Prem Rawat // Maharaji - News, Excerpts and more

The Prem Rawat Foundation Gives Grant of US$26,000 to Aid Indonesian Earthquake Survivors

mblogs — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 12:17:26 -0800

Nutritious food to be provided immediately to over 2,400 survivors in remote areas

Los Angeles — After two consecutive earthquakes struck the west coast of Sumatra, Indonesia, The Prem Rawat Foundation (TPRF) is providing immediate food aid to over 2,400 survivors in remote areas. TPRF is working with the Yayasan IDEP, a local non-profit organization, which reports that thousands of survivors in the Padang Pariaman area have not received “help whatsoever to date” and are “homeless and desperate for food and clean water.”

According to their reports, IDEP is targeting people in the outer vicinities who have been impacted not only by the earthquakes but also by massive landslides. The report stated: “Helicopters carrying food and medical supplies had been dispatched to the highland, but they are not carrying enough supplies to fulfill needs on the ground. The few that have received help to date have only been provided with some instant noodles, not nearly enough to help people survive. They have not had any proper food for more than a week now, and are getting weak and desperate for immediate assistance.”

Over the next two months, using small trucks and vehicles, volunteers from the local Lumbung Derma Coalition, a coalition over 10 NGOs from the West Sumatera region, are partnering with IDEP to directly distribute rice, eggs, tea and milk to at least 2,400 people, with special provisions for children, pregnant and lactating women, and the elderly. Additional provisions of enriched milk will be provided for children who are malnourished and ill. This emergency response support will help reduce immediate suffering and the ongoing impact of disease and malnutrition for the affected homeless people in the area.

TPRF has provided several grants to IDEP after earthquakes, mudslides and a tsunami. IDEP Executive Director, Petra Schneider, said: “We cannot begin to express the depth of our gratitude for this excellent working partnership that has resulted in the relief of thousands of people in plight to date in Indonesia. Your support will make an incredible difference in relieving some of the suffering and helping people to build up their strength and ward off potential disease, especially children and the elderly.”

Photographs courtesy of Yayasan IDEP / Lumbung Derma / Taufik Hidayat.

The Prem Rawat Foundation Has Been Awarded The Highest Rating By America's Premier Charity Evaluator

mblogs — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 13:32:27 -0700

Charity Navigator congratulates the Foundation for achieving the coveted Four-Star rating for sound fiscal management.

Los Angeles, CA: "As the nonprofit sector continues to grow at an unprecedented pace, savvy donors are demanding more accountability, transparency, and quantifiable results from the charities they choose to support with their hard-earned dollars," states Ken Berger, President and CEO of Charity Navigator, in a letter to The Prem Rawat Foundation (TPRF). "Approximately a quarter of the charities we evaluate have received our highest rating, indicating that The Prem Rawat Foundation executes its mission in a fiscally responsible way and outperforms most other charities in America."

Charity Navigator's unique evaluation method of applying data-driven analysis to the charitable sector has been praised by such publications as Forbes, Business Week, and Kiplinger's Financial Magazine. The New Jersey-based organization evaluates ten times more charities than their nearest competitor and attracts more visitors to their website than all other charity rating groups combined, making them America's largest independent evaluator of charities. The Charity Navigator website provides important information on charities to help donors make confident choices.

"This 'exceptional' designation from Charity Navigator differentiates The Prem Rawat Foundation from its peers and demonstrates to the public it is worthy of their trust."

The Charity Navigator website has designated a web page showing the evaluation for The Prem Rawat Foundation that led to their four out of four-star rating.

Prem Rawat Named Ambassador of Peace in Potenza, Italy

mblogs — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 12:19:44 -0700

Los Angeles, CA — Humanitarian and world-renowned advocate of peace, Prem Rawat was given the title of “Ambassador of Peace” for the province of Basilicata, Italy, after addressing a distinguished audience at an event on July 3rd. The invitation was extended to Prem Rawat by Basilicata President Vito de Filippo, and Mr. Rawat was welcomed by lifetime Senator Emilio Colombo, a former Prime Minister of Italy and former President of the European Parliament.

In his introduction at the event, titled “Peace: Human Heritage,” in the famous Conservatorio di Musica in the ancient mountainside town of Potenza in southern Italy, Governor de Filippo said, “Indeed, we look forward to this high level of thought from Prem Rawat. I believe deeply that embedded in our souls is the most solid foundation for bringing peace. Tonight an important seed will be planted that we will nurture and grow, for this is a land of peace.”

Senator Colombo greeted Prem Rawat: “My salute to you, for you are indeed an emissary of peace. Potenza is just a stage for you on your continued journey, and I hope it is a good one.” He quoted Mr. Rawat as saying, “If you want peace, then prepare for peace.” Prem Rawat thanked the Governor and President and said that neither technology nor education would bring peace; only people could do that. Alluding to the world population, he added that he had not just one million, but seven billion reasons for peace. “We have to learn to come together,” he said, “and that can only happen when we see the necessity.”

Mr. Rawat continued, “Do you want to do something really fun? Work on bringing peace on earth. One lit candle can light a thousand. However many of us there are, if we can raise the interest for peace in this world, something beautiful will happen.” After being awarded a memorial plaque in recognition of his work as an advocate for peace, Prem Rawat was given a standing ovation.

Notable guests also included Renato Cantore, Chief Editor of TGR News Media, the regional ministers of Health, of Industry and Tourism, of Infrastructure and Transport, as well as local Potenza business leaders, students from the Conservatorio di Musica, guests of the speakers, and several international attendees from Australia, Israel, and the United States. The event was broadcast for five days on the local TV channel, La Nuova.

The Prem Rawat Foundation Donates US$30,000 for School Lunches in Soweto

mblogs — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 09:28:36 -0700

July, 2009—For most children in schools around the world, school lunches are part of their daily routine. But not at the Emndeni Junior Secondary School in Soweto, South Africa. This high school, located in an impoverished settlement area, had no feeding program at all and no cooking equipment. Now, thanks to a grant of US$30,000 to the African Children’s Feeding Scheme (ACFS) by The Prem Rawat Foundation (TPRF), 500 of the poorest students at the school will be receiving nutritious lunches.

The 500 children selected were those who came to school without lunchboxes, the poorest of the poor. A gas stove and steel pots were purchased so that nutritious meals prepared by an industrial catering company could be cooked each day. The meals consist of a variety of vegetables such as carrots, onions, potatoes, and green peppers. They include basic protein such as Grade-A minced meat, chicken fillets, or a special mixture of red speckled beans, yellow split peas, and barley, a specialty of the area and very nutritious. Carbohydrates such as macaroni, maize, and rice are also served, forming completely balanced meals.

To ensure the success of the program, the homes of the children were visited in order to involve the parents. Then, to continually measure the effectiveness of the program, the nutritional quality of the food and the progress of the students will be monitored. Community health workers, nursing sisters, and social workers work hand in hand with educators to monitor the program. Some of the teachers are also ACFS volunteers, who will examine the rate of absenteeism and truancy and the students’ progress in school.

The Executive Director of the ACFS, Sister Rejoice Nkutha, wrote, “On behalf of the African Children’s Feeding Scheme, I would like to thank The Prem Rawat Foundation most heartily for the grant of $30,000 which, when converted, came to R239,000 South African money. This will provide nutritious food to 500 children in Soweto through to December 2009, thus improving their quality of life. We also thank Prem Rawat for his message of peace to people around the world and providing essential humanitarian aid to the people in need.”

Mind over Matter?

mblogs — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 11:36:26 -0700

The most important thing that I can do is to cause you to reflect, contemplate what you have been given, and make you think about the possibility of having peace in your life.

In some ways, you are very much like me. As human beings, we have a need. It is not a need created by society or by religion. It is a fundamental need to be fulfilled, to be in peace. It is easy to toss around the word “peace.” But what is peace? Is it just hearing wind chimes? No traffic? No airplanes or trains buzzing by? To some people, that’s exactly what peace means. And it’s sad that external noise pollution becomes so irritating that when we find ourselves in the absence of it, we call it “peace.”

Or is peace a feeling? An undeniable feeling not born of thought. Everything that comes to us is born of thought. We get good news, “Things are going my way.” We get bad news, “Why is this happening to me?” It doesn’t take much for us to get unsettled. It happens when we’re in traffic and somebody honks their horn. Even if they are honking at somebody else, we get irritated, “How dare you honk at me.”

Your son or daughter tells you, “I failed,” and you get upset. So is peace simply not being upset? It’s sad but true that some people think when you don’t get upset you must be in peace. Well, there are people who are in a vegetative state, and they don’t get upset over anything. So, what is peace?

Something that is not born of thought, but felt. Something that resides in the ocean of answers, not in the ocean of questions. We have learned to question everything, but we have not yet learned how to accept the answer. Your life. Your being. What does it mean to be here, to be alive?

People read books. I’m not against books. One wall of my office is just filled with books. But what am I looking to the books for? Can they really give me that answer? Can a book really satisfy my hunger? There are beautiful books of water scenes. Can that satisfy my thirst?

You cannot just say, “I’m not hungry. I’m not hungry. I’m not hungry.” The other day, I got up early, had a small breakfast, and went to speak. And my stomach was growling. I was thinking, “You’re not hungry, you’re not hungry…” but it didn’t quit. You can say, “Oh, it’s mind over matter.” But not for the basics, not for those things that really matter.

One time, my father visited a place where there were a lot of holy men. One of the men was standing on one leg praying to God. There was a sign saying he’d been standing on one leg for so many weeks and hadn’t spoken a word. My father went right up to him and said, “Oh God, why did you give him a second leg? He doesn’t use it. And why’d you give him a mouth? He doesn’t use that, either.” This man got so upset he said, “How dare you say this!” And the second leg came down.

So, what is peace? I can’t tell you what it is. I have felt peace, and I can feel it every day, but I can’t tell you what it feels like. Just like I can’t tell you what sugar really tastes like. If you want to know what I am tasting, you need to taste it, too. Then and only then will you understand what I am talking about.

This life is a gift. I want to understand it as clearly as possible before I lose the ability to understand it. I want to know what this miracle is. A miracle requires an eye to behold it—a person who truly understands what a miracle is. The most amazing miracle is the coming and going of this breath. Out of nowhere it comes, and to nowhere it goes. From this breath comes the gift of life. And life makes all the other miracles possible: You can be. You can admire. You can be thankful that you exist. You can feel and give kindness.

To know in life that all is well. We only think of this in times of trouble. Do you know that you’re fine? You always were and always will be. We live in a world of fear. But there is something within you that you should not be afraid of, and it is the ability to enjoy this life, to appreciate this life.

Prem Rawat

Prem Rawat Receives Key to the City from Mayor of Tainan

mblogs — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 11:33:36 -0700

Los Angeles, June 2009 — On May 23, at the invitation of Mayor Tain-Tsair Hsu of Tainan, Taiwan, Prem Rawat, known as Maharaji, attended a ceremony where he was awarded the Golden Key to the city as well as an emblem of the Sword Lion, a symbol of the cultural capital of Taiwan. The ceremony was held at the National Tainan Living Arts Center. Over 800 people attended including guests of the mayor, dignitaries from other towns in Taiwan, as well as international and local students of Prem Rawat.

After a brief introduction from one of the Mayor’s staff and a video, Mayor Hsu said how honored he felt to receive an “Ambassador of Peace” in Tainan. Prem Rawat was awarded the title of Ambassador of Peace at the International University of Peace in Brazil because of his worldwide efforts over four decades to bring a message of peace to millions of people.

“Today the Peace Ambassador has finally arrived in Tainan City,” said Mayor Hsu, “and we have to collaborate with him to contribute to peace and harmony in this world. We have to encourage each other. We have to trust in peace. We cannot wait for peace to descend. We have to have the confidence in ourselves that there is a source of peace within us that is not only for ourselves but for everyone in this world.”

The Mayor welcomed Prem Rawat to the stage where, after receiving the key to the city, he spoke about the early human being’s fundamental questions that are still being asked today. “Maybe he could not imagine cell phones or cars. He could not imagine nations or flags,” he said. “But he asked the questions: ‘Who am I? Why am I here?’

“Do these questions intrigue you?” he continued. “And yet, where do you find the answers? In a book? In some philosophy? On top of a mountain? No. The answers exist in one place only, and it is in the book of your heart. What you are truly looking for—whether you call it peace, contentment, happiness, or joy, these are all names for one thing—that thing is your truth. You begin to live the day you embrace the peace that dwells in your heart. You begin to live the day you acknowledge the fundamental question of who you are. When that question is answered, clarity prevails, because you have witnessed the source of peace in you. That is the day your thirst will be quenched.”

After speaking, Prem Rawat returned to his seat while the Mayor led the audience in a standing ovation.

Prem Rawat’s visit to Taiwan was part of a speaking tour that began in February in Italy, and continued to India, Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, China and Taiwan. His efforts have been recognized by public officials and private organizations. He founded The Prem Rawat Foundation in 2001, which has a dual purpose of bringing his message of peace to people worldwide and providing essential humanitarian aid to those in need.

A Simple Story

mblogs — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 11:51:18 -0700

I am here to tell you a story that is simple. This story is not about animals or kings and queens. It is not about the fulfillment of somebody’s fantasy. This story is about you and me — as we exist, as we are.

It’s not a story about aspirations, because people’s aspirations depend so much on where they find themselves in this world. If somebody lost their child, they wouldn’t pray for money. They would pray for one thing and one thing only: “God, can you please have my child returned to me?” That’s it.

If somebody has been told by a doctor, “You have cancer, you’re dying,” what do they pray for? Do they pray for higher education? Do they pray for another child? No. They say, “God, either make this as painless as possible or take away my cancer.” And if somebody finds themselves poor? They pray for money.

Where we find ourselves in our lives dramatically changes our viewpoint on what our needs are, what the world is all about, what religion is all about, what God is all about — what everything is all about.

But there is a reality: the reality that you are alive. This is the most beautiful reality there is. Whether you are poor or you are rich — what do you really want? In this story, this story about you and me, we have a chance to fulfill our real want. If we want this story to be nice, to have a happy ending, it can be so. So the question becomes, “What is our want?”

Do you know what you want, what you have always wanted, what you will always want? Other people’s opinions and your own needs are two different things. If you have not looked at your real need, your want, all the opinions in the world are not going to take care of it. They are just opinions. What do you want?

Let me tell you about a possibility as one human being to another. I propose that what you want in your life does not need a name. You can call it peace, you can call it happiness, you can call it liberation, you can call it joy — not a problem. Why? Because these are just different names for the same thing. When the heart is content, there will be joy. When the heart is content, there will be peace.

What is the difference between darkness and light? In darkness, you cannot see. When you cannot see, you cannot avoid the obstacles. All of the stumbling blocks, all of the obstacles on the road do not disappear when the sun rises in the morning. But you can see them, and, because you can see, you can avoid them. Light doesn’t take away obstacles; light illuminates them.

What do I give? I give an umbrella. I do not take away the rain. Rain cannot be taken away — it will rain. But that’s not a problem if you have an umbrella. Without one, you will become wet, and you don’t want to get wet.

I give an umbrella. Do I take away people’s obstacles? No. I give them a lamp so that they can see, so that they can avoid what they want to avoid. That’s how it is. That’s what you need.

What does this being really want? This being has the most amazing aspiration it could ever have — to feel the infinite. This is the highest ambition: when a mortal wants to reach and touch and feel the immortal. That’s an incredible but beautiful ambition.

Prem Rawat

TPRF’s Grant of US$50,000 Provides Eye Care for 9,700 People

mblogs — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 11:45:44 -0700

Los Angeles, January 2009 — The Prem Rawat Foundation donated $50,000 to sponsor five eye clinics in poor, rural areas of India during November and December, 2008, with its partner, Premsagar Foundation India.

Clinics were held in Ranchi (four days), Hyderabad (three days), Jaipur (three days), Dausa (two days), and Delhi (four days). Doctors and optometrists examined nearly 9,700 people, giving eye drops for infections to over 8,500 and providing over 6,400 pairs of glasses. Cataracts were identified in over 1,000 people, who were referred to specialists.

“This camp gives eyes to the blind,” said Maheshwari Devi, one of the attendees, “I was given spectacles after my eye examination. Now I shall be able to do my routine work without difficulty.”

Over 15 million people in India suffer from blindness, and it is estimated that 75% of them could have preserved their sight with the proper care. (“The Times of India,” October, 2007.) Yet the country continues to suffer from a severe shortage of eye-care professionals and lack of eye care for its poorest residents, resulting in limited educational and economic opportunity for them.

“It’s an honor to be a part of this camp serving people who don’t even have primary health care services,” said Dr. Ratnesh Kumar, one of the attending physicians who donated his time to provide care. “This eye clinic offers selfless service to a needy population in their own neighborhood at no charge.”

For the past five years, TPRF has regularly held eye clinics throughout India, with doctors and eye specialists who have donated their services. To date, nearly 30,000 people have had their eyes examined, nearly 18,000 have received eyeglasses, over 22,000 have received eye drops, and 2,400 instances of cataracts have been identified and referred for further medical care.

“It has been difficult for me to read and identify words, but now it is easy for me to see things,” said Mr. Hari Narayan, from the village of Lakhana. “I was even given eye medicine. Now I can do some reading and writing work.”

Emptying the Bucket

mblogs — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 11:02:44 -0800

When I travel and talk to people, what is my challenge? Of course, what I say has to come from my heart. It’s not a written speech; it's not from a book. But my challenge is for you to empty your bucket.

It’s not about saying wise things, believe me. People think I will tell them something that’s going to help them. And I do, apparently, because people write back and say how they've been helped since they’ve been listening to me. But that’s not what I try to do, because I cannot push wisdom into somebody’s head. All I try to do is to help people to empty their bucket.

Our biggest limitation is our imagination. I’ve never said this before because I know people will immediately say, “No-no-no, we can imagine some outrageous things!” Yes, you can. But there is something so amazing that exists beyond your capacity to imagine. I call it the peace and joy that reside in your heart.

The brain is a funny thing. It tries to fill in as much as it can. If we see an object that we have never seen before, our brain gets very confused. It responds, “What is this?” Imagination can only take you so far. But in the realm of the heart, in the realm of this inner beauty, there is something that is indeed divine, not by our making, but by its very nature.

I’m not talking about conjecture. You see, I’m not going to answer your questions. Is that a favor to you? You bet. All I will keep saying is to empty your bucket, and when you do, you will finally make room for answers to come. Because you see, the answers are inside of you.

Do you believe that? We live in a society where if we want to know something, we search on the Internet to find out. But have you found out?

Where is the understanding in this world? People are more educated now than they’ve ever been. Everybody has their reasons for why things are as they are. But understanding is not about reasons. Understanding is about what you have understood, what you have felt. It’s not about preaching. It’s about reaching and grabbing the answer and realizing, “Yes, now I understand.”

That’s what I want for you. I don’t want you to say, “Now I have been given the answer.” That’s pointless. I want you to be able to say, “Now I understand. Now I know.” That's the way it needs to be—because that is the cry of your heart.

There is an opportunity, a simple opportunity—if you can see it. How can you see it? Empty your bucket. How do you do that? It’s easy. Just start throwing out all that’s not yours, and I guarantee you the bucket will be very, very empty. Because nothing in that bucket is yours.

In your life, you were told things and you said, “Okay.” Every time you agreed, something was placed in the bucket, again and again. Unfortunately, it has gotten to a point where there’s no room for anything else. It’s full.

What’s in the bucket? Part of all that goes around in this world. People fight over God. Nations get polarized. Human beings express anger towards one another just for their opinion. We have created a world where, instead of saying, “Okay, we’ll never be able to figure God out. Let’s just feel God, respect God, and sing God’s praises.” No. It can’t be as simple as that. “Let’s give God a gender.” Do you think God needs a gender? “Let’s give God hands.” Does God need hands? That power, that energy is everywhere: nowhere to come from and nowhere to go to. Does that power need legs? Think about it.

Maybe I’ve inspired you to empty your bucket. Or perhaps I've given you a notion to at least look at your bucket and see how full it is. See if you can recognize that those things are not yours. You never put them there. They are the voices of the people before you, who told you how it had to be. And you said, “Okay.”

I’m not saying that’s good or bad. I’m saying this is your bucket. At least, it should contain what you think should be in it. Because this life is about you. This gift of life has been given to you. When you accept this gift, it fills you with amazing joy. It brings unparalleled clarity. And then your life is filled with gratitude, gratitude to be alive. Could you think of a better story? Could you think of a better ending to a day? Could you think of a better start to a day than to be filled with gratitude? This is the ultimate gift.

Prem Rawat

Food for People — Interview with Linda Pascotto

mblogs — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 10:53:01 -0800

Many people have expressed an interest in The Prem Rawat Foundation’s (TPRF) model program, Food for People (FFP), whose first facility in Bantoli, India, was inaugurated almost three years ago. This 10,000 square-foot facility is located in a very rural area in northeastern India and has become a central part of the life and well-being of several villages in the area. TPRF president, Linda Pascotto, has recently returned from a visit to this facility, and we’re happy to share with you her interview with the Inspire staff.

Please tell us about your recent visit to the Food for People facility in India.
I was in New Delhi and realized that I had just enough time for a quick “unofficial” visit to the Food for People facility, which is located about an hour-and-a-half drive from the Ranchi airport in Jharkhand. From the moment I got into the car, I felt I was being taken into a completely different world from the one I live in, with all that was familiar fading rapidly away as my expert driver navigated rough roads that became increasingly narrow and more rutted, weaving and swerving to avoid hitting other vehicles, people, cows, goats, and chickens, and always moving at great speed whenever he could.

What prompted TPRF to create a facility like this?
This program is the result of Prem Rawat’s vision to help people in need in a way that would offer them a chance to live independent lives in dignity. Several years ago, when he flew by helicopter to this area to speak at events, village children would crowd around the landing site. On one visit, Prem Rawat invited the children to come and see the helicopter close up. He noticed that, although they seemed well cared for and happy, they were very, very thin. He did some research and found that these indigenous Indians had been pushed back into an arid, rocky land in northeast India where it was very difficult to eke out a living. Through the years, they had adapted as best they could but often went hungry because of the limited food available, and they suffered from a variety of illnesses common in such rural areas. Often young children had to work in exchange for food, particularly when one or both parents were too sick to work themselves. He was touched by the shy smiles and curiosity of these malnourished children, and he wanted to help them.

What was your first impression when you came to see a meal in progress?
I noticed that a large group of children arrived an hour early so they could watch more of the educational television programs that are shown daily during mealtime. FFP is the only building with electricity in the area, and they are drawn to the big-screen television with pictures and stories of things they would never be able to imagine. The children walked in from all directions and then, after their meal, left for school in small groups of pals with arms linked, vivacious and happy. They had eaten a meal they really liked and had been exposed to something that fascinated them. Life was good.

Tell us about life in these villages and what difference Food for People has made.
There are eight villages that use the FFP facility. Some villagers have to walk at least three miles to get there. I visited the nearest village late one afternoon, along with two local FFP administrators from our partner organization in India, Premsagar Foundation. A cluster of mud houses about half a mile from FFP, the village was the most rural community I have visited in India. Adults were performing their end-of-day activities, some carrying home baskets of food from small plots of land where they grow what food they can, and children were scattered around playing in the narrow lanes between their homes.

It looked like a normal village scene. Later, however, I found out that during the two-and-a-half years FFP has been open, it has made a big difference to the whole community. The villagers’ lives have gradually improved: There is more understanding of good hygiene, and, as a result, less illness. Adults are working more regularly, providing food for themselves and their families in the evenings, and the children are now attending school consistently.

How has the program changed over time in response to the villagers’ needs?
The program adjusts to the villagers’ needs under the guidance of the village elders. For many months, we provided two meals each day for children and one meal a day for adults who were too ill to work. As the health of the adults improved, they spent their days working and stopped coming for food. At this point, they decided that they preferred to have the evening meal, meager as it was, at home with their families. So food is now served only once a day to the children, the sick, and the elderly. The time of the daily meal varies with the seasonal changes of the school schedule. The village elders determine the time that works best for those benefiting from the program.

Did you have a chance to speak with any of the children, their parents, or the elders? If so, what did they say to you?
Yes, it was fun to speak to the children and some of the parents. At first, they were shy around me, a stranger who was tall and blonde and didn’t speak their language. But through a translator, the children were soon bubbling with enthusiastic comments about how much they liked the food, smiling happily as they spoke about their favorites. Rice, subgee, or dahl were mentioned repeatedly. It was clear that the nature programs and other educational television shows were extremely popular as well. With few words, parents expressed that the daily meals brought better health and stability to the children’s lives.

What does FFP offer beyond a healthy meal for the day?
After talking to both villagers and administrators, I began to appreciate what a big difference being able to rely on healthy food, clean water, and a regular schedule really made. The consistent FFP meal structures the day in many ways, and it makes regular school attendance the norm. Hygiene, fresh water (often toted home in small quantities), and an orderly process for getting food and eating together are examples of fundamentals that were missing in the children’s lives before. So while they may not even notice, children now have a certain stability in their lives, which, in addition to nutritious food, opens the door to new possibilities in education and future work.

Also, some adult villagers work in the facility, not only earning money for their family’s needs, but learning hygiene, skills of food preparation, and organization. Others work in the fields owned by the facility, where much of the food is grown. They learn good methods for successful farming. What staples are not grown on the land are purchased from the local markets, and this helps the local economy.

For the children, the educational TV shows offer the only contact they have with other people, animals, landscapes, and ways of life outside the world of their very isolated villages. And with this view comes the possibility of considering further education and new opportunities. Walking or riding an old bicycle on rutted roads is the only transportation these rural people have. The villages are scattered throughout the area and are several miles apart from each other and even further from larger villages. Cities are completely out of reach for almost everyone.

It sounds as though FFP is playing a significant role in the possibility of a more hopeful future for these people.
There has certainly been progress toward that goal, but it isn’t one that will be reached quickly. The pace is slow and change is slow, but in the relatively short time the facility has been opened, one can already see a difference. Children and adults have gained weight and are healthier. Some of the children are beginning to think about continuing their education beyond the elementary level available locally, even if it means living away from home.

FFP has clearly had a successful beginning. Is the Foundation planning to build facilities in other places based on this model?
TPRF and its partner, Premsagar Foundation Nepal, have begun building a new facility in a rural area in Nepal. Some of the Nepalese people who are involved in the project have visited the FFP facility in Bantoli to understand more about how to run this type of program and to see for themselves the high standards that need to be achieved.

TPRF hopes to continue building facilities like this in other areas. We have come to understand that Prem Rawat’s vision to provide people in need with nutritious meals of the local cuisine is a way to help people prosper naturally and with dignity. With better health and more education, the children are growing up with many opportunities for their future. The cycle of poverty is being replaced with the possibility of a future that they could not have imagined before Food for People came to their area. It is heartening and rewarding to be part of this unique model program.

About The Prem Rawat Foundation
The Prem Rawat Foundation was created in 2001 by Prem Rawat, known also as Maharaji, and has a dual mission of bringing his message of peace to people around the world and providing essential humanitarian aid to those in need. TPRF partners with other humanitarian organizations to bring food, water and rapid disaster relief where it is most needed.

TPRF Funds Breakfast Program for Elementary School Children in the Yucatán

mblogs — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 10:41:04 -0800

Los Angeles, December 2008 — The Prem Rawat Foundation (TPRF) has extended its work with Compartimos Bienestar y Salud Para Los Niños Maya I.A.P. in Mexico to provide a breakfast program for the 59 students of Alfredo Peniche Erosa elementary school in San Pedro Chenchela, Espita, Yucatán, through the end of the school year in June 2009.

San Pedro Chenchela is a small Mayan community with only one elementary school. Typically, the children there come from families trying to cope with severe poverty. They arrive at school hungry, as the only breakfast available to them at home is a hot drink made from soaking burned tortillas in water and sugar, simulating a kind of “coffee,” sometimes accompanied by a taco with a little tomato. Malnutrition in the area is rampant.

Now children arrive 45 minutes early for school to be served a nutritionally-balanced breakfast. The new program has become a community effort. Each school day, two teachers supervise the meal and four different mothers come to prepare the food while learning, in the process, the basics of clean food preparation and nutrition. While the meals are now quite substantial, initially they were small. Since the children were accustomed to eating so little, they might have become sick from too sudden a change.

Maria Jose Medina Diaz, President of Compartimos Bienestar y Salud Para Los Niños Maya, was moved to tears when she first saw the eager smiles on the faces of the children as they ate with such obvious enjoyment. “The teachers told us that the children were becoming more attentive in class and, in general, appeared more content,” she reported. “And the mothers often smiled and laughed as they learned to prepare the breakfasts. They seemed to be very happy for their children.”

TPRF first partnered with Compartimos Bienestar y Salud Para Los Niños Maya I.A.P. in 2006 to provide the supplies needed to replace roofs on water- and wind-damaged homes in two farming communities in the Cancun area after Hurricane Wilma, and later in 2007 to bring relief to flood victims in the state of Tabasco.

Photos Courtesy of Maria Jose Medina

About Compartimos Bienestar y Salud Para Los Niños Mayas I.A.P.
Compartimos Bienestar y Salud Para Los Niños Mayas I.A.P. is a nonprofit organization under the laws of Mexico which provides, in collaboration with other national and international foundations, services and goods to children and families suffering from malnutrition problems and extreme poverty in the Yucatán State of Mexico.

A Matter of Reality

mblogs — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 14:19:37 -0800

There is a lot going on around the world. But I want to talk to each one of you about this life, about this time that we have. It’s not often that somebody points out the importance of life itself. We live in a world that sees it very differently.

I’ll give you an example. Today, I wanted to know about the latest hurricane. So I turned on the TV. They were talking about how many people might get hurt, how many millions of dollars in damages the last hurricane had caused, and how much damage this one could do.

Then, all of a sudden, there was an advertisement saying, “Are you overweight? Would you like to lose five to ten pounds? Then this medicine is for you!” And I’m thinking, “Wait a minute. Half of the United States is in trouble, and we’re talking about being five to ten pounds overweight?” That’s the world we live in. What reality is and what it is not has become an incredibly fine line. So fine, in fact, that it is almost indistinguishable.

A long time ago, someone said, “As far as your eyes can see, you can consider it to be an illusion.” In our little world, we have made compartments for everything. So when we hear a deep statement like this, we don’t really want to act on it. If we did, the consequences would be amazing. You’d come out of your garage and realize, “My house is an illusion.” You’d look at your wife and say, “You’re an illusion, honey.” You’d look at your kids and your car in the same way. I mean, it would be almost paralyzing. You’d wonder, “Wait a minute—as far as the eye can see, it is all an illusion?”

So, we have compartments, and we say, “Well, this is one of those deep thoughts.” And then we move along. We go on our way because we don’t really want to change. If it means saying, “Oh, I love changes,” and not having to change, we say that, too. And people actually make these declarations, “I love changes.” As long as nobody causes them to change, it’s okay.

I ask people, “Do you have peace in your life?” “Yes.” “Really?” “Oh, yes, yes. I read scriptures, I go jogging every day, I do yoga. I have peace. Now, where is the ice cream?” And that’s it.

Why am I talking to you about illusion and reality? Does it matter that all this is an illusion? Does it matter that there is a reality? Yes, it does. Why? Because I see myself in relation to all the things that I am surrounded by. If I didn’t see any relationship between those things and me, then it wouldn’t be a problem. But when I see that relationship, I am caught.

The point is that all we consider to be real is not. We have our relatives or “relations” and all the people we love. There will be a time when all these relationships will come to an end. There will be a time when they can no longer reciprocate our love. So, why am I talking to you about this? My point is, if you’re going to have a relationship, have a relationship with something inside of you, too. If you’re going to have loved ones, find the love that is inside of you as well, because this is the one that transcends the limitations of this world.

I hope you understand what I’m trying to say. When you go to somebody’s house for dinner, what do you carry away with you? Well, you still have food in your stomach, but you also carry the memory of the enjoyment you had. Learn how to truly enjoy, because when you know how to enjoy, you take that with you in a heart that is full.

Wherever you go, whatever you do, whatever situation you go through, you carry a joy with you. But if you have not understood and included your true self in this life of yours then, yes, you live in a world of illusion. Somehow, you think that this will all be here forever. But it won’t.

There is something real in you. There is something beautiful in you. If you want to be mesmerized by beauty, be mesmerized by the beauty that is within you. If you want to understand something, understand yourself. If you want to love, love this beautiful breath that comes into you. If you do this, you will be given a gift of peace, joy, love—not in thoughts, not in words, but in feeling. And that is no ordinary gift.

Prem Rawat

TPRF Gives US$25,000 to Reduce Blindness in Rajasthan, India

mblogs — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 14:15:58 -0800

Los Angeles, November 2008 —The Prem Rawat Foundation (TPRF) has made a grant of US$25,000 to ORBIS UK, a beneficiary of the 2008 Lord Mayor of the City of London’s Appeal, to support ORBIS UK and the Lord Mayor’s Childhood Blindness Programme in India.

According to ORBIS UK, India is home to almost 20% of the world’s blind children. Over 320,000 children under the age of 16 are totally blind, while even more are visually impaired and at risk of losing their sight. At least half of these children could likely be cured with proper care, yet only 1% of India’s ophthalmologists are trained to treat children.

“This donation will certainly make a real contribution in achieving our aim to make the lives of future generations brighter,” says Wendy Lloyd, director of the Lord Mayor’s Appeal 2008. “It is enormously encouraging to receive such fantastic support.”

The TPRF grant will support ORBIS UK and the Lord Mayor’s Childhood Blindness Programme in the development of two children’s eye care centers, in partnership with local hospitals in Jaipur and Udaipur, areas in the state of Rajasthan where there are now no pediatric ophthalmologists. These centers will provide eye screening for 200,000 children, with an estimated 23,000 receiving medical treatment; 2,000 receiving eye surgery; and 10,000 families educated about detecting problems and protecting their vision. Equipment and personnel will be provided to sustain long-term eye care services for children in poor local communities.

It is estimated that the economic impact of blindness in India is approximately US$4.4 billion annually. Blindness and visual impairment limit education and life choices and place a heavy burden on families and the wider community. Blind and visually impaired children in India almost never receive an education, get married or live independent lives.

Photographs Courtesy of ORBIS

About ORBIS UK
ORBIS UK is a London-based affiliate of ORBIS International, a nonprofit, global development organization whose mission is to eliminate avoidable blindness in developing countries by strengthening the capacity of local eye health partners to prevent and treat avoidable blindness. ORBIS has pioneered the introduction of pediatric ophthalmology services in seven rural districts of India. It also operates a DC-10 Flying Eye Hospital that brings the gift of sight to developing countries around the world.

TPRF Gives US$20,000 to Provide Eye Care for Thousands in Gaza

mblogs — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 10:59:54 -0800

The Prem Rawat Foundation aids St. John of Jerusalem Eye Hospital, treating over 17,000 people in war-torn Gaza

Los Angeles, November 2008 — The Prem Rawat Foundation (TPRF) has made a contribution of $20,000 to help St. John of Jerusalem Eye Hospital continue providing care in conflict-ridden Gaza. The only charitable provider of eye care in Gaza, St. John is open to all patients, regardless of race, religion or ability to pay.

St. John Eye Hospital is one of the few medical care institutions currently functional in the Gaza territory, where all infrastructure, including the healthcare system, is in nearly complete collapse.

It is now estimated that over 80% of the population of Gaza is dependent on humanitarian assistance. According to a March 2008 report* by a consortium of humanitarian agencies including Amnesty International, Oxfam and Save the Children UK, 70% of households in Gaza subsist on $1.20 a day, almost half the $2.30 that denotes “deep” poverty. Despite these conditions, the St. John clinic has managed not only to remain in operation, but to treat over 17,000 people in 2007, which is 3,600 more than in 2006.

Dr. Jom’a El Jazzar, head of the St. John Eye Hospital Clinic, said, “The donation from The Prem Rawat Foundation will have a very real and demonstrative impact on our ability to broaden and deepen our much-needed humanitarian services.”

The St. John primary and secondary care clinic in Gaza runs five days a week, offering surgery four days a week. When eye disease requires treatment that the clinic cannot provide, St. John coordinates the successful transfer of patients to its hospital in Jerusalem—a difficult feat in the volatile region.

While 80% of blindness is preventable with early diagnosis and proper treatment, blindness is 10 times higher in Palestine than in most Western countries. Blindness has economic consequences for an entire society—decreasing educational opportunities, raising unemployment and consequently decreasing tax revenue, while adding the burden of providing additional humanitarian and medical care.

Photos courtesy of The St. John of Jerusalem Eye Hospital Group

* “The Gaza Strip: A Humanitarian Implosion,” March 9, 2008, Amnesty International, CARE International UK, Catholic Agency for Overseas Development, Christian Aid, Medecins du Monde UK, Oxfam, Save the Children UK, Trocaire.

Photo courtesy of Steve Sabella

About St. John of Jerusalem Eye Hospital
St. John of Jerusalem Eye Hospital, established in 1882 for charitable works in Jerusalem, has become the main center for expert eye care service in the region at the Main Hospital in East Jerusalem and satellite clinics in Gaza and the West Bank. St. John of Jerusalem Eye Hospital’s fundraising appeal for 2008 will support the Gaza Clinic, which has been operating since 1992. http://www.stjohneyehospital.org/

TPRF Gives US$15,000 Grant to Provide Clean Water to 60 Schools in Pakistan

mblogs — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 16:38:55 -0800

TPRF Gives US$15,000 Grant to Provide Clean Water to 60 Schools in Pakistan
TPRF and Pakistani Rotary Club bring clean drinking water to 20,000 students

Press release

Los Angeles, October 2008 — The Prem Rawat Foundation (TPRF) has made a contribution of $15,000 to the Rotary Club Lahore Mozang, which will add $5,000 in matching funds, to provide clean drinking water for 60 schools in the Punjab region of Pakistan serving approximately 20,000 elementary through high school students.

“An estimated 250,000 child deaths occur each year in Pakistan due to waterborne disease,” according to USAID. “Waterborne infections such as cholera, typhoid fever and dysentery also burden the public health system and can impose significant economic losses.”

The Rotary Club will purchase a water pump and cooler for each school and provide them to the Ghazali Education Trust (GET) for installation. The water system will become an ongoing community responsibility, expected to benefit students as well as their families and their communities by decreasing the spread of disease and improving educational opportunities.

Established in 1995, GET is a nonprofit government organization operating 270 schools in impoverished and rural areas of Pakistan, many of which have no access to piped water. Within four months, 60 schools will benefit from new water pumps with electric motors, purifying equipment and cooled storage tanks, essential in a country that has summer weather nine months of the year.

Photos Courtesy of Ghazali Education Trust

About Rotary Club Lahore Mozang
Rotary Club Lahore Mozang, a nonprofit organization, is an individual Rotary Club belonging to Rotary International. A worldwide organization of more than 1.2 million business, professional and community leaders, Rotary Clubs provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and help build goodwill and peace in the world. Clubs are nonpolitical, nonreligious and open to all cultures, races and creeds.

TPRF Provides US$40,000 to Feeding America for US Hurricane Victims

mblogs — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 13:16:58 -0800

Assistance will provide more than 65,000 meals for people returning to devastated homes

Los Angeles, October 2008 —The Prem Rawat Foundation (TPRF) has contributed $40,000 to Feeding America, formerly named America’s Second Harvest, to provide truckloads of food to help people returning to their homes in devastated areas of Texas after Hurricane Ike.

Hurricane Ike and its predecessors Gustav and Dolly struck in regions already struggling with high poverty rates, stretching the resources of Feeding America’s network of food banks and other relief agencies that were already seeing a nationwide increase of 15% to 20% for relief services before the hurricanes hit.

“Disasters put yet another strain on families who face hunger issues every day,” noted Vicki Escarra, President and CEO of the Feeding America Network. “Thanks to the support of The Prem Rawat Foundation, local residents will have emergency food and supplies to help make it through these difficult days.”

Immediately after millions of Gulf Coast residents were evacuated, the Feeding America Network began delivering ready-to-eat food to them as well as to those who were able to remain in their homes but had to contend with massive damage and lack of water and electricity. As evacuees returned to their homes weeks later, many were confronted with the expenses of major structural damage, spoiled food and mounting bills, as well as depleted financial resources and jobs lost due to evacuating.

TPRF’s grant provided approximately 2,600 boxes of food to help families restock their pantries and replenish supplies destroyed by the storm or subsequent power outages. The Feeding America Network expects to provide assistance for those affected for at least four to six weeks.

Photos courtesy of the Houston Food Bank

About Feeding America (previously named America’s Second Harvest)
Feeding America is the largest charitable domestic hunger-relief organization in the United States. Through its network of more than 200 member food banks, Feeding America annually provides assistance to more than 25 million people in need, including more than 9 million children and nearly 3 million seniors in 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Each year, Feeding America secures and distributes more than 2 billion pounds of donated food and grocery products to support feeding programs at approximately 63,000 local charitable agencies, including food pantries, soup kitchens, emergency shelters, after-school programs and Kids Cafés. http://www.feedingamerica.org/.

TPRF Gives Grant of US$10,000 for Permanent Water Wells in Niger

mblogs — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 15:58:56 -0700

TPRF Gives Grant of US$10,000 for Permanent Water Wells in Niger
Grant to Sierra Vista Rotary Club Provides Clean Water for 40,000 Nomadsr

Press release

Los Angeles, October 2 2008 — The Prem Rawat Foundation (TPRF) has made a $10,000 grant to the Sierra Vista Rotary Club Charities in Arizona to aid 40,000 Nigeriens by providing sustainable and permanent sources of clean water at the Tamesna Center for Nomadic Life in the desert Region near Agadez, Niger, West Africa. These grant funds will be matched by other Rotary Clubs and The Rotary Foundation, potentially bringing together over $61,000 for this project.

“Niger is one of the poorest countries of the world. Many live on less than US$1 per day,” says Ernie Montagne, Rotary Foundation Director of the Sierra Vista Rotary Club Charities, Inc. “The number one need in this area is access to clean water. People often walk miles each day to draw water from unclean open sources where pigs and cattle drink.”

Contaminated water, laced with E. coli, Guinea worm, Vibrio cholerae, giardia lamblia and poliovirus, sickens and debilitates millions each year. One in five children in Niger die before the age of 5.

Headed by Sidi Manane, President of The Rotary Club of Agadez, the project will provide a permanent source of clean water for nomadic tribes, helping to reduce disease, improve the health of people and livestock, increase educational opportunity and allow villagers to grow their own produce. The wells will be hand dug by local residents, and a local construction company will complete the process. TPRF’s grant will help purchase an electric pump, solar panels and a water tower.

This is the third grant from TPRF to aid people in Niger. In April 2008, the Foundation gave $10,000 to Koulawa NGO to provide food aid for disabled schoolchildren and adults. In September 2005, TPRF provided a grant of $30,000 to Friends of the World Food Program in support of the UN World Food Programme’s emergency relief efforts.

About Sierra Vista Rotary Club Charities
Sierra Vista Rotary Club Charities is part of Rotary International, which is an organization of service clubs around the world, made up of business and professional leaders whose purpose is to provide humanitarian service, encourage high vocational standards and help build peace and goodwill in the world. There are over 1.2 million members worldwide in 33,000 clubs.

Touched by the Magic

mblogs — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 11:51:05 -0700

You know, as human beings, there is a lot that is good. But there are certain habits we have that are not so good. And one of the bad habits we have is that we are so attracted to distractions. Any minor little distraction somewhere, and that’s where our attention goes.

Why is that a bad habit? Because it robs us of the essential things we need to make this life a beautiful occasion. And this is the possibility. This is what you can do—you can make this one lifetime the most incredible time. How?

You are in this world; you exist. One day you weren’t here; today you are; and one day you will die. I can guarantee you that you don’t understand what that means—because of the distractions. When the time comes that you lose the capacity to be distracted—and such a time does come—then and only then will you begin to understand what life is about.

How do I know this? Have I reached that time in my life where I’m not distracted? No. But I also know that there was somebody who was kind enough to show me. Because when I get caught up in my own tune, in my own definition of what life is, I become careless.

Look at a person living an “exciting” life—bungee-jumping. This is what some people think is exciting. They actually challenge death, “Take me on!” And they think that’s excitement. Or they climb a vertical rock without any safety lines, just using their fingertips and powder. The only reason Death doesn’t take them on is because it is laughing so hard—just bowled over with laughter. One day Death sobers up. And just like that, they’re gone. Their body becomes dirt again.

So what is life about? Is it about the excitement? Or is it about feeling a heart full of joy?

All the things that we think are important will one day turn around and become unimportant. I have been reading letters from people who are either at the very front of the line or maybe two or three people from the front of the line. The other day, I was talking to somebody, and he said, “Oh, so-and-so is close to dying.”

I said, “Well, we’re all in the process. Join the line.” I guess some people are more in the front of the line, and some are a little further back in the line. But there is a line, and everybody is headed that way. That is the law of existence. And the law states: “You are here, but for a limited time.” And no one—no one—gets to change that law.

People say, “Oh, but there are cryogenics and all those things.” Excuse me, but this earth is made out of dust. The metal cylinder that holds the cryogenic agent and your head is made out of compressed dust. And the innate vulnerability of dust to return to the state of dust is tremendous. The miracle is not dust turning into dust. It is: How come it hasn’t already? That’s the miracle. Destruction should’ve happened a long time ago. I mean, all that needs to happen is for one small celestial body to head this way and get a little too close, and it will be pulled towards the earth. And when it does, it will obliterate this planet.

This dust is more fragile than a gold or silver leaf. Have you ever seen a silver leaf on a piece of paper? In India, they put them over dishes and foods. That silver is so delicate that, if you breathe the wrong way, it will just go all over the place. That is how delicate it is. And from this dust, many, many things have been created, like rocks and mountains.

I am here to tell you what I have been telling people all my life: Don’t let another day go by without being touched by the magic of what has been placed inside of you. Don’t let another day go by that is filled with doubt, anger, and confusion. Don’t let another day go by without feeling the fulfillment of this heart. It is possible to be fulfilled in this life. It is possible to be in peace. It is possible to be conscious. It is very, very possible.

Prem Rawat

TPRF Provides US$4,500 to Bring Prem Rawat’s Message of Peace in Native Peruvian and Ecuadorian Quechuan Language

mblogs — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 11:49:15 -0700

Los Angeles, September 2008 —The Prem Rawat Foundation (TPRF) has donated US$4,500 to Mountains of Hope (Montanas de Esperanza or MdE) to translate and produce DVDs, CDs and text materials to bring Prem Rawat’s message of peace to 20,000 indigenous people in the northern highland areas of Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia.

“This message is very beautiful. It helps the families here stay together, and that is why I want the message to stay in the community,” says one village leader. Currently, Prem Rawat’s message is available to more than nine million households in South America via Infinito TV and other cable networks airing the award-winning Words of Peace (WOP) series.

Leaders in several Quechuan villages in Ecuador have requested DVDs featuring Prem Rawat’s message in their own language after events introducing it were held in the mountain villages of Tucara, La Esperanza, Aqualongo and Otavalo, Ecuador. Word has spread to villages in Peru, which have joined in the request for materials in their language.

Mountains of Hope, a nonprofit organization focused on educational enrichment, cultural exchange and sustainable community development for children and adults in Ecuador, has offered to take on the translation project. To date, four video presentations of Prem Rawat’s message have been translated to Quechua and have generated interest in Andean communities. TPRF has agreed to provide the funds to translate, produce and duplicate six more DVDs as well as text materials over the next four to eight months, some in Peruvian Quechuan and some in Ecuadorian Quechuan.

MdE will work in collaboration with the grassroots efforts of local volunteers to translate, produce and duplicate the new materials that will be used for village events, regional Quechua TV, radio programming and individual distribution, in order to maximize the outreach.

The popularity of WOP is increasing across the world. Since the first U.S. Words of Peace broadcasts in 1999, cable and satellite stations throughout Europe, North and South America and Asia have aired Prem Rawat’s message of inspiration and hope to millions of households, with subtitles or translation in more than 20 languages. Currently, 875 screenings are available to 25 million households in the United States.

Prem Rawat reminds people, “The peace you are looking for is within you. Peace for each human being is not impossible, but very, very possible.” According to Paul Murtha, Executive Director of MdE, “The Quechua peoples are very appreciative that such an important message comes to them in their native language. They are culturally well-aware that these days are a crucial passage for humanity to a renewal of the human heart.”

The Quechuan language (written also as Quichua and Kichwa) was widely spoken across the central Andes long before the time of the Incas, who adopted it as the official administration language for their empire. Quechuan is spoken today by some 10 million people throughout regions of Peru, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Argentina and Chile. Including its two main dialects (Peruvian and Ecuadorian), it is the most widely spoken language of the indigenous peoples of the Americas.

Photographs Courtesy of Ecuador – Mountains of Hope (MoH)

The Prem Rawat Foundation Donating US$250,000 to Build Second "Food for People" Facility in Rural Nepal

mblogs — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 11:57:53 -0700

Los Angeles, September 2008 — The Prem Rawat Foundation (TPRF) is donating US$250,000 to build and maintain a sustainable "Food for People" facility in the impoverished Tasarpu village in Nepal's mountainous Dhading region. The Tasarpu center will provide nutritious hot meals year-round to approximately 500 children. Premsagar Foundation Nepal, a charity seeking to relieve Nepal's poor after a ten-year period of political instability, will spearhead the project.

The launch of Food for People in Tasarpu will help the Premsagar Foundation Nepal in its goal of improving the community’s educational and economic growth, according to Dornath Neupane, General Secretary of Premsagar Foundation Nepal. Addressing the food needs of underprivileged children of low- and moderate-income residents of Tasarpu village, says Neupane, will "provide them with the opportunity to get back into mainstream society by uplifting their well-being." Organizers expect that school attendance will rise significantly, especially among the girls.

The mountainous landscape and cold climate of Tasarpu make it difficult to grow adequate crops, and over 80% of Tasarpu's residents cannot produce enough food to sustain themselves throughout the year. With little education or opportunity to advance, many resort to hard labor for private construction contractors who often disappear upon completion of projects, leaving their workers empty-handed.

The Food for People model of sustainable giving has already proven effective in reversing the poverty conditions of Bantoli, a village in Jharkhand, India, where the program is now in its third year of operation.

"The regular meals provided by Food for People in Bantoli have had a dramatic impact on the community, allowing children to return to their studies and adults to regain their economic viability," says TPRF President Linda Pascotto. "We hope that this model for a sustainable, creative solution that respects local customs and individual dignity will prove equally beneficial in Nepal."

The Prem Rawat Foundation Donates US$10,000 for Disabled in Niger

mblogs — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 10:04:37 -0700

Local program offers food assistance to handicapped women and children in Niamey

Press release

Los Angeles, August 2008 —

In May 2008 the Prem Rawat Foundation (TPRF) donated US$10,000 to the Koulawa NGO organization to provide food for more than 750 disabled women and children in Niamey, Niger, who are in various educational and training programs.

An exceptionally arid region on the edge of the Sahara desert, Niger has long suffered political instability, drought and scarcity of food. With the recent rapid increase in the price of cereals, many of those most at risk have been faced with the threat of starvation.

By the end of July, three distributions of rice, maize and millet had been made to 760 people in five districts within the Niamey urban community. One more distribution is planned by the end of August. The recipients so far have included 50 blind students, 100 deaf students, and 610 women and children and some men with other handicaps. In one village, Route Fillingué, the food gave a special boost to people who had recently lost their homes in a fire.

Mariama Halidou, president of the Harobanda women’s group for people suffering loss of lower limb locomotion, sent her thanks to TPRF “for making this effort to help handicapped women and children. The food distribution has allowed us to return to work.”

The coordinator of the project for Koulawa NGO, Mme. Mahadi Zeinabou Sangaré, reports that these distributions have gone extremely well and that the effort is making a significant contribution in the battle against poverty and begging among the handicapped in this area. It is a program they would very much like to expand to other areas of Niger.

Koulawa NGO is a nonprofit, non-government agency that aims to improve the conditions of the disabled in Niamey, Niger’s largest city. According to Mme. Sangaré, staple food such as rice, corn, millet and sorghum provided by TPRF’s grant will enable the women and children in the program facing abject poverty to “stay in the NGO center rather than beg for food in the streets.” They will then be able to focus on receiving the education and vocational training to learn the required skills for them to be independent.

The objectives of the NGO are the training, promotion, social integration and the improvement of living conditions of the disabled. The organization’s focus is on disabled women and children, especially in the field of specialized education, literacy, access to maternity and pediatric healthcare, and activities to generate funds.

Photographs Courtesy of Koulawa NGO

The Prem Rawat Foundation Gives US$100,000 for Clean Water in Ghana

mblogs — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 14:45:40 -0700

Grant to Community Water and Ecological Sanitation Care is Third in Series, Bringing Clean Water to 23 Communities

The Prem Rawat Foundation (TPRF) has made a grant of US$100,000 to Community Water and Ecological Sanitation Care (CWESC) to provide 10 impoverished communities within Ghana's Wa West and Gemoa East districts with potable water and proper sanitation essential to eliminating debilitating diseases associated with contaminated water. The grant is the third in a series that will help a total of 23 communities and nearly 100,000 people in Ghana.

“Less than five percent of the residents living in these regions are currently able to obtain safe drinking water. Many are forced to salvage what they can from streams, ponds or makeshift wells—sources scientifically proven to be unsafe for human consumption,” notes TPRF President Linda Pascotto. “On average, these sources lie nearly two kilometers (over a mile) away from residences, forcing women and children to haul water over exhausting distances in order to satisfy the needs of their communities.” [See photos of current water sources.] Bacterial growth within this water leads to guinea worm infestation, a parasite that causes extremely painful and long-term debilitation. Such parasites and other dangers are easily avoided by the use of safe drinking water and simple changes in personal behavior.

TPRF's grant will fund construction of sustainable, demand-driven water systems, including rain harvesting, mechanized boreholes and hand-dug wells and dams, providing 20 liters of fresh water daily to each individual within the 10 villages. These safe water supplies will be within 500 meters (0.3 miles) of every household. In addition, ecological sanitation toilets will be installed in 10 households within three separate communities.

To make this project sustainable, CWESC will organize and train local residents to spearhead relief efforts, emphasizing the involvement of women previously burdened with the task of finding water. Once formed, these water and sanitation committees will help build, own and maintain the clean water systems, providing long-lasting benefits for their communities. Further education on sanitation will promote better living conditions, better health and increased productivity for all residents. It is also anticipated that children, especially the young girls, whose responsibility has been to carry water from its source back to the villages, will soon be able to attend school more regularly. Education for young women is key to the future economic well-being of families and communities in this area.

"We wish to express our profound gratitude to you for this opportunity," says Ralph Osei-Agyemang, project coordinator of CWESC.

TPRF's grant will fund the 12-month project, culminating in April 2009. George Ortsin, National Programme Coordinator of the UNDP Global Environment Facility Small Grants Programme-Ghana, who managed a previous grant of $100,000 from TPRF, will retain oversight of the project with CWESC.

( Photos courtesy of Ecosanitation and Community Water Care- Ghana. )

About the Community Water and Ecological Sanitation Care
Community Water and Ecological Sanitation Care (CWESC) is a local non-governmental organization, managed and implemented as a collaborative effort among local communities in Ghana. CWESC operates through the local partners formed at the community levels and functions as a decentralized, demand-driven funding mechanism for sustainable community-based water and sanitation development and management.

TPRF Gives US$40,000 to America’s Second Harvest to Aid U.S. Midwest Residents Caught in Floods

mblogs — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 11:11:15 -0700

America’s Second Harvest delivers aid to communities in five states

Los Angeles, July 2008 — The Prem Rawat Foundation (TPRF) has granted America's Second Harvest – The Nation’s Food Bank Network US$40,000 to provide food and water to those stricken by recent flooding in the Midwest. America's Second Harvest, the largest charitable domestic hunger-relief organization in the United States, will use this grant to work closely with local food banks to bring food and water to those affected by floods, many of whom have been forced to evacuate their homes.

“Thousands of homes, farms, businesses and jobs have been lost,” says TPRF President Linda Pascotto. “Lives have been threatened and disrupted by this ongoing disaster.”

While recent storms have caused extensive damage throughout several states in the Midwest region, Iowa remains one of the hardest hit with 83 of its 99 counties declared disaster areas. From 35,000 to 40,000 Iowa residents have fled their homes and farms as floodwaters surged over nearby levees. Supplies remain scarce, and many people are still in dire need of both fresh food and clean water. TPRF's grant will enable relief efforts throughout the region, helping to facilitate the transportation of goods to local food banks currently supporting displaced people.

For every dollar donated, America’s Second Harvest provides 16 meals to Americans in need.

According to ASH, even after the initial recovery period, it is expected that the need for food will be ongoing. Individuals without adequate flood insurance will be facing significant financial hardships in the coming months as they clean and rebuild their homes. In addition, individuals whose livelihoods were affected by the floods—such as those whose crops or livestock were destroyed—will also be facing economic difficulties. Many of these individuals will turn to ASH food banks and their network of food pantries and soup kitchens for help.

“We are extremely grateful for The Prem Rawat Foundation’s interest in supporting our efforts to respond to the unprecedented flooding in the Midwest,” states Vicki Escarra, President and CEO of America’s Second Harvest.

One of America’s Second Harvest’s Members is the Houston Food Bank (HFB), which was the recipient of a TPRF grant of $125,000 to provide food for evacuees of Hurricane Katrina in the U.S. in 2005 and $50,000 to provide over 80,000 meals for at-risk children at the HFB’s Kids Café earlier this year.

Photos Courtesy of America’s Second Harvest

About America’s Second Harvest
America's Second Harvest – The Nation’s Food Bank Network is the largest charitable domestic hunger-relief organization in the United States. Through its network of more than 200 member food banks, America's Second Harvest annually provides assistance to more than 25 million people in need, including more than 9 million children and nearly 3 million seniors in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Each year, America's Second Harvest secures and distributes more than 2 billion pounds of donated food and grocery products to support feeding programs at approximately 50,000 local charitable agencies, including food pantries, soup kitchens, emergency shelters, after-school programs and Kids Cafes.
http://www.secondharvest.org/.

Prem Rawat - 'It’s Your Choice'

mblogs — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 11:06:19 -0700

Someone told me that they wanted peace so that they could give it to others. But you can’t give your peace to anybody else, just as you can’t give anybody your time. You cannot give a person who is dying even five more minutes.

Peace is very personal. By having peace in your life, you can become a catalyst for others, this is true, but you cannot give them peace. They have to find their own thirst, have their own understanding, and find that peace within.

That possibility is always there in your life. If you have the wisdom, you will take advantage of it. Sometimes people think wisdom is enlightenment. They see an old painting of a saint with a light over their head and think, “Oh, that’s an enlightened person.” But true enlightenment is when you recognize, and wisdom is deciding to choose the joy that is within you. It is not about knowing what’s coming tomorrow. Problems come and go. If you have a problem, one day it will go just like it came. Things will change—you will change—but the passion for joy, for clarity, will remain with you for the rest of your life.

My thirst for clarity, for joy, has not changed since I was very little. Everything else has changed—my likes, dislikes, what I eat, what I don’t eat. Everything has changed, but that thirst has not changed.

Choose that in your life. This is a choice that has to be made every day—to enjoy your life. You have to come as a free person, not with baggage, not in fear, because that won’t work. Problems come in different shapes and sizes. Sometimes they change their appearance. But what do you want in your life? This is a choice you’re going to have to make.

People have hesitation. I cannot do anything about that because this is you. Personally, for me, hesitation is a waste of time. I can tell you a story about hesitation.

Once there was a man who went to a fair. His teeth were really dirty—almost black. As he was walking along, he came to a display where a doctor was selling medicine for 15 cents. The doctor was showing it to people and offering that if somebody came from the audience with completely black teeth, they could wash their mouth with the medicine, and their teeth would become sparkling clean.

This man wanted the medicine, but he couldn’t decide. Maybe it’s too expensive. Maybe he doesn’t really want it. Maybe he does want it. Does it work? He’s standing there thinking, “Should I? Shouldn’t I? Should I? Shouldn’t I?” He’s got a five-cent coin and a ten-cent coin, and he’s rubbing the two coins together over and over. “Should I? Shouldn’t I? Should I? Shouldn’t I?”

Finally, all the bottles are gone except for one. So, the man takes his coins, throws them at the doctor and says, “Here, I’ll take it.” The doctor picks up the coins and says, “With what?” The man said, “Well, I just gave you 15 cents.” And the doctor said, “I’ve been watching you going, ‘Should I? Shouldn’t I? Should I? Shouldn’t I?’ And in this process, you have totally worn down the coins. They are no good now.”

Hesitation is like that. The coins are our time. “Should I? Shouldn’t I? Should I? Shouldn’t I?” If you are ready to make the commitment that joy is what you want in your life, you will be welcome. It’s never too late, but don’t hesitate, because in hesitation, you’re wasting your time.

When this breath comes into you—and it just did—nobody can say, “I have been breathing for 60 years, so it’s okay if I don’t breathe for six hours.” No, it’s not okay. Each breath is needed. Every day joy, peace, needs to be accepted, felt, understood. This is the dance. This is the symphony of life.

Prem Rawat

PRF Provides US$15,000 for People Disabled by 8.0 Earthquake in China

mblogs — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 11:03:38 -0700

Grant to China Disabled Persons’ Federation brings clean water and food to survivors

Los Angeles, June 2008 — The Prem Rawat Foundation (TPRF) has donated US$15,000 to the China Disabled Persons’ Federation (CDPF) to provide food and bottled water for survivors of the 8.0 magnitude earthquake that devastated southwestern China’s Sichuan Province on May 12. A respected charity that specializes in attending to the needs and rights of disabled people in China, CDPF was quick to respond to the staggering affects of the earthquake that left almost 70,000 dead and more than 370,000 injured.

“TPRF’s grant helps meet immediate needs of food, water and shelter for the hundreds of thousands affected by the worst disaster to hit China in 30 years,” says TPRF President Linda Pascotto. “Within ten days of the disaster, CDPF teams spread out through Sichuan, bringing food and water along with medical professionals and equipment.” Team members included experts in spinal injury, traumatic brain injury, orthopedics, amputation, rehabilitation and psychology.

Recognizing CDPF’s work on behalf of the disabled, TPRF gave the organization US$150,000 at the end of last year, to be disbursed over two years to fund the “Nutritional Plan for Students with Disabilities.” The grant is providing nutritious food to 480 visually impaired, deaf and intellectually disabled students at special schools in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region's Baise City and to 320 visually impaired students at special schools in Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.

“I would like to express my sincere gratitude to The Prem Rawat Foundation for the concern and support to the disabled children in the two regions,” says Chen Ya'an, Director General of CDPF’s International Affairs Department.

( Photos courtesy of China Disabled Persons' Federation)

About the China Disabled Persons’ Federation
Established in 1988, the China Disabled Persons’ Federation (CDPF) is a unified organization of/for the 83 million persons with various categories of disabilities in China. Headquartered in Beijing, it has a nationwide umbrella network reaching every part of China with about 80,000 full-time workers. http://www.cdpf.org.cn/home/home.htm

Prem Rawat - 'Pulse of Life'

mblogs — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 14:42:03 -0700

It’s so important to understand the subject of this life. I don’t think the importance of truly grasping what this means can be over-emphasized. As human beings, we have an incredible brain, incredible talent. We can accomplish so many things—almost too many. Because we are alive, we can experience peace and joy. We can go to the moon and create space stations. We can peer into the deep, deep reaches of the universe. And because we are alive, we can also create wars, decimate this planet, and make it impossible for everything to exist.

Cell phones have saved many lives. But the same technology that is saving so many lives is also being used in weapons and a weapons delivery system that is wiping out more lives than it is saving. And the saving might happen over a period of a year, but the destruction happens within days.

So, it becomes obvious that we have to choose. And what should our choice be? Well, to put it in context, there is a place you can go that is not really real. It’s virtual. There, you can create an alter-personality of yourself. You can fly. You can do all the things you’ve always wanted to do but could never do, but only virtually, not really. In this virtual place, people buy apartments and sofas for apartments. But when you buy the virtual apartment and the furniture, you pay for it with real money. It’s a million-dollar-a-day business—$365,000,000 a year. And it’s growing. People even meet in this virtual place and get married!

I bring a message about reality, a message that says, “What you are looking for is inside of you.”

Who are you? What are you? What is your core? We need to know that in this day and age more than at any other time. Otherwise, our choices will be virtual or make-believe, but the consequences will be real. Unfortunately, consequences are always real.

What is your real potential? There is a power, a beauty, that resides within. When I turn within, my heart is filled with joy, peace. I have to choose this every single day, because in this world, the line between the virtual and the real can become too faded. And I choose reality, because it is far more beautiful.

An Indian writer named Tulsidas once said, “All that you see is illusion. As far as your eyes can see, it’s all illusion. If you want reality, turn within.” The problem is that we don’t like what we see, but we don’t understand why. So we create an alternative world in which our fantasies can come true. People like Tulsidas said, “Turn within and all your fantasies will come true. The truest wish will come true.” But we have to choose. Every single day, we have tochoose.

Reality is beautiful. Don’t try to measure it, because contentment, joy, love, understanding cannot be measured. There is no scale for them. Understand. Open your heart. Look within and see how beautiful it is. Feel your life filled with joy, filled with gratitude, not explanations or ideas. This is reality; no formulas or philosophies are needed to truly receive the gift every single day.

You are the vessel for the sweetest satisfaction, joy—the pure clear water of contentment. When you are filled with this, you come alive, because that’s what life is. You can understand. You don’t have to be confused. It’s that simple. Realize the pulse of life.

What an incredible opportunity it is to choose a gratification that is given every day when you turn inside. It’s not about the struggles you’ve had or the list of failures, but about each success that took place. You will still make mistakes, but the beauty is it’s not about mistakes or failures. It’s not about the length of the night. It’s about the rising of the sun. The light comes, and a new day begins.

Prem Rawat

The Prem Rawat Foundation Gives US$50,000 for Food Aid in Haiti

mblogs — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 14:39:40 -0700

Los Angeles, May 2008 —The Prem Rawat Foundation (TPRF) has offered a US$50,000 challenge grant through the Facebook “Causes” page to help thousands of people at risk of starvation in Haiti due to the recent dramatic rise in food prices. TPRF’s challenge to Facebook members is to raise an additional $50,000, for a total of $100,000, which can supply food for 60,000 people for one month.

“Through TPRF’s partnership with Friends of the World Food Program, the fundraising arm of the United Nations’ World Food Program, food will be distributed directly to Haitians at risk of starvation,” says Linda Pascotto, President of TPRF.

The crisis in Haiti made international headlines last month when thousands rioted in the streets to protest the rising cost of staple food like rice and beans. Haiti is rated as the poorest country in the Western hemisphere and one of the least developed in the world. The World Food Program reports that half the population lives on less than $1 per day. The average per capita income is $485 a year. Chronic malnutrition has long been a problem in Haiti, but with the cost of basic foods nearly doubling in the last few months, the situation has reached panic proportions.

The rise of food prices worldwide has had disastrous effects in many countries, but in a country such as Haiti, there are no reserves to fall back on. Most of the once-rich farmland has been depleted of nutrients and destroyed by erosion and flooding caused by tropical storms. Now Haiti imports 80 percent of its rice, the main ingredient of the typical meal. When prices go up, there is only one result possible: some will starve unless outside aid comes their way.

“The riots in Haiti have drawn the world’s attention to the crisis of rising food prices,” said Karen Sendelback, President and CEO, Friends of the World Program. “TPRF’s generous contribution will not only help the people of Haiti through this critical time but also encourage the online community to donate.”

So far, over US$9,000 has been contributed by more than 6,500 people on Facebook Causes for “Feed Hungry Children in Haiti.”

Photo credits WFP/Anne Poulsen

The Prem Rawat Foundation Donates US$100,000 for Disaster Relief in Myanmar

mblogs — Fri, 30 May 2008 17:48:12 -0700

Los Angeles, May 2008 — The Prem Rawat Foundation (TPRF) has donated US$100,000 to bring immediate aid to the hundreds of thousands of survivors who have been stranded without food, shelter or potable water after Cyclone Nargis hit the country on May 2. Through Friends of the World Food Program, TPRF’s donation will help the UN World Food Program (WFP) provide aid directly to those most affected by the disaster.

“WFP was one of the first humanitarian agencies to be allowed to deliver aid directly to the people rather than through the government of Myanmar,” notes TPRF President Linda Pascotto. “Our years-long partnership with Friends of the World Food Program to distribute aid directly has meant that our donors have been assured that their funds have had a great impact on those most in need. We are again grateful for this partnership, as we are able to assure our donors that their donations are getting directly to the victims of Cyclone Nargis.”

In the three weeks since the cyclone hit, WFP has dispatched a two-week ration of rice for 340,000 people in eight townships in and around Yangon and seven in the Ayeyarwady delta. They have also provided high-energy biscuits for over 107,000 children.

Even so, there are communities that have not yet been reached by any outside agencies. Much of the area is reachable only by boat, which makes the delivery of assistance even more challenging. The Myanmar authorities have now given WFP permission to bring in 10 helicopters, the first of which will arrive from Malaysia on May 22nd. In addition, WFP has now contracted four barges and two tug boats capable of moving large amounts of food and other humanitarian aid. All of this will help to improve the delivery of much-needed aid to these people.

In all, WFP is currently planning to provide lifesaving food assistance for 630,000 people for six months, until the next harvest in October/November. Long-term assistance is needed because the storm has devastated the crops in Ayeyarwady, the country’s largest rice-producing district.

“Time is of the essence,” says WFP Executive Director Josette Sheeran. “We are mobilizing all possible resources to save lives, given the massive disruption in food, water and shelter caused by the storm.”

The damage is widespread and is expected to have long-lasting effects. With an official disaster area that includes 24 million people, which is over half the population of Myanmar (Burma), it is estimated that 1.5 million are in urgent need of assistance. Flooding and seriously damaged infrastructure and communication systems add to the challenge of the rescue effort.

Photo credits WFP/Hakan Tongul

Photo credits WFP/Anabelle Wang

The Prem Rawat Foundation was created in 2001 by Prem Rawat, known also as Maharaji, and has a dual mission of bringing his message of peace to people around the world and providing essential humanitarian aid to those in need. TPRF partners with other humanitarian organizations to bring food, water and rapid disaster relief where it is most needed.

$20,000 Grant from The Prem Rawat Foundation to Support Prison Telecasts

mblogs — Tue, 13 May 2008 11:12:57 -0700

Instructor Lee Logue facilitates TLN classes

Los Angeles, May 8, 2008 — The Prem Rawat Foundation (TPRF) has donated $20,000 to the Maryland-based Correctional Education Association (CEA) to underwrite the costs of telecasts on the Transforming Lives Network (TLN) that present Prem Rawat’s message of hope and the possibility of personal fulfillment to U.S. prison populations.

The grant will cover expenses associated with telecasting half-hour “Words of Peace” programs for one year, eventually making them available in Spanish. CEA sources say the TLN programs reach between 500,000 and 900,000 inmates nationwide, as well as about 300,000 correctional staff and workers.

More than 98% of the prison population will return to their communities after serving their sentences. John Holt, who oversees the Words of Peace Prison Network in the U.S., said that Prem Rawat’s message can provide both those leaving prison and those who must remain with a new sense of hope and an opportunity for a life-long process of learning and self development.

Potomac Highlands Regional Jail, West Virginia

“Words of Peace,”which is now shown 20 times weekly on TLN, features excerpts from international addresses given by Prem Rawat on the possibility of finding fulfillment and peace within.

The series “Words of Peace” is also shown at correctional facilities in Africa, India, New Zealand, Mexico and South America. “We believe that ‘Words of Peace’ will help bring positive change to offenders and corrections workers,” said Anne Charles, project director for CEA’s Transforming Lives Network.

The response from prisoners to the programs has been enthusiastic. Writing to express his appreciation for “Words of Peace,” Cedric, a California prisoner, said, “It gave me some insight on how to look at life from a different perspective.” AJ, from another California prison, said, “I must say that Prem Rawat’s message truly resonates with my heart on a deep level.”

( Photos courtesy of Steve Steuer)

About the Correctional Education Association
The Correctional Education Association, ffounded in 1945, is a nonprofit, professional association serving educators and administrators who provide services to students in correctional settings.

Contacts
The Prem Rawat Foundation
Linda Pascotto, President
http://tprf.org/

CEA
Steve Steurer, Executive Director
1-443-459-3080
http://www.ceanational.org

$26,000 Grant from The Prem Rawat Foundation Aids Flood Victims in Ecuador

mblogs — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 11:02:35 -0700

Grant to Montañas de Esperanza will feed 1,500 families for one month

Press release

Los Angeles, April 21, 2008 — The Prem Rawat Foundation has donated $26,000 to Montañas de Esperanza or Mountains of Hope (MdE), a local non-profit in northern Ecuador, to provide relief to flood victims in the coastal village of Santa Lucia. The grant will supply 32 tons of vital food supplies to feed 1,500 families (c.7,500 people) for one month.

Ecuador has been battered by torrential rains since early January, which have affected 40% of the country, destroying entire towns, crops and herds of livestock, particularly in the coastal areas. As many as 300,000 people have been uprooted from their homes, and over 14,000 are still living in shelters, including at least 5,000 children. Rescue efforts have been severely hampered by the widespread flooding of roads and disruption of transportation services.

MdE has designed a unique collaborative effort to supply nutritious food for the people of Santa Lucia, one of the most severely affected areas, with the cooperation of the Ecuadorian Red Cross, Regional Andean Farmers Cooperatives, the National Emergency Operations Center, community leaders and individual volunteers. This will be one of the largest deliveries of aid to flood victims by a non-government agency on the Ecuadorian coast to date.

Six hundred and thirty 100-pound bags of highly nutritional dried haba beans, barley rice, milled wheat and corn grown in the agricultural region of Pimampiro were repackaged at a school auditorium into 45-pound family kits by over 100 community volunteers this past weekend. Each completed family kit also includes raw organic sugar, ovo preserves (a vital fruit), and a nourishing cereal grain drink mix, along with recipes and spices for cooking the food. Other volunteers, coming from as far away as Quito, prepared meals for the helpers using some of the recipes so all could sample what they were helping to provide.

The Mayor of Pimampiro, Lic. Ivan Paredes, has arranged free use of an 18-wheel trailer truck to deliver the packages to Santa Lucia, some 17 hours away, a journey which begins tomorrow. Accompanying the food kits will be two tons of water bottles, clothes and personal sanitation kits from the Imbabura Red Cross, and school materials and art supplies funded by a grant from the Ibarra Rotary Club. On Wednesday, the food kits and emergency supplies will be delivered to 1,500 families, supplying each family with food for a month.

The distribution of the family kits is being managed by Mountains of Hope in collaboration with the Ecuadorian Red Cross, Ecuadorian Civil Defense, the Ecuadorian Ministry of Social and Economic Development, and local municipal and social service agencies.

Photographs by Jaime Alarcón Valencia