A Project by Devotees in Kenia - E. Africa

[Guest guest]

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

[Guest guest]

This is simply great work which is done in Kenya.(SAINET)

 

I think we should do this kind of projects- so much to learn.

 

Simply great.

 

Sai Ram

 

SoumendraManju Naul <mnaul (AT) trident (DOT) co.ke> wrote:

A PROJECT BY DEVOTEES IN KENIA - E. AFRICA

[Guest guest]

Dear ALl. Sai ram.

The Sai Net is lovely inspiring project. I congratulate the team for taking up

such a novel, cost effective project. Thanks for the info. You have given us a

good lead for yet another seva.

Love

Gopi

Sri Sathya Sai Grama Seva Trust

Hyderabad