Bharat Sevashram Sangha - Toronto, Canada

2107 Codlin Crescent, Etobicoke, Ontario M9W 5K7 | Tel: 416 679 0967

	Disaster Relief
	Healthcare Services
	Education Program
	Tribal Welfare
	Vocational Training
	Spiritual Harmony

The Sangha’s first disaster relief project can be traced to 1923 with the Bengal Famine. Through the last 89 years the Sangha has responded to natural calamities such as the West Bengal Floods (1978, 1998, and 2001), Bhopal Gas Tragedy (1980), Cyclone in Andhra Pradesh (1996), and Super cyclone in Orissa (1999), Bhuj earthquake (2001), Mumbai & Gujarat Flash Flood (2005).

The Sangha also provide services at times of political unrest such as the India-Pakistan partition and the Bangladesh Liberation Movement by setting up refugee camps and war evacuee camps.

Social Services : What We Do

Our large network of volunteers enables the Sangha to respond promptly and effectively to disasters like famines, droughts, floods, earthquakes and other calamities. We focus on meeting immediate basic human needs by providing shelter, food, and health relief services. We also provide assistance to individuals and families affected by disaster to enable them to resume their normal daily activities independently. Hundreds of monks joined forces to provide extensive relief and rehabilitation during the Bengal famine, Midnapore cyclone, Oakhali riot Bihar flood, Maharashtra earthquake and 2004 tsunami among others.

An Appeal of Orissa Flood Relief Work

The Bharat Sevashram Sangha immediately after the disaster flood in Orisa started relief work in the flood affected districts in Puri, Jagatsinghpur, Kendarapara etc. Monk and volunteers under instruction from B.D.O. started relief work on 25th September last in the flood affected areas of Gop, Kanpur, Sologhara, Terobati, Dakhinchera etc. of Satyabadi block near Shakhigopal. Cooked food, dry food stuffs, chira, dhoti, saree, tarpaulin etc. We’re distributed among the flood victims on boats. Later 5000 pcs. Of tarpaulins were distributed in Jagatsinghpur and Cuttack districts. Read More

Flood Relief In Bihar

Most part of the Madhepura and Saharsa districts in Bihar is inundated and under water after the river Kosi washed away its bank and flowed over four districts. Millions of people became homeless and spending their days under trees and open sky. The sannyasins and volunteers of the Bharat Sevashram Sangha, after setting up a relief centre on 26th August at Sarbanarayan Singh Ramkumar Singh College, Saharsa, are distributing cooked food to nearly 10,000 flood-affected people at Cachra and Karaya villages of Sourbazar Block and remote villages of Biratpur School area of Sonbarsa Block in Saharsa district and Sabaila Sinheswar etc. villages of Madhepura district. Dry food stuff of chira, gur, sattoo, baby food, clothing, polythene, tarpaulins etc. are also being distributed to nearly 5000 flood-affected people daily. Relief materials are also being distributed among the flood affected people who have taken shelter-houses at 28 relief centres setup by Govt. at Saharsa town. Besides, Sangha's relief work has been expanded in Purnia district also.

Please help flood-affected people in Bihar Read More

Disaster Relief
Flood Relief in Gujrat
The Bharat Sevashram Sangha through its Surat Branch, has undertaken extensive relief work in the flood affected areas of Surat in Gujart for the last few days. The Sangha has already distributed cooked food to nearly 3500 people at Katargam, Gurukul Vidhyapith, Milan Mandir at Annie Besant Road. Monks and volunteers from Ahmedabad, Kalol, Dediapara, Baroda, Mumbai branches of the Sangha have also reached the flood affected areas and strengthened Sangha's relief work there. The Sangha is distributing cooked food among the flood affected people by boat to different villages like Kesar, Chabrabhata, Amroli, Uttran, Monj Kalia, etc.The Sangha has also made arrangement for the treatment of the flood victims.

Tamil Nadu, India	Back to top
The state of Tamil Nadu as the worst affected with a death toll of 7,793. Districts of Cuddalore, Nagapattinam and Chennai were amongst the worst hit. The Sangha was one of the first to begin massive relief operations. Cooked food was distributed continuously to more than 5000 tsunamiaffected people for a week through our Free Food Program. Basic cooking ingredients such as groceries, pulses, rice and other supplies were also handled out. Clothing, blankets, baby food, polythene sheets and medical supplies were disbursed to marooned districts. The tsunami swept away a large number of houses leaving a vast majority of families in temporary shelters or camps. The Sangha launched a rehabilitation drive by volunteering to help rebuild houses. More than 150 houses were constructed at Sonankuppam village in Cuddaloer. Mechanised boats and fishing nets were also distributed to local fisherfolk.

Andaman & Nicobar Islands	Back to top
About 1900 islanders were confirmed dead from a population of some 400000 in the aftermath of the tsunami. The islands, only 100 km or so from the epicenter, suffered extensive destruction on the southern cluster from Car Nicobar to Indira Point. The Sangha faced the daunting task of repairing the lives and property of ten of thousands of people and monitoring relief and rehabilitation measures. Volunteers started extensive relief work at Port Blair & Little Andaman, Hut Bay Islands among other districts. Free cooked food was supplied to 10000 people for almost 3 months in 5 camps in addition to distribution of essential dry food and ingredients.

Rehabilitation Program, Kolkata	Back to top
The Sangha is currently involved with the rehabilitation and resettlement of canal dwellers implemented by the Kolkata Environmental implementation Project Trust (KEIP). It is a bilateral project with Asia Development Bank (ADB), Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) and the Government of West Bengal. KMC has provided flats to 3500 canal dwellers at the subsidized rate of 5% of the total construction cost. The Sangha overseas administration and interfaces with the beneficiaries. BSS also contributes by guiding the socio-economic development of the canal dwellers through projects concentrating on vocational training, formation of Self Help Groups, assistance in opening bank and insurance accounts and formation of user groups who manage maintenance of community assets.

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