Flood Relief
In early June, relentless monsoon rains in Northeast India triggered severe floods and landslides across several states. The disaster led to significant loss of life and caused extensive damage to infrastructure and agriculture. In response, our centres in those states conducted relief services in affected regions. The details are as follows:
(i) Assam:
Guwahati centre distributed 75 kg pulses, 150 kg potatoes, 45 kg soya chunks, 75 litres cooking oil, 150 kg salt, 15 kg malt drink, 40 packets of biscuits, 75 saris, 75 bedsheets, 75 mosquito nets, 75 tubes of toothpaste, 75 bars of bathing soap, 38 kg detergent powder and 34 litres liquid disinfectant among 75 families in Hojai district on 7 June.
Silchar centre distributed 1020 kg pulses, 3000 kg potatoes, 260 kg soya chunks, 1046 kg onions, 1008 litres cooking oil, 1000 kg salt, 500 kg milk powder, 500 kg sugar, 2000 packets of biscuits, 1000 lighters, 1000 packets of candles, 1000 packets of mosquito repellent sticks and 2000 bars of bathing soap among 1000 families in Cachar district from 4 to 6 June.
Sribhumi centre served meals to 4500 persons and distributed relief items to 2000 families in Sribhumi district from 2 to 16 June. The items included 10,000 kg rice, 2002 kg chira (rice flakes), 2040 kg pulses, 4000 kg potatoes, 1000 kg soya chunks, 1104 litres cooking oil, 220 kg milk powder, 1000 kg sugar, 2020 packets of biscuits and 4400 bars of bathing soap. Additionally, the centre set up a medical relief camp where 205 patients were treated.
(ii) Manipur:
Imphal centre distributed 5600 kg rice, 1000 kg pulses, 500 kg soya chunks, 964 litres cooking oil, 186 kg milk powder, 900 kg sugar and 315 kg tea powder among 892 families in Imphal East district from 4 to 6 June. Further, from 19 to 27 June, the centre distributed household essentials (62 mattresses, 93 pillows, 61 pillow covers, 62 bedsheets, 62 mosquito nets, 33 pressure cookers, 128 bowls, 256 plates, 128 tumblers and 64 ladles) to 32 severely affected families.
(iii) Tripura:
Dhaleswar centre, Agartala, served meals to 1800 persons and distributed 1000 kg rice, 500 kg pulses and 350 kg soya chunks among 1000 families in West Tripura district from 2 to 4 June.
Kailashahar centre distributed 2080 kg rice, 520 kg pulses, 780 kg potatoes, 260 kg soya chunks, 208 litres cooking oil, 520 kg chira, 364 kg sugar, 520 kg salt, 104 kg milk powder, 1040 packets of biscuits and 520 bars of bathing soap among 520 families in Unakoti district from 3 to 5 June.
Viveknagar centre, Agartala, served meals to 1360 persons and distributed 80 bedsheets in West Tripura district from 1 to 3 June. Additionally, the centre set up a medical camp, where 218 patients were treated.
(iv) West Bengal:
Incessant rainfall, combined with the release of water by Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC), led to flooding in Paschim Medinipur district. In response, Garbeta centre distributed relief kits to 1000 affected families in the district from 20 to 24 June. Each kit included 5 kg rice, 1 kg puffed rice, 1 kg chira, 1 kg sugar, 1 kg pulses, 2 kg potatoes, 500 gm soya chunks, 1 litre cooking oil, 1 kg salt, 200 gm assorted spices, 1 packet of biscuits, 200 gm chanachur (snack mix), a packet of ORS, 2 bars of bathing soap and 200 gm detergent powder. Additionally, the centre distributed 16 tarpaulins and provided drinking water to those in need.
Summer Relief
- Andhra Pradesh: Rajamahendravaram centre served 68,000 glasses of buttermilk during April and May.
- Odisha:
(a) Cuttack centre served 1,49,300 glasses of buttermilk and energy drinks from 15 April to 21 June.
(b) Hatamuniguda centre served 31,330 glasses of sharbat from 1 April to 17 June. - Tamil Nadu:
(a) Chennai Mission Ashrama distributed 21,293 litres of buttermilk from 1 to 31 May.
(b) Salem Ashrama distributed 3100 litres of buttermilk from 1 to 31 May. - West Bengal:
(a) Kamarpukur centre distributed 2430 litres of buttermilk from mid-April to mid-June.
(b) Swami Vivekananda’s Ancestral House, Kolkata, distributed 750 packets of lassi, 375 litres drinking water, 1500 packets of ORS and 3000 lozenges among the traffic police and the drivers of public transport vehicles from April to June.
Distress Relief
The following centres distributed various items to needy people, as detailed below:
India:
- Coimbatore Mission: 320 kg rice, 16 kg pulses, 49 kg nutrition powder, 1.6 kg tea powder, 24 kg sugar, 32 bars of bathing soap and 16 litres kerosene from 30 April to 22 June.
- Guwahati: 100 saris and 500 dhotis from 22 to 25 June.
- Kalyani: 640 kg rice, 80 kg pulses, 80 kg soya chunks, 320 kg potatoes, 32 kg semolina, 32 kg sattu (roasted gram flour), 160 kg puffed rice, 40 litres cooking oil, 16 kg turmeric powder, 80 kg salt and 160 packets of biscuits on 18 May and 15 June.
- Kanchipuram: 1064 meals, 1140 kg rice, 57 kg pulses, 46 litres cooking oil, 34 kg assorted spices, 57 kg tamarind, 228 kg salt, 228 packets of biscuits, 79 kg sweets, fruits, and 228 bars of soap from 1 April to 31 May.
- Krishnanagar: 400 meals and 40 kg assorted fruits from 5 April to 2 June.
- Limbdi: 870 kg wheat, 50 kg rice, 50 kg pulses, 50 kg potatoes, 50 kg onions, 25 litres cooking oil, 19 kg assorted spices, 25 kg salt, 13 kg tea, 25 kg sugar, 375 biscuits, 13 kg chanachur and 15 plastic sheets from April to June.
- Malda: 225 kg rice and 450 kg potatoes from 4 May to 29 June.
- Nattarampalli: 179 kg pulses, 112 litres cooking oil, 39 kg assorted spices, 112 kg salt, 11 kg tea powder, 112 kg sugar, 112 packets of biscuits and 112 bottles of hair oil on 17 June.
- Salem: 200 kg ragi flour, 500 kg pulses, 150 kg chira, 50 kg dates and 100 kg fried gram on 21 June.
- Thirumukkudal: Essential provisions to 95 persons with intellectual disability on 14 June. Each kit contained 5 kg rice, 1.5 kg pulses, 500 ml cooking oil, 400 g assorted spices, 1 kg salt, 1 bar of bathing soap and 1 bar of laundry soap.
- Vadodara: 550 kg flour, 200 kg rice, 133 kg pulses, 73 litres cooking oil, 9.5 kg assorted spices, 40 kg salt, 80 kg sugar, 20 kg tea powder, and 15 bars of bathing soap from 1 to 15 June.
- Varanasi Home of Service: 348 kg dalia (wheat groats), 35 kg chira, 18 kg gram, 5 kg groundnuts, 29 kg dry fruits, 28 kg soya chunks, 8 litres cooking oil, 64 litres milk, 4 kg food drink, 84 packets of biscuits, 60 litres packaged juice, 15 kg sweets, 97 tubes of toothpaste, 97 tongue cleaners, 101 bars of bathing soap, 14 hot water bags, 90 umbrellas, 3 skipping ropes, 2 sets of bat and ball, 2 badminton sets and a volleyball from 1 to 29 May.
- Viveknagar, Agartala: 1959 food packets to footpath dwellers from 26 May to 27 June.
South Africa:
Phoenix: 150 meals, 1260 kg rice, 25 kg cereals, 68 kg maize meal, 20 kg flour, 15 kg pasta, 110 kg porridge, 300 kg pulses, 104 kg macaroni, 12 kg soya chunks, 1500 kg assorted vegetables, 25 kg assorted spices, 155 kg salt, 1000 litres cooking oil, 340 cans of tinned food, 18 kg soup powder, 1520 sachets of breakfast cereal, 2860 packets of biscuits, 152 cakes, 357 kg snacks, 355 litres fruit juice, 12 kg sweetmeat, 181 loaves of bread, 135 kg assorted fruits, 8 kg food drink, 63 litres flavoured milk, 499 litres milk, 6200 tea bags, 1 kg coffee, 160 kg sugar, 120 matchboxes, 4 sets of kitchenware, 79 bars of bathing soap, 60 bars of laundry soap, 12 kg detergent powder, 31 tubes of toothpaste, 80 toothbrushes, 320 sanitary pads, 40 adult napkins, 404 assorted garments, 220 assorted bedding items, 172 blankets, 18 school bags, 231 notebooks, 21 erasers, 21 rulers, 300 educational toys, 20 packets of seeds, and 2 prepaid electricity vouchers in June.
Durban: 150 meals, 370 kg rice, 55 kg flour, 66 kg pasta, 66 kg maize meal, 330 kg pulses, 152 kg porridge, 304 litres cooking oil, 157 kg salt, 20 bottles of peanut butter, 152 cans of jam, 446 cans of tinned food, 264 packets of instant noodles, 132 litres fruit juice, 100 soup packets, 14,800 tea bags, 150 litres milk, 188 kg sugar, 70 loaves of bread, 150 matchboxes, 132 bars of bathing soap, 182 bars of laundry soap, 40 bottles of body cream, 40 packets of wet-wipes, 40 face towels, 20 saris, 70 blankets, and 40 woollen hats in June.
Economic Rehabilitation
Odisha: On 2 June, Puri Math gave 16 sewing machines to sixteen women who had completed their primary tailoring course at the Math’s vocational training centre.
West Bengal: Swami Vivekananda’s Ancestral House, Kolkata, provided 2 sewing machines and a computer to unprivileged women to support their livelihood. The centre also gave Ramakrishna-Vivekananda literature to a woman for selling it, to help her earn some money.
Distress Rehabilitation
Bangladesh: Bagerhat centre provided 30 corrugated tin sheets and other building materials to a poor family at Bainbaria, Khulna district, on 15 June to help the family reconstruct its house.