Community programmes
Community programmes
The Sri Sathya Sai Organisation UK (SSSO UK) continues to support community projects at home and abroad and raise awareness of Swami’s teachings in a bid to spread Swami’s love to all.
May 2023
UK National Human Values Day
National Human Values Day
The UK organisation has always marked Sri Sathya Sai Aradhana Mahotsavam which falls on 24th April every year – the day that Swami chose to leave His physical form (take MahaSamadhi) back in 2011 – as National Human Values Day (NHVD) as a way of celebrating the five human values of Love, Truth, Peace, Right Conduct and Non violence and reminding ourselves of Swami’s timeless teachings.
“Human Values should be regarded as basic requirements for every human being. In spreading the message of these values to the world, you should all cooperate with each other and act in harmony.” – Sri Sathya Sai Baba (Sathya Sai Speaks, Vol 19, Ch 5: 09 March 1986)
In April 2021, NHVD went virtual due to COVID-19 restrictions on large gatherings and the event was unique in bringing together multifaith leaders from around the UK as well as exceptional musical and singing talent to mark the 10th Anniversary since Sathya Sai Baba took Mahasamadhi. The 2-hour celebration led attendees through an inner journey of exploring what the five human values means to them and how they practice it in their daily lives, and gave everyone an opportunity to hear from eminent guests and celebrities about what motivates them to imbibe the five human values in their lives.
Esteemed speakers included Lady Sidra Naeem, an interfaith advisor who has been awarded Her Majesty the Queen’s Counsel, Dhruv Chhatralia BEM, a world-renowned author and public speaker who has been awarded a British Empire Medal for his service to Hinduism, and Mr Reynold Rosenberg of Welwyn Garden City Synagogue and Welwyn Hatfield Inter Faith Group, an esteemed community leader and public speaker. The event also hosted the Most Venerable Bogoda Seelawimala Nayaka Thera, the Chief Sangha Nayaka of Great Britain and Head Priest of the London Buddhist Vihara, who served as the Buddhist chaplain for the London Olympic Games 2012.
The soulful sounds of Vadé, an RnB/Gospel-inspired a cappella group and the winner of Sky One’s Sing: Ultimate A Cappella 2017, as well as the energised stylings of Paprika, the UK’s leading Balkan band, gave exceptional performances alongside Gospel Arts Manna, and Sai devotees and musical talents Arvind Kywalya and Kasiika.
In April 2019, NHVD was marked on a grand scale as devotees joined the public in a Walk for Values through Leicester City centre filling the air with songs and chants of the five human values. This was followed by a high tempo Human Values Concert, with soul stirring performances from the young members of the Disciples Fellowship Ministries Choir, our very own Bal Vikas children, the DMU Gospel Choir, CK Gospel Choir and a new band formed of young adults from the SSSO UK called Find Your Soul.
Leaders from multiple faith groups, supported by the Leicester Council of Faiths and Leicester City Council joined members of the Sathya Sai Organisation UK for this event, which was also attended by the Right Honourable Ross Grant, Leicester’s Lord Mayor.
In April 2014, 600 devotees from the UK along with representatives from nine different faiths participated in the Sathya Sai National Human Values Day at the Watford Colosseum. The theme for the day was Bhagawan’s exhortation: ‘God is Love, Live in Love’. The programme commenced with a multi-faith procession by 50 Sathya Sai students and teachers who carried flags with religious or human value symbols. Each faith group took turns to express their love for God through prayer, music and scripture-recital, followed by a brief address by Councillor George Derbyshire, Deputy Mayor of Watford. Musical programmes were offered, including instrumental bhajans by the “Sai Bandhan” group, and a concert by the UK Sai youth.
2023
Supporting Communities Abroad
Supporting communities abroad
The Sri Sathya Sai Organisation United Kingdom (SSSO UK) continues to support the development of communities abroad through several initiatives over the years.
Nepal and Sri Lanka
It began with the construction of a children’s orphanage and new grounds for the Sri Sathya Sai School in Pokhara, Nepal, in 2018. The young, orphaned girls in this underprivileged area have been vulnerable to human trafficking in the past and the school which educates more that 180 students had been operating on leased land since the early 2000s. The lease’s imminent expiration created a need for new premises, so the SSSO Nepal organised the development of new grounds on purchased land in order to sustainably support this institution into the future. To this end, the SSSO UK sponsored the construction of the school’s new girls’ hostel, which commenced on Rama Navami in 2018.In the same year, the SSSOUK adopted several communities in eastern Sri Lanka. This then led to further support being provided to Sri Lanka in 2019, with the construction of SSSO Sri Lanka’s Deep Well Project in Sri Vallipuram, which gave more than 500 villagers access to free, clean water close to their homes. At the same time, the UK sponsored 300 cataract operations and donated a number of sewing machines to help reintegrate women back into the workforce and help them earn a wage to support themselves and their families.
In 2020, the UK adopted two more communities in Batticaloa, Sri Lanka, namely Palankudyiruppumadu and Katpahakeni in the Pavatkodichenai village. These areas encompass 700 people across 204 families. The project which continued in 2022 focussed on improving village facilities and providing educational opportunities including:
- The construction of four dug wells to provide clean, safe drinking water
- The set up of one nutritional flour industry – to create a source of income for 30 widows
- The construction of 30 individual toilets for the most vulnerable families – to improve sanitation and hygiene
- The provision of bicycles for 20 children – to enable them to travel the 5 km distance to school which they would otherwise have to walk
- The establishment of one pre-education and EHV (Education in Human Values) centre – to deliver pre-education and Human Values awareness classes to children and youth, and
- The delivery of awareness raising sessions on health, hygiene, substance abuse and information on existing social services – to create awareness and promote healthy habits and lifestyles among recipients
2023
Supporting Communities Abroad
Ukraine
In a separate initiative, the SSSO UK partnered up with the Sri Sathya Sai Global Council Foundation, Inc. USA, to donate an ambulance to Ukraine to help support their service to those injured from the ongoing attacks from Russia. The ambulance was kiitted with a stretcher and blue light siren, and equipped to provide urgent care so that injured civilians could be transported to the neighboring country of Moldova. Once the current crisis is over, the ambulance will be donated to a local hospital in Moldova.
Syria
During the 97th year of our Dearest Bhagawan’s Advent in 2022, the service team of the Sri Sathya Sai Organisation UK pledged 97 Dignity Bags for the Sai Children of Syria. Ofcourse as with all of Swami’s work, “Man proposes and God disposes”, as Swami multiplied that pledge eightfold.
Unprecedented enthusiasm and an outpouring of love from devotees, family, friends, and work colleagues across the country, resulted in an unbelievable collection of 818 dignity bags, 46 coats and six pairs of shoes. In recent years, the war has left an indelible mark on Syria,creating poverty, deprivation, and suffering for many families and children, so the SSSO UK was humbled to be able to help in whatever small way they could..
“Spend the years of life, the wherewithal you earn or possess, in the service of others who are in distress. Love grows on such service. Service is the sincerest form of adoration of God.” – Sri Sathya Sai Baba (Sathya Sai Speaks, Vol 11, Ch 25: 15 May 1971).
Sri Sathya Sai Organisation United Kingdom CIO is registered as a Charity in England and Wales. Registration number 1207697.
The Sri Sathya Sai Organisation founded by Sathya Sai Baba, today has a presence in over 167 countries in the world and members undertake group service activities that benefit their immediate community. His message of ‘Brotherhood of Man and the Fatherhood of God’ is a spiritual salve that will lead mankind from the darkness of ignorance to the light of immortality.