SWAN (Sikh With A Need)

The SWAN project was born in Sept 2005, when UNITED SIKHS read Partap Singh's appeal for help because his life in Peru had become unbearable as he and his family tried to defend their Sikh identity. Post 9/11 he could not earn his livelihood as a Meditation teacher and tourist guide because he was referred to as 'Ben Laden'. His son was refused admission to school because he wore a headcovering. UNITED SIKHS responded by making inquiries about Partap Singh's situation in Peru and launched a public appeal to the Sikh community to donate towards helping Partap Singh overcome his difficulties. The Public's response was overwhelming and UNITED SIKHS felt that such help should be made available to other needy Sikhs under the SWAN project.

In September 2007, two years after more Sikhs had received help under the SWAN project, a young Christian from Malawi (SE Africa), Davie Kasinja, showed us that we needed to widen the scope of the SWAN project by giving him asistance so he could continue with his education. The SWAN project now stands for Someone With A Need. It is a project under which UNITED SIKHS looks for sponsors to provide financial asistance to someone who is desperately in need of help and who has tried but failed to obtain help from elsewhere.