TPRF Real Stories

This link “Peace Day and The Message of Prem Rawat“ shows where independent initiatives, events and activities will be happening throughout the world on the International Day of Peace – September 21^st or the weekend following. All of these events are inspired by a dedication to peace and are initiated, sponsored, and supported locally.

If you wish to have your event added to this map, email: sept21info@tprf.org, even if it’s after this date. We would still like to give everyone who celebrated Prem Rawat’s unique message of peace their own “bubble” to highlight their efforts. The map will be up and running for a while after September 21^st.

After our August blog post there were only a couple of drops of interest.  But slowly, the interest swelled to a global river of event submissions and inquiries from people looking to find activities in their own cities to attend.

Some undertakings are specific events like the Peace Education Program presentation’s at City Hall in Lansing, MI and another in Berlin. In other cases, coalition activities at Peace Day festivals and concerts will see materials about The Prem Rawat Foundation’s signature programs shared from Mauritius to Berlin, in Nepal and India, and in the French Andes at a village called Montégut-Arros.

In addition to face-to-face events, two of the activities listed on the map are broadcasts. One will originate in Ireland and go out via radio to at least twenty-two stations across the country.  Visit their Facebook page to learn more.

Christine Lynn, one of the organizers, told us, “We put together a one hour radio program to promote and support International Peace Day. We will include poems, songs, news of events supporting Peace Day in Ireland and world-wide, sayings and stories, all related to International Peace Day.”

In Florida, an ambitious idea that sprouted months ago resulted in the Necessity of Peace Global Webcast to honor the International Day of Peace. The Florida Peace Initiative website is where to go for details about this two day event. David Weinberg, part of this team, sent us their mission statement, which reads in part:

“The intent of the webcast is to showcase peace as a fundamental need shared by people around the world, and to highlight the resources we have within ourselves to make peace possible.”

There is even a youtube channel which states, “The Necessity of Peace Conference invites individuals from every walk of life and field of endeavor to propose dynamic, enthusiastic presentations about The Necessity of Peace.”

This interactive map seems somehow symbolic; once again reminding us all what a tiny “island” each of us sits on as we spin along through space together, sharing the potential to make the voice of peace the loudest one of all.

Happy Peace Day!

Praveena Chandrasekhar has a Masters Degree in Child Development and Family Relations.  She has worked for more than ten years with rural families in India to improve health, hygiene, nutrition, education, parenting skills, and economic development. Currently, Praveena is a TPRF volunteer helping with the launching of  a baseline study at the Food For People facility in Bantoli, Ranchi, India.

I walked towards the Food for People center on my first visit here in Bantoli. I am looking forward to the opportunity to be here when the children would come to have their food.  About six to eight kids were already in the garden, running around picking dried leaves, some looking at me curiously with shy smiles on their faces.

Most of the children used the toilets built conveniently near the entrance gate, as they do not have bathrooms in their homes. After washing their feet and hands, they lingered in the vegetable and flower gardens, picking up dried leaves and watering the plants.  The children performed all of these tasks willingly. Later, they walked in a calm way into the dining hall. I could see that they were relaxed and not rushing. They were at home!

Most of the children were neatly dressed, even though their clothes were old and faded. They carried themselves well. They were happy, content, and without the anxiety one typically sees in children from families caught in a cycle of extreme poverty.

In thirty minutes, about 60 children gathered, all sitting on mats laid in rows. They were enjoying the music playing softly in the background. The dining hall was spacious, and a cool breeze was blowing through the mesh windows on all four sides.

More and more children started trickling in—older siblings bringing their younger ones, parents bringing their little ones. Soon, half of the mats on the floor were occupied. I was amazed to see the kids waiting patiently, talking softly amongst themselves. The atmosphere was lively and yet serene.

I walked into the orderly, spic-and-span kitchen. Lunch was prepared and the cook was transferring the food into the big serving pots, which would go onto the serving counter.

As the serving time approached, children from one row at a time formed a straight line, picked up their thalis (food plates) and walked to the food counter. They filled their plates and calmly came back to their seats. Clean drinking water was available in tumblers in the corner of the dining hall. Many children went back for seconds, getting their favorite dhal or vegetable, along with rice.

I was pleasantly surprised to notice the children did not drop food from their plates on the ground while eating. It became obvious that they had a lot of respect for the food they were served. Leftovers were at a minimum. Even though the food was free, they obviously felt a great value for it!

I could not believe my own eyes that the children were so disciplined in such a natural way. There was no fear and no adult intervention. This shows the level of understanding and maturity in the children.

The staff in this facility are very caring and they treat the children with a lot of respect. The dining area was constantly mopped to keep it safe for the children to walk with plates full of food. The thoughtfulness of these caretakers brought tears to my eyes.

Joginder Oroan comes from Bajiatoli, a village one kilometer away from the facility. He is 16 years old and studies in the 10th grade. Joginder was in the first batch of children served meals by Food for People, Bantoli in 2006. “I feel safe and at home here,” he says. Joginder tells me that he used to be very aggressive and would fight with his peers all the time. Awhile after he started coming to this facility, he found there was “some kind of quietness and calm” within himself. He finds the discipline very balancing, as his home environment is very harsh with a drunkard father and violence. He says, “I get a chance to study and do my homework quietly here in the evening.” He is very appreciative of the loving staff and expressed his gratitude.

Phooleshwar Munda, also from Bajiatoli, is 11 years old and a seventh grade student. He has been enjoying the services of FFP since it began, and seems to be a very cheerful and happy child. He says, “I would not know about hygiene if it was not for coming here.” He now insists on following at least some of the hygiene practices at home.

Phooleshwar makes it a point to come to the center in the evening to help in the garden. He wants to become an engineer. “I appreciate the care they give me,” he says. “I do not feel that I am coming here for alms. I come every morning with dignity.”

In my opinion, this is not a simple thing to achieve in a facility of this size. It is an honor for me to be here for about 12 days to witness this phenomenal activity every morning. Nowhere else have I seen such beautiful interaction with children based on mutual love and respect!

Photos Courtesy of Premsagar Foundation

I never tire of photos showing young children thriving and frolicking at a Food for People (FFP) facility. Something tells me our readers feel the same way.

Letters of appreciation continue to stream in from children whose lives have been dramatically changed for the better.  Here are two “expressions” from young beneficiaries enjoying the amenities at the facility in Bantoli, India.

Santoshi Kumari

My name is Santoshi Kumari. I live in Tetragarh village, Post Amaliya, District Gumla.

I am the daughter of a poor family.   I study in the Standard VI class at the Bantoli School.

Welcome to Food for People Bantoli

I go to Food for People to eat there and my body is benefiting from the food.  Another benefit is the saving of rice, pulse and vegetables in my home every day. Different vegetables are prepared each day at FFP. I feel good in taking food here and children from my neighboring area also come to take food. My brother, sister, grandmother and grandfather are very happy in taking food here. I come to eat here at 8 a.m. and after that I go to school at 10 a.m.

I study in the school there. The classes are over by 4 p.m. After that, I come to my home, cut some grass and give that to the ox. Every day, I clean the utensils at my home. In the evening, I cook food and after that I study.

I study between 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. and then I go to sleep. When I wake up in the morning, I clean the utensils. After cleaning my teeth, I get ready for going to FFP at 8 a.m. again. I feel very happy after eating food here. I thank those who provide food here.

Sheela Kumari (Age 14, Bajiatoli Village)

The Bantoli Food for People opened on March 23, 2006. I have been taking food from the date of commencement. The food served here is very nutritious and I feel very good when I see the beauty of FFP.

Beautiful Bantoli--Nutritious Meals and More

I do not pluck fruits and flowers here. I feel very good to see that the FFP is decorated with fruits and flowers. Here, many people come to eat. I am from a poor family, and it is a hardship for me to go to school. I like the discipline here. I follow the discipline. I wish to become a good person in the future so that no one can say anything to me.

FFP was set up because poor people live here. The FFP has completed five years. Those who are running the program should continue with it so that people can have the benefit of getting food in the future. After writing this, I stop.

Many, many thanks to those who are running this program.

Photos Courtesy of TPRF Volunteers and Staff

TPRF received this letter of appreciation from a student who lives in Bantoli, India, where the first Food for People facility has been in operation for more than five years.

My name is Binod Gope. I am a student, and Food for People has helped me a lot. Now, I have the ability to progress in the life ahead of me. By eating here, a balance is maintained. My mind is active and I get nutritious food.

The Food for People facility and the area around it is so beautiful, especially when the weather is pleasant.  Words of praise are not enough to describe how beautiful it is. The enchanting atmosphere touches our hearts. There are trees, flowers, and grass all around this place that please our eyes, and we don’t want to look away from it.

No matter how much one praises FFP, it is not enough. The nature, discipline, sweet words, and kind behavior of the people here is a very good experience. We have learned about the Seven Wonders of the World. I feel Food for People is the Eighth Wonder. I can’t believe it’s real.  

I am a poor student and PF has given me a lot of support. I want to study and progress and become a doctor. I will make a government hospital for the relief of people in my village and nearby so that they can breathe easier.

On behalf of the villagers around me, I want to heartily thank those who have done this good deed of Food for People and have given a breath of relief to poor people nearby.

Villagers from nearby places, like students and the elderly people, have received so much support. In my opinion, Premsagar Foundation is our Paalanhaar (savior.)

Thank you.

Shri Yunus, Principal of the Chatti Middle School in Bhandra, India, writes: 

I was able to tour the entire Food for People establishment in Bantoli recently and was highly impressed by the manager and the setup. The organization, discipline, behavior, hygiene, vegetable farm, and maintenance of the facility are all exemplary.

About 100 children from my school benefit from the food here every day. They have improved with respect to attendance in school, regularity in homework, discipline, concentration, neatness, behavior, health, and the ability to learn.

*Photos By TPRF Staff

The Beauty of FFP India

Here are two brief accounts from family members benefiting from the Food for People facility in Northern India.

Sushila Kumari—A student from the village of Bajiatoli attending Food for People:

I have been getting meals at Food for People for the last five years. Since then there has been happiness in my life. Before the establishment of the center, it was very difficult to get cooked food at home in time to go to school. I used to get sick frequently.

Now, everyone’s health has improved. The food here is nutritious and is making my body strong. I even like the discipline of standing in line and washing my hands. I also really enjoy watching TV before and during the meal.  Food for People provides everything including toilets, tap water, a plate full of food and a tumbler of drinking water.

I get to Food for People at 8:00 in the morning and then walk to my school in the village of Bantoli. When I finish my education, I want to join the police service and serve the people of this nation.

This program should continue so that every child can get good food, stay healthy, and perform well in their studies.

With these words I stop writing.

Sushila Kumari’s Mother—Excerpt from an interview:

I have five daughters. Four of them go to Food for People and the youngest is a baby. I also have a son who is studying in college.

My daughters go to school almost every day now. They used to go only about half the time. Their health is better. Now they get sick much less, with less stomach problems and less coughing.

There is a positive change in the way my children think. They have begun to talk about their future plans.

The children come back from school around 4:30 in the afternoon. Now, after they get home home, they help with the domestic work because they are stronger. The children can now occasionally help with farming chores.  They also help on the days they do not go to school.

This program should continue so that more children can get the positive benefits that my children receive.

Please note: Sushila Kumari and her mother DO NOT appear in the photos below.

Photos courtesy of Maria Goeldner, Edwin Mbolamana, and Cynthia Allan.

Enjoying the Amenities at Food for People Bantoli

The Adventure Project set an ambitious goal.  Blog writers and their readers worldwide responded with enthusiasm, compassion and generosity.

The idea came to Becky Straw and Jody Landers, Co-Founders of the Adventure Project, from members of their organization, known affectionately as the “Tribe.”  One week before World Water Day (March 22^nd) blog writers proposed a challenge to raise $10,000 in one day by promoting the Adventure Project’s latest initiative: repairing broken water pump handles in northern India.  The anticipated results of the initiative are twofold.  By bringing wells that have fallen into disrepair back into use, 300 more people per month (3,600 per year) will have access to clean water.  In addition, the initiative will provide training and jobs to enable unemployed people to lift themselves out of poverty.

A Pump Mechanic Rides to Her Next Job

Becky thought the tribe members might be able to recruit 50 bloggers to promote the fundraising effort.  Jody, an eternal optimist, suggested 100 bloggers.  One week later, 137 bloggers had signed up to participate.  As the final seconds of World Water Day elapsed, the amount raised reached $11,390.  Donations are still rolling in.  All funds collected go to WaterAid, a charity that takes a unique approach to providing the poorest communities with potable water.

“It all came together like magic,” Becky reports.  She asked her friend and colleague, Nicole Skibola, to find a company that might be willing to provide matching funds for the promotion.  In her role as a “Social Innovation Strategist” with Apricot Consulting in New York City, Nicole works with corporations to create and execute effective programs for social change.  A former attorney, Nicole also serves as a “Social Enterprise Advisor,” for the Adventure Project.

Nicole e-mailed a list of her friends and business contacts in an effort to locate a matching funds sponsor.  Kathya Bustamante’s name happened to be on the list from a position she previously held with UBS.  Kathya, among other interests, now volunteers for TPRF as Manager of the Fundraising Team.  Kathya  recognized a common thread between both organizations:  “Clean Water” and “Dignity.”  She forwarded Nicole’s request to decision makers at TPRF.  Within twenty-four hours, TPRF committed to providing up to $10,000 in matching funds.  “Awesome,” Nicole commented in an e-mail to Becky and Kathya, “the fastest foundation response in history.”

One final footnote—Although TPRF agreed to provide up to $10,000 in matching funds, we surprised everyone involved by cutting a check for the full amount of the funds raised on World Water Day: $11,390.

“Your response was so amazing and so responsible,” Becky said about TPRF’s participation.

*Photos courtesy of Esther Havens for The Adventure Project

As the world population grows, more fresh water is required for drinking water and sanitation.  As a result, the water available for agriculture and industrial uses is plunging below demand levels.  The effects of global warming are causing water shortages and droughts in Africa, Asia and the Middle East.  Water mismanagement by government agencies adds to the shortages.  Dumping treated and untreated human waste into bodies of water is a suicidal policy that is reducing the worldwide fresh water supply on a daily basis.  Poisonous industrial waste products continue to find their way into lakes, rivers, streams and aquifers.

Pump Mechanics

The world’s supply of fresh water has not increased since biblical times.  We are destroying an irreplaceable commodity essential to life while increasing demand at an uncontrolled, alarming rate.

Water covers 75 percent of the earth’s surface, but only 2.5 percent is fresh water.  O.3 percent of the fresh water is located on the surface.  The balance lies deep underground.

Most of us are too consumed with our daily struggle for existence to worry about global problems like the water crisis.  However, you can make a huge difference to people in India by joining with TPRF and our partner, The Adventure Project, to train mechanics to repair broken water pump handles.

One third of all hand pumps installed in the last twenty years in developing countries are now broken. 4,000 children die every day because of a lack of clean drinking water.  The Adventure Project has developed a novel solution to this problem.  Instead of drilling more fresh water boreholes, the Adventure Project non-profit is using charitable donations to train and employ hand pump mechanics. The mechanics earn an income, bringing themselves out of poverty, and they save lives – turning water back on for thousands of people each year.

The Joy of Clean Water

Tuesday, March 22, 2011 is World Water Day.  We are asking our readers to consider making a donation TODAY to help people in need in India.  100 blog sites are joining in this effort.  If we can raise $10,000 by the end of the day, TPRF will double the amount with a matching grant of  $10,000.  The idea is to challenge ten readers to donate $20.00 each.  But we think we can do better than that.  If we succeed, we will help bring clean water to 300 additional people each month. That’s 3,600 people per year!

Here is the link to get more information and to make your donation:

www.TheAdventureProject.causevox.com

Photo Credit: Esther Havens for The Adventure Project

As the paperwork and planning for the new Food for People (FFP) facility in Africa is wrapping up, I have been flashing back on my personal experiences with the current FFP  facilities operating in India and Nepal. I’d like to share my reflections with you on this blog. (I’ll add more posts as I can.)

I was told that the people who live in this pocket of northeastern India where the FFP facility was built have had a long history of struggles. They are descendants of the very first people to inhabit India, and, much like the indigenous peoples of Australia and the US, they ended up living in areas no one else wanted.

Food for People program, Bantoli, India

The region around Bantoli is rocky, and the climate is hot and dry, with harsh winds often whipping up dust during the summer months. Yet, the historically unfair treatment of these proud people does not seem to have dampened their spirits.  Although I could not understand their language, I could see that they were quick to laugh and had a sparkle in their eyes.

When I stood up to speak, at the opening ceremony for the first Food for People facility, I saw the children looking at me with great delight, trying to stifle giggles. I learned later that they had never seen a light complexioned western woman, let alone a woman who stands six feet tall. I might as well have been from another planet!

I spoke a little about the work of TPRF, stopping every few sentences so the young Hindi translator could do her job. We shared one stand-up type microphone, and although there was a height difference between us that was more than a foot, I think we did Ok.

I then introduced Prem Rawat, the Founder of TPRF, whose vision to help people in a way that respects their culture and treats them with dignity led to this model food program. Mr. Rawat told us not to worry about teaching them a new trade or giving them things to sell. He encouraged us simply to provide delicious meals that they would enjoy eating, teach them about simple hygiene, and offer educational television programs. He was sure they would then find their way to a more promising future. He spoke eloquently and passionately about the responsibility we all have to help:

“It is incumbent upon us to shape the future in the best way that we can. The children are the ones that need to be taken care of so that there will be a tomorrow. It is incumbent upon all of us to shape their future into something that is friendly, that will recognize the need of human beings across the world—not countries, but human beings. That’s what Prem Rawat Foundation is interested in.”

Prem Rawat speaks at Food for People inauguration event in Bantoli, India

After the talks, we were led to where the commemorative plaque was ready for unveiling. Mrs. Rawat joined her husband in the ceremony, and then everyone was invited into the dining hall to have the first meal. There was great excitement as children and adults began to climb the stone steps that led to the veranda and the hand washing stations.

To be continued.