Project Category: Disaster Relief and Rehab

Join hands with Sewa International volunteers and fireworkers for the wildfire evacuations.
In Northern California, Butte County as of Tuesday night has burned around 130,000 acres and was 35 percent contained.
In Southern California, over 110,000 acres in Los Angeles and Ventura counties have been devastated by wildfires, known as the Hill and Woolsey Fires.
Approximately 8000+ homes were descoyed and mandatory evacutaions are in place.
Sewa International appeals for your financial support to help in the North and South Californian Evacuation and relief activities.
Come open your wallets and donate generously to help those in need.

Project Category: Disaster Relief and Rehab

As heavy rainfall battered different parts of Trinidad and Tobago, river banks breached causing severed flooding in East, Central and South Trinidad as well as Tobago. Sewa's local partner organization Sewa International TT Sewa TT) is already on the ground assisitng the relief efforts in the flood-affected areas.
On Oct 20, Sewa TT prepared and distributed served 3,215 meals in Sangre Grande, La Horquetta, St. Helena, Madras Road, Oropune, Caroni, Bamboo, Talparo, Warren, Las Lomas, and Spring Village.

Project Category: Disaster Relief and Rehab

Indonesia's twin disasters: a visual guide to the devastation
A 14-day state of emergency has been declared in Indonesia as the country reels from an earthquake and tsunami
Thousands of homes and buildings have been destroyed, including an entire housing estate home to 900 people.

Project Category: Disaster Relief and Rehab

Atlanta, GA (September 11, 2018) -- As Hurricane Florence approaches the East Coast of the United States, the governors of North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia have issued mandatory evacuation orders affecting more than one million residents in the coastal areas.
The Carolinas have not seen a category 3 hurricane in 22 years. The three affected states have a large Indian-American population, some of whom would be facing their first major hurricane ever. Sewa International's Director of Disaster Relief, Swadesh Katoch says that "Stores have already run out of essential supplies like water, bread, and bananas. Generators, storm radios, and sand bags are also difficult to find. Most gas stations in the coastal areas are running out of gas, and those who still have gas are jacking up the price."

Project Category: Disaster Relief and Rehab

This monsoon, rains lashed the southern state of Kerala in India. Three days of torrential and relentless rains have caused unprecedented damage killing 324 people and destroying over 10,000 homes. Also called "God's own country", the state of Kerala is now facing the worst floods since 1972, bringing 10 of its 14 districts under water. Over 60,000 people are lodged in various relief camps across the 14 districts.

Project Category: Disaster Relief and Rehab

South-west monsoon wrecks havoc in six districts of Karnataka, India. Several districts of coastal and Malnad regions of the state -- Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Chikkmagaluru, Kodagu, parts of Hassan and Uttara Kannada, have been facing the brunt of incessant rains in the last few days.
Army and Navy are carrying out rescue and relief operations on war-footing. Over 1,700 people have been relocated to 29 relief camps.
About 60 members of the national and state disaster relief forces and 45 members of the civil defence joined the rescue and relief operations with bats and equipment. About 60 Dogra Regiment soldiers and 12 expert naval divers rescued 673 marooned people in Kodagu. Six people have died in landslides and heavy rains in Kodagu district.

Project Category: Disaster Relief and Rehab

Hurricane Harvey is tied with Hurricane Katrina as the costliest tropical cyclone on record, inflicting at least $125 billion (2017 USD) in damage, primarily from catastrophic rainfall-triggered flooding in the Houston metropolitan area. It was the first major hurricane to make landfall in the United States since Wilma in 2005, ending a record 12-year span in which no hurricanes made landfall at such an intensity in the country.

In the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, Sewa International volunteers with support from Indian community is working to provide rescue and relief to the Harvey victims. Volunteers are out on the road with their trucks and boats to help people. Doctors are offering free medical consultation.

Sponsor a Child program is founded on a holistic philosophy to span education, health, physical and cultural development of the child. Since 2009, we have been providing education for children in grades 4-10 from underprivileged families in India. Beneficiaries are from low-income families with parents who are maid-servants, day laborers, janitors, taxi drivers, and roadside vendors. The project that started in Bangalore (Karnataka), and, Hyderabad (Andhra Pradesh), is currently operating in tribal areas of Chamarajanagar, and, Uttara Kannada (in Karnataka), and also in Salem, Tamil Nadu. Since inception, we have served more than 3,400 children.

Since 2008, refugees from Bhutan were provided asylum by the US Government and settled in various parts of the US. Beyond learning to make a living in the US, Bhutanese now numbering nearly 80,000 have to adjust to the cold weather, uprooting of traditional familial and societal structures, cultural isolation, etiquettes, language, children’s education, family issues (marriage, birth, death, conflict resolution, etc.), women’s health, and an insurmountable aspect for the poor in the US - transportation. Sewa International has been working to settle the refugees down from California to New York, from Chicago to Houston and has reached 48,000 refugees through its service.

Though many of the refugees are educated and can speak English, many of them have remained unemployed. And because agency support and government aid are not available to them for an extended period of time, the assistance of Sewa International is quickly becoming a lifeline for many of these families. Current programs of Sewa to empower the Bhutanese immigrants include education and tuition services, leadership programs for the youth, women empowerment, job assistance and emergency distress assistance.

Sewa International’s, chapters in Tampa and Atlanta have swung into action. Under the leadership of Sewa International Atlanta chapter coordinator, Viswanath Koppaka, and Swadesh Katoch – Director of Disaster relief, volunteers from Atlanta chapters have reached out to over 20 Indo-American organizations including temples, professional, linguistic and religious organizations.Sewa has set up a Helpline 775-ATL-SEWA (775-285-7392) for anyone evacuating from Florida and looking for shelter. All hotels, campsites, public shelters, temples, and churches are overbooked. Sewa has also created an online form for those seeking shelter, and for host families volunteering to provide shelter in their homes. People seeking help an call the Sewa Atlanta Helpline: 775-ATL-SEWA (775-285-7392).

Project Category: Volunteer development

Yuva for Sewa (YFS) is a program for youth (age: 18 to 30) from all over the world as well as for youth in India. YFS partners with local service organizations (or NGOs) to develop 10-week Sewa internship projects. These projects are based on the needs of NGOs that can be helped with by a volunteer from YFS. The volunteer is expected to focus on a single issue or target to be completed in phased manner within his/her internship period.

Since its inception in 2006, YFS has provided 73 youth with the opportunity to volunteer their time for different service projects, based on their interests and expertise. Projects are available in health care, education, environmental awareness, women's empowerment, rural development and micro-finance. Interns spend the duration of their internship working with NGOs in the community. They seek to serve and engage in a transformative experience that empowers them, as they strive to make an impact in their chosen field.

Project Category: Volunteer development

Each Sewa Chapter conducts multiple Days of Volunteering to encourage community members participation to 'Aid local Communities' - a mission of Sewa.

Project Category: Development

International development projects are conducted by Sewa International jointly with its sister organizations worldwide. With the Sewa, the movement is in 20 countries the projects abroad are closely monitored for quality, relevance, and efficacy. International development covers a gamut of projects that Sewa has been involved in. Projects we undertake are multi-year and focus on education, child and tribal welfare, youth and women empowerment, vocational training, rural development, and the environment.

A number of projects are in India due to the strong connection of Sewa with the Asian-Indian community both in Donors and Volunteers.