OM JAI JAI MAA 

Humanitarian Seva in India
February - May 2007

(Report from Ravi Menon and Swamiji, April 11)

Thanks to the constant seva of H.H. Sai Maa Lakshmi Devi, Ravi Menon (CEO HIU India), his wife Lekshmi, Nandi Hills Ashram staff, and all of the seva volunteers in Nandi Hills and expanding throughout India, the following humanitarian activities have taken place in February and March, and will take place this month and in May.  Much gratitude is extended to everyone involved, including HIU, the Sai Maa Foundation and partner organizations (Airline Ambassadors, Vitamin Angels, Us Foundation, Sri Sai Trust, Bangalore IT companies, Ashwini Kumar Medical Relief Society, Santhoshi Satsang Mandal, Love of Shelter orphanage, Raymonds textile group).

Nandi Hills/Bangalore

Medical camps, mobile medical clinic and IT seva volunteers:

March 25 – In Dodballapur, a medical camp was held in association with Sri Sai Trust (organization formed by the Sai devotees in Nandi Hills and surroundings).  The second camp will be on April 28 at the Nandi Hills Ashram.  A sevadal group has been formed consisting of employees from IBM and other IT companies in Bangalore.  Every Saturday and Sunday, members of this group will visit the Nandi Hills Ashram with clothes, medicines, food grains and household materials, and will then visit local remote villages to distribute these items.  Related to this, a large satsang and bhandara will be held every month at the Ashram.

We have obtained a mobile medical clinic (mini-van) that will offer medical seva in remote villages, with the full-fledged clinic functioning by the end of June.

Micro-credit loan system: Sai Maa Women’s Group members can apply for loans beginning this month, with a loan amount of 5000 rupees ($115) provided as interest-free loans being repaid in installments of 200 rupees ($4.65) per month.  Funds for the loans will be covered by IBM and the Sai Maa Foundation.

Events with Sai volunteers:  April 22 - Satsang and bhajan in association with Sri Sai Trust and members of Sri Sathya Sai organizations.

Tailoring and craft training: The second training class of the Sai Maa Women’s Group will begin on April 18.

Computer training: Free sessions will begin at the Ashram on April 27 for high school children and Sai Maa Women’s Group members.

Silk production and self-sufficiency:  In May, the Sai Maa Women’s Group, HIU and the Sai Maa Foundation are forming two groups: one group working with Mulbari plantations, obtaining worms and setting up the plantation in the Ashram compound under the foothills; the second group working as silk weavers (silk produced by the first group will be sold to the second group, and materials weaved by the second group will be marketed through various outlets, generating income for the farmers and weavers).

Planned 5-day medical mission and program:  May 25-29 – This will include the first medical mission of the year with Vitamin Angels, Airline Ambassadors and Us Foundation (see agenda below).

School adoption and additional classroom:  We have adopted a school in Hegadahalli District, and will provide an additional classroom in the near future after government sanction to begin 8th standard classes in this school (currently children travel 9 kilometers to go to high school elsewhere).

Addition to Ashram goshala (cow dwelling):  A quote from Ravi about, as Sai Maa calls this, “a great blessing and good karma”:  “I wish to inform one happy news.  Today is the Karnataka and Andhra New Year’s day (Ugadi). As a new year gift we got a calf today. Today morning we got the information that a calf was born in the nearby village and they need some money for celebrating their new year, for this they are selling the new born calf for slaughtering for just Rs. 350/- ($8). Immediately I went there, gave them Rs.400 ($9) and brought the calf to our Ashram. Now we have 13 "members" in the Goshala: 7 cows and 6 calves.”  (The plan is to create an expanded goshala for current and additional cows and calves.)

Live Ganesh is coming!:  Our Ashram will be home to a baby elephant by June, with an additional elephant planned for the near future.

Ashram renovations:  Seva is being carried out by local villagers and Ashram staff to renovate the Ashram building: a RCC (re-casting cement construction) roof is being built under which will be the HIU Ashram office, Sai Maa’s room and a small satsang hall; a tile roof will go above this for Ravi’s and Lekshmi’s new quarters (new furniture is being ordered, including an automatic massage chair for Sai Maa).  Demolished materials will be used to construct a relocated H.H. Sai Maa Health Centre, and the existing location for the Centre will transform into a guest room, with an additional second floor.  Funds for this renovation are being raised by local volunteers.

Mumbai (Bombay)

In February, medicines were distributed to villagers with an associated medical camp, and donations were provided to the orphanage, Love of Shelter, run by Father George.
 
March 22: Sewing machines were donated to women, along with prasad and snacks (seva organized by Santhoshi Satsang Mandal, led by Smt. Susheela Narula); wheelchairs and bicycles were also distributed to women and handicapped.

April 29:  Sponsoring a medical camp in association with Dr. Roygaga's "Ashwini Kumar Medical Relief Society.”

Kerala (Southern India)

April 10:  Bhandara (gifted meal) was held in Kalavoor, Alleppey District connected with “Sapthaham” on Bhagavat Gita in Lord Muruga Temple, feeding 1300, including 750 families who also chanted mantras during the celebration.

April 11: Rice distribution in Calicut; also press meeting on April 12.

April 13:  Ration/pension distribution will take place with Swami Shyjan from Amritanandamayi (Ammachi) Mutt, Reverend Father Paul David, President of the Church Association, and Sri Zakir, President of the Malabar Chamber of Commerce (representing religious harmony – Hindu, Christian and Muslim representation).

April 15:  For Kerala New Year "VISHU,” we are providing free rations (rice 10 kgs, sugar 2 kgs, dal 1 kg, cooking oil 1 packet, wheat 3 kgs and kheer mix, with dakshina or monetary gift of 10 rupees each to 101 poor families on April 13. The program will be organized in the well known RishiPuram Shiva Temple hall.

Donations to volunteers and families after explosion: A cash award of 2001 rupees ($46) is being awarded to each of 10 workers who did seva to save others, after an explosion took place in a firecracker shop near Calicut, injuring 50 and killing two students, burning down hundreds of shops, with damage of 15 crore rupees (over $3 million).  The two students were from poor families and had just taken their 10th standard exams.  Funds for the worker awards, and donations of 10,001 rupees ($233) for each of the two families, were raised by Ravi Menon and Unnikrishnan who works with the Sai Maa Foundation, Kerala unit (total of 40,000 rupees raised, or $930), on behalf of H.H. Sai Maa, HIU and the Sai Maa Foundation.

Immediate plans: Discussions are taking place for the adoption of an English medium, primary school.  In addition, individuals in Trivandrum (the capital of Kerala state) wish to become involved in seva being organized in Kerala.

Gujarat State (Western India)

Medical camp planned for the end of May.

Activities beyond May

More information will be communicated about these activities, however a scholarship program beginning in August is being planned in Andhra Pradesh (Southern India state, east of Karnataka state whose capital is Bangalore); the first professional CD from local Nandi Hills children singing bhajans will be recorded in July and released August 2nd in connection with H.H. Sai Maa’s birthday celebration.

Medical Mission in Nandi Hills with Airline Ambassadors,
Vitamin Angels and US Foundation
May 2007

DAY 1

DAY 2

DAY 3

DAY 4

DAY 5

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