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A project by Devotees in Kenia -
E. Africa
'Members of Sathya Sai
Organisations must tour every village and improve the lot of the
rural folk. This is a new challenge for the members of the
organisation......I shall visit every village along with you,
serve them without any discrimination of caste, creed, race and
class. I wish that Sathya Sai Organisations should, from this
day onwards, undertake programmes of rural uplift, go to each
village and provide educational and medical facilities.
Meditation and penance are useful to ones own self only but the
good of world at large is achieved through sacrifice' - Sri
Sathya Sai Baba
In keeping with our Beloved Swami's teaching, the devotees in
Kenya rallied around to come up with a project to save the
people of Kenya from malaria in the 80th Year of the Advent of
Bhagavan Sri Satya Sai Baba. The SAINET project readily agreed
to provide two SAINETs (Insecticide treated Mosquito Nets in
distinctive ochre shade, branded as SAINET with the message of
Baba: Love All Serve All - inscribed on the nets) to each
family. Each net costs about 3 dollars and the devotees, by
practicing ceiling on desire at individual and family levels in
daily life, contributed and continue to contribute towards this
grand project. The SAINET project is the first national
community project undertaken by the Sri Sathya Sai National
Trust - Kenya, as humble tribute at the Divine Lotus Feet on the
momentous occasion of the 80th year of the Advent of the
Poornavatar of this age. Additionally, as a token of love from
the Sai family, each household to receive 4 kg. of Maize meal
along with the nets.
The first village selected called Nabingenge (literally meaning
'the Mosquito Village') and adjoining villages located in the
marshlands of Trans Nzoia district of Kenya were selected.
Burial of children dying from malaria (a village lost upto 3
children in a month during the rainy season) had become a common
practice in and around these small villages in Western Kenya. On
the 11th of June, 2005, the first seva was carried out by the
Sai Sevaks and Sevikas with help from teachers from local
University and Sai schools. The battle of Namanjalala was won
and 2,200 households, home to some 16,800 population spread over
20 villages were freed from the menace of mosquitoes. Children,
women and men were assured that SAINETs will give them
protection from the suffering and death from malaria - a menace
that has been part of their lives as long as they can remember.
In on the of the makeshift huts in the village, a young woman
and her four little malnourished children worn our by malaria,
for whom daily survival is the main purpose of life, with a
meager daily wage of less than 1 dollar which lasts for only 3
to 4 months a year. For the rest of the year, they can only look
up to God. Much of their income goes to buying medicines for
malaria which seems to be their life-long companion. Mosquito
nets? It is a luxury they cannot think of.
On the 15th of July, 2005, the second seva was carried out in
Malindi, along the coast of Kenya. Three villages were selected
- a total of 10,000 SAINETS to some 5,000 households with 43,000
populations spread over the remote villages were distributed.
Additionally, as token of love from the Sai family, each
household was given 4 kg of maize meal, salt and cooking fat.
The third seva will be undertaken on the 26th of August, 2005,
and the devotees in Kenya are determined to forge ahead with
distributing as many SAINETs as possible. In Kisumu we are
planning to conduct service to an estimated population of 37,000
people.
To-date, we have completed two successive services to Kitale
(population covered about 16,200) and Malindi (38,000) and
succeeded in reaching out to thousands of villagers with Swami's
self-less love.
Our respected International Chairman of Prashanti Council,
Brother Michael Goldstein and the Head of the International
Medical Committee, Dr. Narendra Reddy, have informed us that on
the Sunday, 23rd July, 2005, Swami blessed the SAINET project
when it was presented for His approval. Swami was very happy
with the project and said 'May the good work continue' and
showered His Blessings. Dr. Goldstein has also requested that
the SAINET project be presented at the International Medical
Conference to be held in Prashanti Nilayam on the 3-4th
September 2005. Also SAINET services will now be disseminated
thru the Sanathan Sarathi publication, and, the SAINET project
information has also been forwarded by the International Medical
Committee to the Swiss Medical Journal for dissemination.
'Spread joy at all time. Carry a smile on your face so that
everyone who sees you can catch that exhilaration. When you tell
others your success, your purpose is to create envy in them. You
must not only love others, but you must be so good that others
too may love you. Try to console, encourage, strengthen and
enlighten those who are miserable, downhearted, weak or
ill-informed. Get yourself ready for this role.' - Sri Sathya
Sai Baba
Thanking you all for taking time to read what we have been doing
in Kenya.
May Swami Bless us all.
Manju
Source:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/saibabanews/message/10300
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