Seva - Emergency and Humanitarian Work
Veerayatan provides not only first-hand emergency relief effort to the devastated communities affected by natural disasters but also brings so much more than that. Pujya Tai Ma and the sadhvis (nuns) extend hugs and helping hands to the children, smiles of warmth to the adults and prayers and respect for those departed – and in the process bring…
‘Hope amongst the Despair, Order amongst the Chaos, and Determination amongst the Destruction.’
Veerayatan’s welfare activities have encompassed the alleviation of suffering caused by natural disasters such as floods and earthquakes. Immediate relief work was undertaken in the aftermath of massive earthquakes in Kutch (2001) and Nepal (2015), tsunami (2004), devastating floods in Surat (2006) and Bihar (2008) and, more recently, the COVID 19 pandemic.
Earthquake Related Humanitarian work
Kutch
In the immediate aftermath of the devastating earthquake in Kutch, over 10,000 children were provided with education in stop-gap schools giving much needed stability in their lives. 36 vocational training centres were up and running to reskill and empower adults affected by the earthquake so as to provide them with a means for their livelihood.
To see how the activities of Kutch have developed and progressed
Nepal
In April 2015 the magnificent Himalayas witnessed a heart-breaking tragedy in its valley as two huge earthquakes struck, causing destruction so vast that even its own immensity paled in comparison. In an instant life brought grief and uncertainty for millions – through death, injury and a shattering of livelihoods. The statistics speak for themselves with nearly 9,000 deaths and tens of thousands rendered homeless. Veerayatan was one of the very first NGOs to support Nepal’s earthquake affected people. Together with Pujya Tai Ma, a team of Sadhvis and volunteers arrived in Nepal immediately after the earthquake and initiated relief and rehabilitation work for victims.
‘If the terrible earthquake in Nepal can destroy everything, then the divine nectar of compassion and love can recreate and reconstruct life.’
(Pujya Tai Ma)
Major relief work in the flood affected area of Saharsa, Bihar
The flooding of river Koshi in 2008 left eight districts of Bihar State severely affected, including the district of Saharsa, with more than 800 villages damaged and over 5,000,000 people affected. There was uncountable loss of human and animal life and wide scale destruction of farms and properties.
Pujya Tai Ma together with her Sadhvis immediately went to the affected areas of Saharsa to provide emergency relief effort to the devastated communities. Relief work undertaken included:
- Distribution of food, clean water, clothes, blankets, medicines and tents
- Running free eye camps and providing medical treatment
- Establishment of stop gap schools with the distribution of study materials, uniforms, school kits, and nutritious meals for children
- Daily prayer sessions held for the victims for regaining strength and mental peace.
Rehabilitation work included reconstruction of damaged schools, houses, medical centres and other amenities, vocational training courses to help people with re-employment and installation of hand pumps for safe drinking water.
Relief during Covid pandemic
Thousands of desperate and disadvantaged people affected by the Covid-19 pandemic were supported by Veerayatan with an abundance of compassion and love. With the blessings and inspiration of Pujya Tai Ma, her dedicated Sadhvi Sangh, hundreds of volunteers and experienced workers are accomplishing humanitarian work in a beautiful and respectful way.
Food parcels containing essential food items (such as flour, rice, pulses, sugar and oil) were regularly distributed to thousands of people in need in the remote villages of Bihar and Kutch. Medical kits (containing masks, sanitizers, soaps, oximeters, thermometers and other essential medicines) were also distributed so that people could take proper care of their health and avoid hospitalisation.
Veerayatan had also started an initiative of preparing and delivering hot pure vegetarian food to families in quarantine or suffering with Covid-19 in the city of Ahmedabad where millions have suffered in this dreadful situation. The task was huge and the logistics challenging but so much was achieved. A team of around 40 dedicated volunteers and paid workers were mobilised in a very short period of time and an efficient process ensured the project worked seamlessly and during the peak, more than 250 hot meals were prepared and delivered daily.
An ‘Oxygen Concentrator Bank’ was developed in Veerayatan Kutch to support hundreds of patients of villages who benefited from this system and avoided hospital admissions.
