Newsletter-june-2007

‘Discover the World – Discover Yourself’, with this slogan ‘Yuva for Sewa’ fellowship program was launched by Sewa International, USA in 2006. The program offers a unique opportunity for college students and new college graduates to participate in service projects around the world and gain a hands-on experience. Just in two years ‘Yuva for Sewa’ has become popular among the youth in USA. This year 11 interns and fellows have been selected to volunteer in 3 different countries. Of the 11 interns, 7 are going to India, 3 in USA and 1 to Guyana. The internship durations in India is from 2 months or more while in the USA and Guyana up to 2 months.

We would like to thank all our partner organizations in various countries that worked tirelessly to design and execute orientation program and projects: Sewa Sahyog, Pune, in India, Save the Family and Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh in Atlanta & Denver, USA and Sewa International Guyana in Caribbean Countries.

We congratulate this year’s interns, Tushar Bawale (Texas), Ankita Mishra (Florida), Suneeti Gupta (University of Iowa), Aakash Suchak (Fresh High School graduate from Indiana, enrolled in Swarthmore College, PA), Sunit Patel (Fresh High School graduate from UK), Madhavi Sahadevan (Chicago), Sarah Elswick (Cleveland), Katherine Pierson (University of North Carolina), Soniya Zaveri (University of New York), Aditi Aggarwal (UCLA), Ravi Kiran (Seattle, WA).

The Sewa International, USA team received an overwhelming response for the ‘Yuva for Sewa’ fellowship program this year making it difficult for the selectors to select interns from a well qualified pool of applicants. There were multiple rounds of phone and personal interviews in the selection process. Buoyed by this response, the ‘Yuva for Sewa’ team plans to reach more college students next year as well as expand the set of projects.

Special points of interest:

* More then 27 applications received.
* 11 applicants Selected.
* Volunteer will serve in USA, Guyana & India.
* Volunteer age from 18 to 30.

Read more about these energetic young volunteers and exciting projects they are working on this summer.

Sponsorship Appeal: Typical expenses for the Yuva for Sewa fellow or intern include, boarding, lodging, local travel expense, orientation and project coordination cost and stipend. Sewa International requests you to sponsor an volunteer. Through this donation we can help the interns participate in this wonderful program. Please contact Shobhit Mathur at 206-257-8735 or email shobhit.mathur@gmail.com

Farmers in Vidharbha, in Maharastra, and few other parts of India are under lots of distress since last few years. The problem has reached crisis level forcing many farmers to commit suicide. The agrarian crisis has resulted in migration, malnutrition, health problems as well.

Project plans to study the crisis and provide comprehensive solution. Project intends to provide subsidies and promote alternate occupations to farming such as fishing, pulses farming, vegetable growing.

Recent incidence at Virginia Tech University was heart wrenching. Sewa International USA expresses deepest sympathy to students, faculty members and friends and family of the victims.

Students require spiritual experience during this important part of their journey in life to shape their future. With that in mind Yuva for Sewa project was started last year, designed specifically for collage students and young professionals. Yuva for Sewa project provides students an opportunity to volunteer in various countries, learn different culture and discover themselves.

We received overwhelming response from students to participate in this program. Unfortunately we could not accommodate all. We would like to congratulate all selected applicants. We wish them good luck and hope that their experience will enrich their lives.

We were fortunate to have Shri Shyam Parande, Coordinator of Sewa International, India, visit us during the month of March and April. He toured various parts of US to provide inspiration to volunteers. After his words of encouragement we hope to enlarge our volunteer base.

As Sewa International USA grows, our need for volunteers is also growing. We are looking for volunteers specifically someone with experience in web design, database, writing and editing. If you are interested in volunteering please email us.

Finally, we encourage our donors to participate in monthly contribution plan. Donor can sign up so that the contribution is withdrawn automatically. To participate, fill out form located at http://www.sewausa.org/monthly_deduction.pdf and email us

If you are spending your summer vacation in US you can still be able to help Sewa International. Currently we are looking for volunteers to help maintain website, create database, help edit documents, create promotional material and active participation in fund raising.

Sewa Darshan—Visiting India this Summer?

If you are planning to take a trip to India this summer, we have a wonderful opportunity for you to consider. You can bring excitement to your routine trip to India by visiting Sewa projects. Sewa International USA is offering an opportunity to visit Sewa projects in Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore, New Delhi and other major cities as well as surrounding areas. This provides you an opportunity to see wonderful work that is being done and innovative solutions utilized to solve problems by our partner NGOs in India. You can also help us by providing report of your visit.

Sewa Darshan can be a one day trip or a detailed visit for longer period. It is up to you how much time you would like to spend. Travel and food arrangement will be done by local volunteers. Only thing needed from you is enthusiasm, time and compassion. For more information and for arrangements send email us.

Food Drive

Sewa International, along with Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh (HSS) worked with Second Harvest Food Bank in San Jose to organize a Food Drive to collect food for needy from Fremont, Sunnyvale and San Jose area.

The collection of about 400 lbs was handed over to the Second Harvest Food Bank in San Jose. The food included canned goods, breakfast items, baby food and juices. Ms. Sara Kate D’angelo, Corporate Relations manager was at hands to receive the contributions. She said “I appreciate this first-time effort by Sewa International to do the Food Drive on your own. Second Harvest will work with you in future to run such drives. Thanks for the donations”. Representatives from HSS were also present at the ceremony.

Sewa International plans to do such a drive every year on a bigger scale to support the local communities and the needy.

On Wednesday 28 March 2007, Bloomington Sewa volunteers did a presentation of Sewa International's global, national and local activities at the Sunset Rotary Club, Bloomington. Fifteen Rotarians were present at the meeting. Shri Gulshan Bhayana introduced Babu lal ji Gupta, VP of Administration, Sewa International. Gupta ji in turn introduced Shri Suresh Sharma and Sudhir Pai. Rotarians welcomed the Sewa volunteers.

Gupta ji spoke on the Sewa USA's life mission and dwelt on the activities conducted by Sewa at the international level, while Suresh ji spoke on the "Yuva for Sewa" initiative and Sudhir spoke on the local initiatives in Bloomington by the Sewa team. During Q & A session Sewa volunteers answered Rotarians questions. Finally Rotary Club thanked Sewa volunteers and urged for partnership in local events with Rotary Club and awarded souvenirs to the Sewa volunteers. Sewa fliers were also distributed to all present.

In our effort to provide you with information on our partner NGOs and projects supported by Sewa International USA, here we present brief report on one such project and supporting NGO.

Jnana Prabodhini (www.jnanaprabodhini.org)

Sewa International USA supported Jnana Prabodhini towards an educational project in Arunachal Pradesh in 2006.

‘‘Motivating Intelligence’, according to Jnana Prabodhini, is a universal theme cutting economic, social, religious, or ideological differences. As long as the urge to change the society is there, other details prove to be of less significance. Jnana Prabodhini in Marathi means Awakener of Knowledge. Jnana Prabodhini is resolved to bridge such minds through its work in the fields of Education, Research, Organization, Development, and Health. Some of the activities of Jnana Prabodhini in year 2006 include:

* Jnana Prabodhini organized Career fairs to provide information about educational opportunities to students in Arunachal Pradesh. Aptitude testing and Career Counseling are also done. Students who come to Maharashtra for their higher education are assisted by Jnana Prabodhini Volunteers in getting admission to colleges and suitable accommodation..

* Intaya Public School started by local initiative with 600 students from 5 years to 15 years of age. Most of these students are from border areas and they are from interior villages of Arunachal Pradesh. Most of them belong to lower income families. Jnana Prabodini provides sponsorship to some of these students. Five years back Jnana Prabodhini deputed one of its volunteers to work in Intaya Public School. Jnana Prabodhini organized various personality development programs at Intaya Public School.

* Student exchange program is a major program undertaken by Jnana Prabodhini. In this program about 200 students from all over Maharashtra visited Arunachal Pradesh and neighboring states in N.E. India. They stayed in villages with Vanvasi families; to understand their culture and traditions. In the same way 30 students from Intaya Public School visited Maharashtra and Goa.

The current drought that has affected a huge chunk of Kenya has severely disrupted the social fabric causing untold havoc and mayhem on an unprecedented scale. Millions of people are at risk of starvation. The worst drought in the region for 20 years has caused water supplies to dry up, crops to fail and livestock to die.

People are in desperate need of food and water, and the number of casualties is rising each day. Sewa International UK has responded to the call for aid and has launched an urgent appeal in the UK for donations to help the victims of this humanitarian crisis. The local partner organizations in Kenya are providing immediate relief to the victims by distributing food, clean water and health facilities.

Partner organizations are working to ensure that food and fresh water reaches areas where it is needed, helping with transportation to remote communities. Children are the worst affected by the drought, the partner NGO is distributing ‘Unimex’ - a special nutrition fortified food recommended by the World Food Program in over 700 schools and health centers. For information, visit www.sewainternational.com.