The massive earthquake of 7.8 scale on 25th April 2015, subsequent 6.9 scale on 26th April 2015 and hundreds of aftershocks, had devastating effects on the economic as well as social fabric of the country. These quakes caused deaths of over 9,000 people; close to 15,000 accidents; around 500,000 houses being completely destroyed and about 1.4 million people thrown to street in search of food daily. Hundreds of thousands people were made homeless with entire villages flattened. Of the 75 districts, 18 districts were worst affected, which included the capital region and nearby hilly and mountainous districts of central Nepal.
The SSSSON, built over the years on the foundation of service to the needy, rose on this occasion. Nearly 500 Sai sevadals, leaving aside their own cracked houses at the lap of Bhagavan Baba, bore this agony and sprang spontaneously from the very first day in the distribution of packed hot meals. As all shops and restaurants were closed, sevadals visited Hospitals, Tented Camps, Rescue Sites, etc and distributed hot meals to total 29,000 patients, their chaperons, medics, foreign rescue operators, etc. during the first 10 days. It is heartening to see the news broadcasted in the national TV about the comment of one beneficiary. While visiting victims in a hospital when the leader of the opposition party in the parliament and former prime minister asked one victim as to who has been providing food to them, pat came the reply, “Sai Baba”.
Simultaneous with food distribution, Sai seva dals also reached to remote areas of all the affected 18 districts with uncooked food packets containing Rice, Legume, Wheat Flour, Oil, Salt, Sugar, Blanket, Floor Tarpaulin, Mattress, etc. and served 31,500 families at 294 localities of all the affected 18 hilly districts. Total quantity of major food items distributed were:
Dry Food Items:
Rice – 200,000 kgs
Legume – 10,000 kgs
Wheat Flour – 4,500 kg
Cooking Oil – 5,000 litres
Confectionary – 3,000 kgs
Pre-cooked Noodle – 7,000 kgs
Salt – 4,000 kgs, etc.
Materials:
Blankets – 10,400 nos
Tarpaulins – 6,000 nos
Solar Torch Lights – 2,000 nos
Tents – 974 sets
Apart from these, 209 packages containing high protein food, dresses, blankets for both baby and mother, etc. specially prepared for the pregnant/lactating women, were also distributed.
Simultaneous with the relief work, Sai doctors rendered medical services from the very next day. Medical camps were organised at four places, besides keeping the Sri Sathya Sai Health Centre open for the victims. Uniqueness of Sai medicare has been the door to door visits by doctors in the 11 hilly villages along with battery operated ECG and Ultra Sound machines. Pregnant and lactating women living in the tents put up by the government were brought to the SSS Health Centre and provided comprehensive medical services that included General Check- up, Ultrasound, Pathological Tests, Dentistry, etc.
In all, 11 medical doctors, 30 paramedics, were involved in providing medical services to total
5000 patients continuously for two weeks.
After the earthquake, SSSION constructed Water Projects and Houses at following places for
the victims. SSSION has been since supporting these villages with Educare, Medicare and
Sociacare.
1. Saigram, Lele – 32 Houses and one Sadhana Bhavan
2. Saigram, Khalte – 22 Houses and one Sadhana Bhavan
3. Saigram, Satrasayephate – 6 Houses and one Sadhana Bhavan
4. Kathmandu – 1 House
5. Saigram, Baluwa – Water Project and one Sadhana Bhavan
6. Saigram, Baraha – Water Project and one Sadhana Bhavan
7. Saigram, Arghakanchi – Water Project and one Sadhana Bhavan
8. Saigram, Chhatiwan – Water Project and support to school