Disaster-relief

Responding to disasters swiftly with material and trauma relief. Volunteer with us

 
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Strategy

Material-aid, trauma-relief, and longterm rehabilitation

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Impact

Provided aid in all major disasters

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Outreach

56 lakh people benefited

Overview

Every disaster whether natural or human-made and its specific geographical location, poses its unique set of challenges. Through our global network of volunteers, The Art of Living and our partner organization, The International Association for Human Values (IAHV), has been able to respond swiftly to natural and human-made disasters in different parts of the world. As a result, today the two organizations have established themselves as vital providers of, both, short term and long term disaster rehabilitation programs in India and in many countries around the world.

In India alone, we have mobilized relief teams in all major disasters since 2001 and through our efforts brought relief to 150,000 lives.

Unless the trauma is released, food and medicines will not work. People cannot eat or sleep because their mind is full of the terrible tragedy that has befallen them. With a healing touch, support, and a vision for the future, disaster victims are able to reclaim their lives.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

Strategy

When disaster strikes, our work starts by providing immediate material aid and care. These emergency services provide food, clothes, medicine, and shelter. Doctors, counselors and other physical and mental health experts form an integrated part of these immediate relief efforts.

For survivors of disasters, who have experienced severe physical and emotional trauma, material help alone is not sufficient. Alleviating trauma and helping people to reclaim their lives is essential. Our trauma relief programs teach participants how to process their emotions and stress through various breathing techniques and to shift their attention from the past towards possibilities for a future.

True relief can happen only when disaster survivors are completely rehabilitated – physically and emotionally. To support communities in developing sustainable solutions, our global volunteers work in villages and with local communities, building homes, sanitation systems, roads, schools, vocational training centers, and other necessary infrastructure.

Our strategy

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Provide immediate support

material aid and emergency services

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Trauma relief workshops

Providing emotional support

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Long-term rehabilitation

by rebuilding basic infrastructure

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9aiInfIcirU

Impact

From extensive relief and rehabilitation work in tsunami-affected areas worldwide to earthquake relief operations in Gujarat, our volunteers have worked with compassion, commitment, and care to address physical, emotional, and material needs of disaster victims. Some of the work that we have done in the recent past includes:

Earthquake

Gujarat Earthquake
India (January 2001)

 

Bam earthquake
Iran (December 2003)

 

Kashmir-Pakistan Earthquake
India (October 2005)

 

Gorkha Earthquake
Nepal (April 2015)

Floods

River Elbe floods
Germany (August 2002)

 

Surat floods
India (August 2006)

 

South India flood relief (2009)

 

Mumbai floods
India (January 2001)

 

Uttarakhand floods
(2015)

HURRICANES / CYCLONES

Orissa cyclone
India (October 1999)

 

Odisha cyclone Fani
(2019)

 

Hurricane Katrina
USA (August 2005)

TSUNAMI

 

 

 

 

Indian Ocean tsunami
(2004)