Satsang Seva Journal

With the start of the new scholastic year in June, volunteers of the Satsang Seva Mission (SSM) at Ernakulam, Kerala offered school essentials to 18 children sheltered at the Pragathi Balabhavan orphanage, Kothamangalam Thrikkariyoor, providing crucial educational support and promoting the value of education in the local, marginalized communities. The children were simply thrilled to receive their new school bags filled with notebooks, stationery, and essential toiletries. Expressing their gratitude to the SSM team, the children geared up for a year of wonderful learning opportunities. A quiet, shared lunch at the orphanage ended a day spent well in the company of these bright youngsters. To encourage our marginalized youngsters to attend school regularly and support their education needs, please write to connect@satsang-foundation.org .

Even as this monsoon saw the River Yamuna rise to unprecedented levels in Delhi after 45 years, flooding the plains, the poor migrant population living in and around its banks were left stranded without food, water, and essential supplies.   Team SSM Delhi worked in unison with the Centre for Holistic Development (CHD) from 14 to18 July 2023 to offer lunch and dinner to 250 people ousted from their homes by the overflowing water. One thousand litres of safe drinking water was distributed along with 300 packets of sanitary pads for the womenfolk. From 15 to 22 July, two thousand litres of water along with hygiene kits comprising toothpaste, soap, shampoo pouches, sanitary pads, and mosquito repellent creams were provided along with 2,000 biscuit packets to people in the Yamuna Pushta area of Monestay, Kashmere Gate, Jawahar Shramik Sthal, Nigambodh Ghat, Yamuna Bazaar, Nili, Chhatri, Bela Estate, Mool Chand Basti, ITO, Geeta Colony Flyover, Sarai Kale Khan, and Behlopur Chilla ...

Team SSM Mumbai celebrated International Women's Day by honoring 60 women domestic workers in a special event organized at the Gajanan Maharaj Bhakta Samaj, Navi Mumbai on 11th March 2023. The women were very happy to learn simple pranayama , breathing techniques, and the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) to help them relax and develop mental resilience. Sessions on the importance of child care and a nutritious diet emphasized the pivotal role of the women in their family. The team members concluded the event by offering a gift bag containing travel bags, steel plates, cups, glasses, snacks, and cool drinks. To join hands with Team SSM Mumbai and support our women domestic workers, please write to us at connect@satsang-foundation.org .

Team SSM Hyderabad celebrated Founder's Day (6th November) with the provision of the monthly dry rations and toiletries for the young residents of the Mathru Abhaya Foundation in Medipally, North Hyderabad on 27th November 2022. The youngsters at the home for girls were thrilled to meet the team members on a relaxed Sunday morning. They chatted with them about their upcoming semester-end exams and spoke proudly of some of the other children who were participating in a Bhagvad Gita recitation competition.  They eagerly sorted out the grocery items that comprised oil, lentils, semolina, salt, sugar, spices; and the toiletries consisting of soaps, shampoos, and hair oil. Sweet words of 'thank you' were conveyed with loving smiles as they received a little treat of chocolate eclairs and requested the team members to bring them their favorite fruits during the next visit. To support Team SSM Hyderabad in its initiatives and experience the joy of giving, please write to us at con...

Team SSM Mumbai visited Radhika Old Age Home in Bhayander West, Thane on Saturday, 29th October 2022 . Presently, this safe home shelters 57 senior citizens who are looked after by 12 resident staff members certified in geriatric care.   The home reverberated with a collective chant of "Aum" by the entire group. A game of "passing the parcel" then  helped to kickstart the activity session. The enthused senior citizens and staff joined the team members as they sang a medley of soulful bhajans and Bollywood classic songs from the 1970s. The cherry on the cake, however, was the euphoric dance session that followed. The team members kept up the tempo with vigor and ensured that everyone had a great time! A healthy and nutritious meal of puris, chole, dal, rice, pickle, and papad was relished heartily by the residents.  The team members also offered adult diapers to support the sanitary needs of the elders. The teary hopeful eyes of the residents anticipating another v...

With the reopening of schools after the summer vacation, Team SSM Mumbai decided to distribute essential school items to children from less privileged families. On 18th June, 2022 the team members visited Dr. S.V. Samant Vidyalaya, Turbhe and Modern School, Vashi Sector 7 and offered school bags, notebooks, drawing books, pens, pencils, erasers, foot ruler, and raincoats to 120 students from Grades 4 to 8. It was truly wonderful to have interacted with these bright children and put a smile on their faces as they start a new academic year! The principals, school teachers, and other personnel of these schools also deserve a special mention for their help and support.   To support such special initiatives, please contact us at connect@satsang-foundation.org or visit www.satsangsevamission.org .

Team SSM Kolkata visited Tokipur village which is located near the Taki Indo-Bangladesh border on the 24th of April 2022 and interacted with the inhabitants who work there as farm laborers for a meager daily wage of 150 or 200 rupees.  Most of them are aged and ill. Some are bedridden and have no children to rely on and have to depend on their aging spouses. They have no other means to support their basic requirements of food, medicines, and education of their dependents. The dire lack of other livelihood opportunities and local municipal support have only worsened their situation through the COVID-19 pandemic. The team members distributed kits that comprised dry rations such as rice, semolina, broken wheat, pulses, sugar, and tea; and essential items such as clothes, bathing soaps, and clothes detergent. They also handed over cash to families which hardly have the wherewithal to buy vegetables and daily provisions.  Given the pitiable living conditions and lack of basic ameni...

Udhavum Ullangal Helping Hearts, an NGO, was established in 2001 to support abandoned children and women who are rescued from the streets, parks, and railway and bus stations.    The managers of this NGO had requested Team SSM Chennai to provide dry rations and essential items to the 45 girls aged between 6 and 16 years and the 15 elderly women who are presently living at the home in Maralmarai Nagar, Chennai.     The team members visited the home on the 28th of March, 2022 and distributed dry rations such as rice, sugar, lentils, peanuts, semolina, salt, dried red chillies, dry fruits, coffee, and tea.      The children were delighted to receive a tiny goody bag filled with biscuits, a T-shirt, and a wire tray to store their personal belongings. To experience the joy of giving, click https://satsangsevamission.org/contribute .

Pathchala is a Kolkata-based NGO  that supports the formal education of children of street dwellers and sex workers in the Kalighat neighborhhod. The two women philanthropists who run this organization work relentlessly to ensure that these children receive inclusive education despite their challenging family circumstances.     On the 19th of March  2022, members of Team SSM Kolkata visited this safe haven which presently nurtures 60 children aged between 4 and 18 years. They offered them a goody bag filled with different items such as lentils, biscuits, bananas, potato wafers, mango juice; toiletries like bathing soaps and sanitary napkins; stationery items such as notebooks and pens; and Cadbury eclairs. The children enthralled the team members with graceful dance performances and interacted with them with great enthusiasm.   The team members expressed their gratitude at having spent these joyous moments with these wondrous children and supporting them with ...

SSM Kolkata has been closely associated with the Ramakrishna Vedanta Ashram which nurtures 48 orphan boys in its sanctuary and provides them food, shelter, and education. On the 20th of January 2022, the team members provided a week's supply of fresh vegetables, refined oil, eggs, and milk powder. During this visit, one of the members noticed that the children were walking around barefoot in the bitter cold.  She recalled that she had a few pairs of socks in her car's glove compartment. She fetched them immediately and lovingly pulled them over the bare feet of the little children. She then returned the following day with 30 pairs of socks for the rest of the children.  Watch the video here . The team members left the Ashram feeling much contentment and gratitude for being able to support even the most elementary needs of these little adorable 'stars' whose endearing smiles and polite demeanor are simply heartwarming.

The 6th of November marks the birthday of Sri M and is celebrated as Founder’s Day at The Satsang Foundation. Since Sri M holds the feeding of the poor as a divine service that merits immediate attention, the members of the Satsang Seva Mission in Tamil Nadu decided to set the wheels of the food distribution wagon in motion and ensured that delicious food reached orphanages and homes for the aged and the destitute all across the state. Destination Tirupur: The Seed Old Age Home at Avinashi has 55 inmates. Some of the SSM team members at Tirupur lovingly served them a festive meal while others reached out to about 37 seniors at Annaiyar Old Age Home at Perumanallur.  They then spent the entire day at Banyan Home, a sanctuary for mentally ill women and children and shared lunch and dinner with the 110 inmates who are sheltered here presently.    Team SSM at Tuticorin served up a delectable spread of idlis, vadas, and sambar for breakfast at Alex Kailasam Old Age Home. When...