Home

January 2010 Newsletter

Thank You for Your Support & Happy New Year

 
Sewa International USA would like to express our sincere thanks to all our donors and well-wishers for their continued support. All Sewa International volunteers join in to wish you and your family a very happy, healthy, and prosperous New Year - a year that will be filled with the Grace of God.
The year 2009 will go down in the history of Sewa International as a watershed year. An unprecedented increase in chapter activities, volunteer hours and the number of people served thorough our efforts highlights the year. Sewa International is very proud that our volunteers put in 66,000 documented volunteer hours or 33 full time equivalent effort in 14 metro areas spanning 30 cities.
We continued to fund many projects in India:
  • Social and Healthcare Projects: Arogya Rakshak (village level preventative healthcare and hygiene), medical clinics, child labor prevention, and women empowerment.
  • Disaster relief and Rehabilitation:  In Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka floods of October 2009, hundreds of people lost their lives and thousands their livelihood. Sewa International’s partner NGO in India, Seva Bharathi in AP and the Youth for Seva in Karnataka headed the efforts on the ground. For instance, volunteers cleared the famous Raghavendra Swamy Brindavan and temple premises including removing and cremating cattle and deer carcass, and, pilgrims’ bodies. Seva Bharathi volunteers carried out relief works in hundreds of villages saving many people from drowning and hunger.   Rehabilitation work on this has now begun and will continue into the next year. Sewa and partner organizations including ATA, AAPI, TANA, and many regional Telugu and Kannada associations are raising funds for the cause.
In the US: Majority (~90%) of our efforts have been focused on the Bhutanese Refugee Empowerment Project. As you may know, 60,000 Bhutanese of Nepali origin are coming to the USA as refugees after having lived in horrific conditions of Nepali jungle camps for 17 years. Currently, about 20,000 of such refugees have arrived and require a range of services to resettle in an alien land and culture. Our volunteer strength has more than doubled as the ethnic Indian, Guyanese and mainstream American community has responded with manpower to this challenging multi-year problem. The variety of services provided has been written up in the popular press including Christian Science Monitor and Hinduism Today (Jan 2010 – enclosed).
International: Our Yuva for Sewa fellowship provides opportunity for young adults to volunteer in India, USA, and the Caribbean. This competitive program has an acceptance rate of 15% and completion rate of 100%. Six fellowships were awarded in 2009.
 

The advent of a New Year marks important beginnings and transitions. In this spirit, we appeal to your noble souls for making a commitment to continue to support the Sewa International USA in its service to the needy the world over.
Sewa International is a non-profit 501(c) (3) organization, and your contributions are tax deductible. You can contribute online at http://www.sewausa.org/contribute-sewa-usa or send a check to: 
Sewa International USA, P.O. Box 14622, Fremont, CA 94539.   
Questions: Atlanta: Srikant (678) 362- 7480 Bay Area: Gautam (510) 579-4742 
Cleveland: Sree (440) 941-2525  NJ/Delaware: Syam (617) 480-1509   Houston: Venkat (713) 244- 4992

______________________________________________________________________________________

In this issue:
      * Haiti Earthquake Relief Appeal
      * AP/Karnataka Flood Relief Efforts
      * Bhutanese Refugee Empowerment
      * Houston Chapter Annual Fundraiser
      * Yuva For Sewa 2010
      * Focus Project EKAM    

____________________________________________________________________________________________

Haiti Earthquake Relief Appeal

 

Please review the urgent appeal for funds for those affected by the Haiti Earthquake on January 12th.
Immediate relief is needed. Many hundreds are trapped and rescuers are working very hard. Medical supplies are in shortage.
SEWA International is working with its partner NGO "CHAI-Haiti" (www.chai-haiti.org) towards HAITI earthquake relief.

http://www.sewausa.org/urgent-appeal-support-earthquake-victims-portauprince-haiti

_________________________________________________________________________________________

AP/Karnataka Flood Relief Efforts

 
The heavy flooding in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka during late September and early October has left multiple parts of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka in ruins. Five days of severe rain have left about 250 people dead and millions displaced. The floods submerged entire villages and destroyed many farms. Officials have said that billions of dollars are needed for relief and reconstruction in these areas.
Sewa International USA’s partner NGO’s, Seva Bharathi and Youth for Seva, are working extensively to provide relief and rehabilitation to the affected families. Various means of rehabilitation for the victims have been identified including immediate goods such as clothing and food to supplying them the required materials for their occupation. In this process, Seva Bharathi is coordinating these efforts with many other voluntary, social, cultural and spiritual organizations as well. Seva Bharati has identified 11 taluks in 15 villages spread across 6 districts to construct a total of 2371 houses. Seva Bharati has formed a core team and various committees comprising experienced civil engineers, construction material suppliers, labor contractors, chartered accountants, financial institutions and dedicated volunteers to implement the project for the flood victims. To make the mission successful, key members of the committees are meeting every alternate day to chalk out a program to begin construction work. Traders, corporate houses, media houses, government employees, government and private associations, trade unions and the general public are voluntarily supporting the cause by generous donations (http://www.sewausa.org/sewa-bharati-adopts-15-flood-affected-villages-no...).
                     
The following highlight the fundraising programs executed by Sewa chapters and community organizations who generously donated throughout the US:
1.    Bloomington, IN, November 1, 2009: The Bloomington Sewa chapter received a check for $6663.01 towards the flood drive donation. This was collected by TAB (Telugu Association of Bloomington) and passed onto Sewa. Sewa International would like to graciously thank TAB for their benevolent contribution.
2.    Cupertino, CA, November 20, 2009: Sewa International organized a violin concert to raise funds for the Andhra Pradesh/Karnataka floods. Acclaimed artists nationally as well as internationally, Smt. Anuradha Sridhar Sri Sriram Brahmanandam, played the violin and mrudangam, respectively. The gala event began with a brief introduction of Sewa USA, focusing the current efforts towards the floods in AP/Karnataka. This was followed by a slide presentation that highlighted the relief work undertaken in the two states. Subsequently, the music started and captivated the audience. The duet continued non-stop for over three hours with beautiful music. The event was well-received by all those who attended and Sewa generated more than $1,500 toward flood relief.
3.    Sacramento and Santa Clara, CA, November 2009: Intel Corporation's India Employee Group helped raise funds for Sewa International towards the relief work for the AP/Karnataka floods. The fundraiser raised a total of $6,113 wherein the Intel Foundation will be matching the funds, resulting in a total $12,226! Thank you for all your hard work and generous contributions.
4.    Atlanta, GA, December 3, 2009: Shri Srinivas Nimmagadda, on behalf of Shirdi Sai Temple, donated $4,100 to Sewa USA toward the flood relief. Sewa would like to thank Shri Srinivas Nimmagadda, Vice President of the Shirdi Sai Temple of Atlanta, and Shirdi Sai Temple for their kind donation.
5.    Sewa International proudly acknowledges $4,000 contribution from the Association of Indian Physicians in Cincinnati towards the AP/Karnataka Flood Relief.

Sewa International USA would like to thank all the volunteers and organizations who have helped immensely in the efforts in generating funds toward the relief and rehabilitation of the affected areas.

__________________________________________________________________________________________

Bhutanese Refugee Empowerment

The Bhutanese Refugee Empowerment (BRE) project, initiated in 2008 by Sewa USA, has been aiding over 17,000 Bhutanese refugees resettle in the US. The UN has proclaimed the Bhutanese Refugee Resettlement the world’s largest.
 
By December 15, 2009, 25,190 refugees have left the camps. The breakdown is as follows:
Australia 1,006              Canada 899       Denmark 305     Netherlands 122
New Zealand 299           Norway 316       USA 22,243
 
Sewa International USA has taken up a nationwide project to help these families. Currently, our chapters in various cities, along with various local organizations, are working to fulfill the immediate and long-term needs of these refugees with several more chapters gearing up to help.
  1. Art of Living Yoga classes, Cleveland, OH: Art of Living volunteers conducted free Yoga classes (Sudarshan Kriya) with the help of SEWA and HSS volunteers for the Bhutanese community in Cleveland, OH on the weekend of November 6th. All the attendees thoroughly enjoyed the sessions. The course included yoga and bhajan sessions as well as discourses which helped the participants de-stress and rejuvenate themselves.
     


     

  2. Microfinance Project for Refugee Women, Houston, TX: Sewa International has collaborated with many other non-profits in Houston to start a micro-finance initiative for refugee women from Bhutan, Burma, and Somalia. This initiative is supported by Catholic Charities, YMCA and many other major non-profits in Houston under the “Community Cloth” project.
     
The basic idea for this project is to help refugee women become self-sufficient. Using their skills in knitting, basket-making, and various other crafts, these women will make such items and sell them in fairs, farmer’s markets, and other public and private events. This business will help the women become self-sufficient as well as become a part of the greater community. Sewa USA volunteers will help the women to purchase the required raw materials and tools and train them in marketing. On November 25th, an orientation program was held to bring together women interested in this initiative, inform them of the procedure and its rules, and disburse the first installments to begin their craftwork.

The Sewa USA chapter at Houston was rewarded an operations grant of $10,000 for this initiative by The Simmons Foundation. We would like to thank Linda Siemers, who had written the grant proposal for The Simmons Foundation on behalf of Sewa USA, as well as The Simmons Foundation for their support!
  1. Eye Camp, Decatur, GA: On November 28th, the Sewa USA chapter in Atlanta organized an eye camp for the Bhutanese community with the help of Dr. Indira Menon (Eye Physicians and Surgeons). The camp was a great success in terms of treating minor eye ailments. Further medical camps are planned as the demand of essential medical care is rising.
  2. Coverage of BRE project in Hinduism Today and India International:

_________________________________________________________________________________________

Houston Chapter Annual Fundraiser

The Houston chapter of Sewa International USA presented their efforts at disaster relief, global aid and Bhutanese refugee empowerment projects during their first annual fundraiser on October 30, 2009.  As waiters at Madras Pavilion-Sugar Land restaurant quietly filled the buffet table with food, scores of Sewa supporters listened to the despair that fills the lives of Houston-area Bhutanese refugees.   They also saw the hope offered by the local Indian community through Sewa.
 “It was display of tremendous generosity,” gushed Poornima Ajayan, a Sewa volunteer who works with Bhutanese women.  What impressed her more was the lack of a demand for an upfront donation.  “People just freely gave without being pressured.” This worked since patrons donated more than $55,000 which will be primarily used to help the Bhutanese refugees.  “We were blown away by the spirit of our supporters,” said Vasudev Singh, Houston Area Chapter Coordinator for the organization.
While Sonny Mehta emceed, Singh and Houston Area Sewa Program Director Katy Morgan presented the status of the project and delineated plans for upcoming year. Sewa advisor Dinesh Shah and entrepreneurs Jugal Malani and Ramesh Bhutada spoke of the need for community involvement and reaffirmed their support to Sewa’s approach. One of the primary recipients of the largesse of Sewa’s donors, the Bhutanese community appreciated the help publicly through their spokesperson Rudra Rimal.  A brilliant energizing dance performance by a young Bhutanese capped the entertainment as the event boasted twice the number of attendees than expected.  “We planned for 75, and 150 came,” said Suryansh Purwar, a Sewa Houston Chapter Advisor.
A big draw for many of the donors was Sewa’s new internship program that recruits college students to develop and implement programs for the Bhutanese refugees.  “This is a unique program to Sewa and it is running fantastically,” said Bhutada, praising the hard work of both summer and fall interns.  Many in the refugee community echoed the sentiments of Bhutada. Meghnad, a Bhutanese refugee said “We have many problems here, but Sewa has helped us much and we are very happy about this.”
Sewa’s efforts extend beyond Houston.  Breaking down their work program by program, Morgan and Singh laid out a plan of support unique to the organization.  “We work with the relocation agencies and other groups to provide the best support we can,” said Singh.  “Our goal is to get the refugees to the point where they’re self-sufficient.”  The evening also showcased the work of other Indian groups like Chinmaya Mission, Arya Samaj, Sai Center and Sanatan Hindu Center.  A representative from AIM for Sewa and a supporter of Sewa spoke on the needs of volunteerism that Sewa’s work signifies. Several volunteers from Hindu SwyamsevakSangh, who also work with Sewa,came to show their support.  “Without groups like these, we could not have completed even a fourth of what we did,” said Morgan.  “India House donated office space for our internship, and that act really motivated us to work even harder.”
For more information on the Houston chapter, please visit www.houston.sewausa.org.

____________________________________________________________________________________

Yuva for Sewa 2010 

 In 2006, Sewa International launched a volunteer internship program for Youth called ‘Yuva for Sewa’. Each year, YFS fellows have unforgettable and fulfilling experiences.
 
“Each and every moment I spent in Suriname was very satisfying and a great learning experience. I would cherish the memories for the rest of my life.”
Shobhit Mathur, 2006 Intern
Delivered lectures and conducted workshops in the University of Suriname
“Sangola was an unforgettable experience. I went there to do a project the summer after first year of medical school. I was looking for exposure to the medical community and medical issues in India. Sangola's project provided me with that opportunity.”
Suneeti Gupta, 2007 Intern
Designed and conducted a campaign for awareness of severity of health hazards from home delivery and causes of infant mortality.
“My experiences cannot be summed up in just words alone. It was a phenomenal experience that I would recommend to everyone.”
Dwijavanthi Kumar, 2008 Intern
Volunteered at Kidwai Cancer Institute working with Breast Cancer patients and with mobile medical clinic to help initiate a health education program in Bangalore.
“The Yuva for Sewa experience gave me an opportunity to immerse myself in a new lifestyle and discover a side of India that I was not exposed to before.”
Aparna Garg, 2009 Intern
Volunteered with Youth for Sewa (a Bangalore-based NGO) documenting the success stories of slum development projects of various NGOs in Bangalore, Karnataka
 
Yuva for Sewa is a unique opportunity for college students and new college graduates to change the world. Do you want to help others and make an impact locally, nationally and internationally? Then consider volunteering with Sewa International USA!
Sewa International USA encourages young adults to volunteer and provide a helping hand to one that needs the most. The projects are designed to develop personality, build leadership and team work, empower visionaries and provide experience in helping the community.
The project duration varies from one month to six months to fit both the requirements of the volunteer and the project. The opportunities are available in India and the US. Projects are available in the following fields:
·       Basic Education
·       Technical Education
·       Self Employment
·       Women Empowerment
·       Healthcare
·       Yoga for Better Health, Stress Management and Positive Social Change
·       Environmental Care
·       Publicity and Awareness
Prerequisites:
* 18 years of age
* Commitment of 2 months
* Enthusiasm and a will to make a change
 
Project Locations:
* India (Maharashtra, Karnataka, Hyderabad)
* USA (Cleveland, Houston, Atlanta)

Details:
* Application Deadline: April 15th, 2010
* Details at www.sewausa.org/yuva-for-sewa
* Contact: yfs@sewausa.org

 

 ________________________________________________________________________________________

Focus Project: EKAM 

 
EKAM - ONENESS is a Community Pediatric Project of CIOSA* to provide complete and holistic healthcare to underprivileged children. EKAM partners with Hospitals, Pediatricians, Nutritionists, Social Workers, Yoga Instructors and NGOs.
*CIOSA (Confederation of Organizations for service and Advocacy) is a collaborative network of voluntary organizations, companies and individuals for the collective espousal of social causes. 
Vision: Right to Health for every child.
Mission: To provide every child, regardless of his/her financial means, a high quality, comprehensive, continuous health care, delivered in a respectful, caring and family-centered environment 
 
Current State of Public Health
  • Public health expenditure in India has declined from 1.3% of GDP in 1990 to less than 1% now
  • Curative services do not favor the poor: for every Rs. 1 spent on the poorest 20% population, Rs.3 is spent on the richest quintile.
  • Only 10% Indians have some form of health insurance, mostly inadequate
  • Hospitalized Indians spend on an average 58% of their total annual expenditure
  • Over 40% of hospitalized Indians borrow heavily or sell assets to cover expenses
  • Over 25% of hospitalized Indians fall below the poverty line because of hospital expenses
 
Need For EKAM
Limitations of child health care:
  • Absence of access to holistic health care to poor and needy children
  • Inadequate facilities in Government Hospitals to meet the demand
  • Tertiary care is expensive in private hospitals
  • Scarce availability of specialist doctors on a regular basis
 
EKAM’s Approach
Voluntary participation of doctors, hospitals and pharmaceutical companies provide complete medical care to the poor at very low costs
Primary Health Care:
  • Health Screening through mobile medical van services from screening hospitals (Pediatric, Eye & Dental)
  • Continuous health care through nodal & mobile clinics
Secondary & Tertiary Health Care
  • 24 hour helpline
  • Emergency ambulance services with rescue team
  • Training programs on health awareness for caretakers
  • Visits by Nutritionist & Nutritional Rehabilitation for malnourished children
  • Yoga training by trained Yoga instructors
  • Visits by the field staff of local NGOs for follow-up of referrals, home visits for counselling & motivating parents for follow up
  • Child Guidance Clinic for differently-abled children
  • Child Protection Clinics with de-addiction centers for Child Abuse & Drug Addiction
 
EKAM’s Success
Total Number of NGOs involved: 75
Total Number of Hospitals Networked: 51
Number of Doctors volunteered:
Pediatricians: 172              Screening doctors: 40              Referral doctors: 132    
Total Number of Nutritionists visited: 2
Total Number of Yoga Teachers visited: 2
Total Number of Schools Screened: 11
Total Number of Children Screened: 9,848
 
EKAM provides medical coverage to 42 orphanages in Chennai, Tamil Nadu
For more information, please visit: http://www.ekamoneness.org/.
Donate online at http://www.sewausa.org/contribute-sewa-usa by credit/debit card/paypal or send a check to
Sewa International
P. O. Box 14622
Fremont, CA 94539

 

_________________________________________________________________________________________

Contact Information:

Mailing Address:
Sewa International USA
PO Box 14622
Fremont, CA 94539
Phone No.: (440) 941-2525