A Factual Response to the Hate Attack on the India Development and Relief Fund (IDRF)

On January 26, 2001, a devastating earthquake of 6.9-magnitude on the Richter scale hit the Indian state of Gujarat. It was early morning, around 8:45 a.m. January 26 is India’s Republic Day and hence a public holiday. People were still in their houses. The extent of devastation was enormous. Thousands of people died and hundreds of thousands of houses and other buildings were destroyed. Table 1 provides quick facts on Gujarat earthquake.

Many organizations, including NGOs and Government agencies, swung into action to provide relief and rescue services. IDRF’s NGO partner, Sewa Bharati, deployed its volunteers in all affected areas. Sewa Bharati spearheaded relief efforts with over 25,000 volunteers for a period of 3 months. IDRF provided immediate monetary assistance to Sewa Bharati to enable relief operations.

IDRF took immediate steps to raise funds for the earthquake victims through its chapters in the U.S. With its large grassroots volunteer base, IDRF was able to reach all corners of Indian-American as well as mainstream American society for help. The earthquake news was so devastating that many donors voluntarily came forward to contribute. With a stellar record of providing relief and rehabilitation services, IDRF was a natural choice for donors.

Due to the gravity of the situation and the extent of damage, IDRF chose to reach donors in several ways including E-mail campaigns, IDRF web site, and through the volunteers and office beares of Indian-American community and professional organizations. Many Indian-Americans working for several Fortune 500 companies donated generously while maximizing their donations through corporate matching. Several leading high-technology companies have matched their employee donations to Gujarat and participated in providing relief and rehabilitation to the victims.

IDRF played a crucial role in getting the message across, providing a trusted and reliable volunteer network to raise funds and then distribute responsibly to over 17 NGOs to provide rehabilitation services. As of December 2002, IDRF has raised over $2.9 million for Gujarat earthquake victims.

Immediate rescue and relief operations providing food, shelter and financial assistance were set up. Fortunately, dedicated volunteers from Sewa Bharati undertook rescue operations early on, rendering help wherever needed.

IDRF provided $50,000 for relief and rescue operations. The recipients of these funds include the following:

·        Ramkrishna Ashram ($10,000)
·        Janpath/Jan Vikas ($10,000)
·        Bochasanwasi Akshara Purushottam Sanstha ($10,000) ·        SAATH ($10,000)
·        Bhansali Trust ($10,000)

As part of the relief operations, thousands of people were provided with medical relief. Here are some quick facts:

·        Volunteers - 27,000
·        Patients treated - 65,000
·        Doctors in attendance - 1,000
·        Patients mobilized to hospitals - 13,000

·        113,870 blankets
·        2,500 batteries
·        72,298 tents
·        75,750 tarpaulins
·        341,787 food packets
·        40 trucks of wood fuel
·        200,000 liters of water

US donors contributed over $2.9 million to IDRF for rehabilitation services. IDRF has chosen several NGOs to fund rehabilitation projects, such as construction of villages and schools. IDRF has employed professional methods to identify, qualify, and accept NGO proposals and to distribute rehabilitation funds. IDRF’s criteria to choose NGOs and projects were the following:

·        An excellent track record of social service
·        Appropriate proposals with clear objectives, deliverables and beneficiaries
·        Minimal administration overhead
·        Support from grassroots volunteers, local government and community organizations
·        Commitment to provide rehabilitation services to all victims regardless of their caste, creed or religion
·        The project should have a long-term impact and should aim at self-empowerment
·        Priority for housing, health, and education of children and women

To enable the process of funds distribution, IDRF has established a Public Relations and Publicity (PRP) committee, which has taken the responsibility to establish contacts with NGOs; to seek and review proposals; establish clear objectives and deliverables in the project; and finally to authorize funds distribution in a phased manner. Each NGO that received funding went through the PRP committee and is committed to fulfilling the committee’s requirements regarding project deliverables. Table 2 provides details of all NGOs and their funded projects.

IDRF grant evaluation process involved studying each proposal carefully. After the projects were approved, NGOs were notified and the first installment of the funds was disbursed. NGOs were requested to provide the reports on an ongoing basis. Some NGOs such as Sewa Bharati provided monthly reports on their rehabilitation activities, while others provided reports when 50% of the work was completed. Subsequent installments of funds were released after receiving project status reports from NGOs. Several IDRF volunteers including the IDRF president and the vice president have visited various projects and have been monitoring the progress of IDRF funded projects. An IDRF consultant based in New Delhi visited and spent almost a month in Gujarat with various NGOs observing work on the projects. Further, IDRF has communicated the progress to its donors, through various means including its web site and “Donors Appreciation Day” program, which is unique to IDRF.

Many NGOs notified IDRF when the project was completed and invited our volunteers for the inauguration ceremonies. In the near future, IDRF will release a Gujarat rehabilitation brochure outlining many of the projects it has funded.

So far, IDRF has chosen to work with 17 NGOs to provide rehabilitation services to earthquake victims. Each of them is discussed below (in alphabetical order).

Anoopam Mission is a registered public charitable trust situated at Mogri in Anand district. It provides educational, health and social welfare support to the needy.

IDRF funded the project for a rehabilitation center for orphan children and widows affected by earthquake; located at Yogipuram Township in Shinay, Gandhidham. It has capacity to serve 100 orphans and 100 widows.

Arya Samaj, a socio-philanthropic organization, is active in social, educational, cultural, and spiritual work. IDRF is funding is “Jeevan Prabhat” project”. Jeevan Prabhat” is a home for orphans and widows, and is located in Gandhidham district.

Gandhidham Collegiate Board is located at Adipur, Kutch, and is involved in providing educational facilities to the needy. IDRF is one of the contributors for constructing two new hostels, one each for boys and girls.

Gandhidham Matri Mandal provides primary and secondary education to over 4500 children through its eight schools. In addition, it runs a yoga center, a public library, and a health club. IDRF is one of the contributors to construct two schools at Adipur, Kutch.

Lukulish International Fellowship’s Enlightenment (LIFE) Mission advances spiritual awareness and also provides charitable services to the needy and poor and is located at Kerelibaug, Vadodara. IDRF is funding its efforts to build and run a hospital in earthquake-affected area, which will provide general medicine, maternal and childcare and orthopedic medicine. The hospital is located at village Jakhan in Limbdi district.

M. D. Mehta Education Trust, situated at Darbargadh, Dhrol, is working in the field of education. IDRF has funded a project to rebuild a girl’s elementary school at Darbargadh, Dhrol. The trust is working towards women’s education for past 25 years. They run girls high schools and vocational training center.

Manav Kalyan Trust, situated at Sabarkantha in Kutch, provides community services to the needy and poor. It is building a model village at Sursardham, Rapar with the help of funding from IDRF. The village will have 110 earthquake-resistant homes that will benefit 750 earthquake-affected individuals.

Navatanpuri Dham, located at Jamnagar, is a spiritual center and also provides charitable services to the needy and poor. With IDRF funding, they have built two primary schools at Vankia and Sinugara villages.

Sadhu Vaswani Mission is a spiritual center as well as a provider of charitable services. They have built 244 earthquake-resistant houses, out of which 38 are funded by IDRF.

SARATHI, established in 1985, has been providing service to tribal communities in Panchamahal district of Gujarat. IDRF funded construction of two schools, located at Bhandari Vandh and Saragu in Bhuj district.

Sewa Bharati Gujarat is spread throughout Gujarat to serve the needy as well as the people affected by natural calamities. IDRF funded construction of two villages and seven (7) schools. Construction of both villages is complete and the houses were handed over to the villagers.

·        Construction of 188 houses
·        Distributed 10 GI sheets per house
·        Cement, tents, water pouches, biscuits, cereals and pulses distributed
·        Large tents and water tanks erected Infrastructure facilities provided:
·        A five-room school building, a community hall
·        A Panchayat Ghar, Gram Mandir
·        Primary health center with doctor’s house
·        A 50,000-liter capacity overhead tank for potable water
·        Water/waste disposal system, electric supply and roads

·        Construction of 155 houses Infrastructure facilities provided:
·        A school with 5 rooms
·        A Panchayat Ghar
·        A community hall, dispensary
·        A bus stand and a cremation ground

No.	Village	District	Population	Students	Teachers
1	Maska	Kutch	3,000	350	8
2	Luni	Kutch	2,200	200	5
3	Balodhan	Banaskantha	2,200	200	5
4	Lundra	Banaskantha	2,000	150	5
5	Ujjanwada	Radhanpur	1,500	120	4
6	Shishumandir	Patan	2,000	130	4
7	Jhinjhwada	Surendranagar	4,000	350	8

Shree Bidada Sarvodaya Trust holds medical camps and runs hospitals for the needy.

IDRF provided funds to build and run an orthopedic rehabilitation center at Bidada Hospital in Kutch district.

Vadilal Gandhi Foundation is located at Malya, Rajkot. IDRF funded the construction of a high school building at Malya, Rajkot.

Veerayatan, a spiritual center founded in 1973, also provides charitable and educational services. IDRF funded the construction of a boys’ hostel building in Jakhania Village, Mandvi District of Kutch.

Vyakti Vikas Kendra (Art of Living) is a charitable trust with well-defined spiritual, educational, cultural, and social development objectives, under the inspiration of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, a renowned leader in human resource development. IDRF funded the construction of a school building (Adivasi Kanya Shala) at Nilpara, Rapar in Kutch district.

IDRF is continuing to seek and review project proposals from various other NGOs to disburse remaining Gujarat earthquake relief funds. IDRF will strive to complete disbursements of funds as soon as possible to ensure timely assistance to earthquake victims. Table 2 below provides additional details for these NGOs and specific Gujarat Earthquake Rehabilitation projects that these NGOs are working on with the help of IDRF support.

No.	NGO	NGO Address	Project Title	Funds Disbursed
1	Anoopam Mission Location Shinay, Gandhidhan Distt: Kutch	Brahmajyoti, Yogiji Marg, Mogri, Distt Anand, Gujarat -388346, India.	Rehabilitation center for orphans & widows in Shinay, Kutch	$50,000
2	AIF, New York	New York, USA	Co-finance Bhajoy Sarvodya Trust	$18,500
3	Arya Samaj Location Jeevan Prabhat, Dayanand Nagar, Sector - 7, Gandhidham, Gujarat	D-B-Z-N-157, Maharishi Dayanand Marg, Near Zanda Chowk, Gandhidham, Gujarat - 370201	Home for Orphanage and widows in Gandhidham, Gujarat.	$37,500
4	Gandhidham Collegiate Board Location Adipur, Kutch - 370 205	Bangalow No Z-2, Adipur, Kutch - 370205	Constructing a boys’ hostel and a girls’ hostel	$7,250
5	Gandhidham Matri Mandal Location Gandhidham, Kutch - 370 205	SDB 123-124, City Adipur, Kutch - 370 205	Reconstruction of two schools	$30,000
6	LIFE (Lakulish International Fellowship’s Enlightenment Mission) Location Jakhan, Limbdi, Gujarat	RBG Complex, Block A, Second Floor, Bahucharaji Road, Kareli Baug, Vadodara - 390 018	Build and run a hospital in the earthquake-affected area.	$25,000
7	M. D. Mehta Educational Trust Location Darbargadh, Dhrol	Darbargadh, Dhrol, Jamnagar, 361210	Reconstruct a girls’ elementary school	$50,000
8	Manav Kalyan Trust Location Sursardham, Taluka Rapar, Kutch	Near Rayamal Marajni Madhi - N. H. 15, Lakadiya - Kutch, India	Building a village of 110 houses in Rapar, Kutch	$51,000
9	Navatanpuri Dham K M Trust Location Vankia, Tal: Dhrol, Sinugra, Kutch	Khijada Mandir road, Jamnagar, Gujarat - 361001	Constructed two primary schools	$63,000
10	Sadhu Vaswani Mission Location Adipur, Gandhidham, Kandla	10, Sadhu Vaswani Path, Pune – 411001	Built (38) earthquake-resistant houses	$62,500
11	Indicorps	15455 Empanada Drive Houston, TX 77083 USA	Manav Sadhana -Agriculture, Watershed Management, Handicraft Development Ludiya, Kutch	$21,190
12	SARTHI Location Village: Bhandari Vandh; Sargu-I Taluka: Khawadha, Bhuj	P. O. Godhar Pashchim - 389230, Via Lunawada, Taluka: Santarampur, Dahod, Gujarat	Construction of two schools	$45,000
13	Sewa Bharati Location Villages: Jivapar, Visnagar	Hedgewar Bhavan, Baliakaka marg, Kankaria, Ahmedabad 380 028	Construction of (2) villages and (7) schools	$760,000
14	Shree Bidada Sarvodaya Trust Location Bidada Hospital, Bidada, Kutch	Bidada, Tal. Mandvi, Kutch, Gujarat, India 370 435	Build and operate an orthopedic rehabilitation center	$30,500
15	Vadilal Gandhi Foundation Location Malya, Rajkot	Malya, Rajkot	Construction of a high school building.	$50,000
16	Veerayatan Location Jakharia, Bhuj – Kutch	Veerayatan Vidyapeeth, Behind Khengarji Park, Bhuj-kutch, Gujarat 370 001	Construction of a boys’ hostel.	$12,500
17	Vyakti Vikas Kendra (Art of Living) Location Nilpara, Taluka: Rapar, Dist.,: Kutch	35/36, Shyamal Row House #3S, 132 Ft. Satellite Ring Road, Near Someshwara Temple, Ahmedabad, Gujarat 380 015	Construction of a school building.	$40,000
		Total funds disbursed		$1,352,940

APPENDIX I

Gujarat Earthquake Relief and Rehabilitation

NGO