Panjab: Latest Updates & Why Panjab needs Your Continued Support
As you are well aware, the Panjab floods wreaked tremendous devastation in every sphere of life – dozens of people died, thousands were displaced, infrastructure suffered damage, farmlands got submerged, livestock was lost, and homes were destroyed. For thousands in Panjab, life just isn’t going to be the same again.
Early on, it became apparent that recovery was going to be an excruciating, long drawn-out affair, calling for a concrete plan of action and the long-term support of benefactors like you.
Accordingly, UNITED SIKHS devised a 3-phase plan aimed at getting lives back on track:
I. Immediate Relief including rescue operations and distribution of emergency relief supplies
II. Gradual Rebuilding including helping families rebuild homes and purchase livestock; continued operation of free medical camps
III. Long-Term Rehabilitation including giving affected farmers seeds & fertilizers and helping individuals adopt alternative means of livelihood.
5 Months Later… Here’s the Latest Update!
Every gift made by you is invaluable. We make sure to put it to the best use possible! Most recently, our flood relief efforts under Phase III have included the following:
Giving Seeds of Hope
We ushered in the all-important Rabi crop season with distributing wheat seeds to farmers. Nearly 1000 sacks of seeds – containing 40 kilos of seeds in each – were given to Panjab farmers.
Completing the Gurudwara Dream
A village in the district of Firozpur did not have its own Gurudwara sahib (Sikh house of worship). This incommoded the residents, necessitating, as it did, frequent visits to the Gurudwara sahib I n the adjoining village. Finally deciding to act, the villagers began the construction of a Gurudwara sahib, only for the floods to play havoc.
While the foundation of the Gurudwara sahib had been laid, the UNITED SIKHS team facilitated its speedy completion, purchasing and arranging the requisite materials including cement, sand, and iron rods. The Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha was subsequently inaugurated on Guru Nanak Sahib Ji’s Gurpurab.
Resolving Water-Related Problems
Several months since farmlands became inundated, standing water and silt in fields remains a real, widespread challenge. We identified about a dozen farmers, whose farmlands are still submerged in water, giving them a steady supply of diesel for operating tractors to extract sand accumulated in their fields.
The UNITED SIKHS team is currently surveying the ubiquitous problem of lack of access to potable drinking water. The process to identify needy families that require water pumps and motors for extracting clean drinking water is underway.
Disseminating Knowledge about Alternative Incomes
In adherence to Phase III of our flood relief and rehabilitation plan, we are, in association with the Panjab Agricultural University, preparing to organize seminars across villages. These soon-to-be-held knowledge programs will spread awareness and information with regard to generating alternative and additional means of income such as through apiculture, production of jaggery candies, and mixed grain products.
…And Not Just That!
For us at UNITED SIKHS, lending a hand to someone doesn’t stop at distributing aid and walking away. It is a continual, positive, ongoing engagement at the grassroots level that sees our volunteers painstakingly identify potential beneficiaries, stay in constant touch with existing beneficiaries, and maintain a steady line of communication with village heads and influential persons within village communities.
We forge a relationship with every beneficiary, making sure we are accessible to them whenever they should feel the need to reach out; only ever a phone call away!
Flood-stricken Panjab & 2024
While we hope and pray that 2024 turns out to be a year of healing for Panjab, the importance of your long-term support and commitment cannot be overstated in this regard.
Come, participate in the collective effort to rebuild Panjab – your continued, stable support is critical for fortifying the impact of and sustaining the pace of our actions.
Sign up for a recurring monthly donation now! Panjab needs your hand!
