South African Premier His excellency Mr. Joel Sibusiso Ndebele visits Chennai and donates to Isha Foundation's Tunami Relief Program.
17 December, 2005
[Chennai, December 17 2005]
For Immediate Release
Isha Foundation is to meet the governor of the South African province of KwaZulu Natal, His excellency Mr. Joel Sibusiso Ndebele, along with other prominent South African government and business delegates. Also present at this occasion is the renowned humanitarian Smt. Krishnammal Jaganathan, wife of Sarvodhaya leader, Jaganathan, and secretary of the Land for Tillers Movement (LAFTI), with other representatives from LAFTI. The meeting will be held at the Hotel Abu Palace, on Sunday 18th December, between 2.00 and 4.00pm.
His excellency Mr. Joel Sibusiso Ndebele will be generously donating funds to the Tsunami relief work carried out by Isha Foundation and Smt. Krishnammal Jaganathan. After much extensive research on Foundations involved with the Tsunami disaster, the governor was highly impressed by the work achieved through Isha Foundation for the rural people of India. Isha Foundation in conjunction with Smt. Krishnammal Jaganathan will be using the donation to rebuild 20 houses in the village of Pazhangallimedu, Vedaranyam Taluk, Nagapattinam district. Members of the village will be attending this occasion to receive the fund on behalf of their village.
Smt. Krishnammal Jaganathan joined hands with Isha Foundation in providing relief and rehabilitation services to the severely neglected and affected communities of the Tsunami hit districts, such as Nagapattinam. LAFTI, a voluntary organization whose center of operations is located in Kelvilur village near Nagapattinam, has worked extensively with poor and dalit communities in Thanjavur, Tiruvarur and Nagapattinam districts over the past 30 years. Highly respected for the work carried out through LAFTI and other commitments, Smt. Krishnammal is the recipient of the distinguished Padmasri and Jamanlal Bajaj awards for her service toward improving the lives of the poor.
Isha Foundation has been instrumental in providing immediate and ongoing relief to Tsunami and flood affected people of Tamil Nadu in re-establishing their lives and assisting them to rebuild more effective and permanent infrastructure. Under the personal guidance of Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev, founder of Isha Foundation and a self-realized yogi, the Foundation has been involved with building 35 model houses, dispatching 4 Mobile Health Clinics for medical assistance, taking up the construction 90 fiber glass fishing boats and 180 sets of fishing nets to help the people to rebuild their livelihoods.
Specially designed yoga classes, which have proved to be extremely efficient, were also offered to the tsunami victims, as part of a trauma relief program. These classes help the villagers to re-establish their psychological well-being, aiding them return to their daily life. Along with this, children playgrounds and adult volleyball and throw ball playgrounds have been established.
The Mobile Health Clinics deployed to the disaster areas are part of the Foundation’s Action for Rural Rejuvenation (ARR) project. ARR has fleet of 21 Mobile Health Clinics. Fully equipped with medically qualified staff, the Mobile Health Clinics played a crucial role in providing relief to the Tsunami victims, including giving vaccination on a large scale to prevent outbreaks of epidemics.
The ARR project is a pioneering social outreach program that aims at providing medical relief and further bringing an end to human suffering in the remote villages of India - revitalizing its rural societies and thereby strengthening the very roots of the nation. The ARR project is operated by highly qualified volunteers who carry out their work with enormous integrity and dedication. ARR is currently in operation in the states of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. [for further information and updates, visit: www.ruralrejuvenation.org].
Contact :
Mr.Kumar Govind – 094437-31964
