large and projects are located at far-off places.

One of the primary schools, Saraswati Shishu Mandir, Salehatu in Khunti district of Jharkhand, with 10 teachers imparts value education to 400 students. Most of the students are poverty-stricken. Many of them travel a distance of 16 kilometres on foot daily to reach the school and back home. But their hunger for knowledge enables them to overcome all the difficulties.

Conditions to teachers too are not good. With a monthly honorarium of Rs. 500 they work hard to compete with Christian missionary schools and some private schools.

Ekal Vidyalayas (One Teacher School) has brought about a revolution in the Vanavasis of Jharkhand. Not only the literacy rate but health consciousness has also increased. With a meager budget of Rs. 7,000 per annum, each school imparts non-formal education to 40-50 children up to the level of third standard. These children are acquainted with numbers and letters and are sensitized to their surrounding environment. Cultural values are also inculcated into these children. Most importantly, through these schools activists of Vanavasis of a village where the school is located. These activists intervene in many socio-economic affairs such as combating social evils like witch hunting and sensitizing them to maintain social infrastructure created in the villages by different government agencies.

Vanvasi Kalyan Kendra also runs medical sub-centres. Each such sub-centre has a qualified doctor and a trained medical assistant and caters to ten villages around it. Available medicines are distributed free of cost. Common ailments among vanavasis of this area are malaria, cholera and snakebites. These medical sub-centers come handy in dealing with any kind of medical emergencies.

Lack of basic infrastructure, poor socio-economic conditions, illiteracy, social evils and of course external threat to vanavasis culture, religion and identity poses before Vanvasi Kalyan Kendra a challenging task, Sheer Motivation and dedication of activities keep them going. Lack of resources and a decision not to take funds from government have led to extreme financial constraints but activists have ignored personal problems for a larger social cause. There is an urgent need for community participation and institutional help to overcome financial and material deficiencies.

Pick up an activity or a project of your choice, for supporting financially, from our website – www.sewainternational.org. We will help you reaching them. You can view this bulletin also on our web site. Contact us for detailed information – sewain@vsnl.com  or  Sewa International, P.O. Box. No. 5755, S.R.T. Nagar, New Delhi-110 055 Tel: 0091-11-369 4445 Fax: 0091-11-351 7373 Sewa International is registered under Foreign Contribution Regulation Act with Govt. of India, Regd, No.-231660106