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Easwaramma Women’s Welfare Trust
A movement for Social, Moral and Economic uplift of Womenfolk
Massive welfare projects of Bhagawan stemmed
from the humble, selfless, noble and apparently simple desires
of Mother Easwaramma for the welfare of mankind. On the occasion
of 10th year of Ladies’ Day celebrations in the year
2004, Easwaramma Women’s Welfare Project was inaugurated
for the welfare of economically backward women. The seed sown
then has grown and has reaped rich fruits now in the form
of Easwaramma Women’s Welfare Trust
under the direct supervision of Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust.
Two schemes come under the aegis of this programme, namely,
“Mother and Child Programme” and “Easwaramma
Self-Help Programme”.
With the infinite grace and blessings of
Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, this Trust has been established
to benefit women at large. It is founded on the teachings
of Bhagawan to reach out to the problems of women in a meaningful
way, and bring peace and comfort, without any distinction
of religion, caste, colour or creed.
Objectives
To create an awareness of the inherent Divinity in all, help
translate it into practice.
- To ensure lasting peace, joy, harmony and human excellence,
and to encourage all human relationships to be governed
by the principles of Sathya (Truth), Dharma (Right conduct),
Santhi (Peace), Prema (Love) and Ahimsa (Non-violence).
- To promote and appreciate all religious faiths and cultures
and to encourage their sincere practice to understand their
true spirit.
- To recognise that only noble citizens can promote the
well-being of society, and to bring about an understanding
of the duties of the individual to oneself and to society.
- To recognise that women form the backbone of society,
and safeguard and ensure the dignity and honour of women
at all times and in all circumstances.
Activities
The following selfless service activities will be conducted
to attain the above objectives.
- Promoting spiritual practices through meditation, satsang
(spiritual discussions) and singing the glory of Lord.
- Regular discussion of spiritual literature in study circles
/ classes, conferences, orientation programmes, etc.
- Visiting schools to meet teachers and students to inculcate
basic human values, health and hygiene, and offer career
guidance.
- Dedicated medical care through voluntary services.
- Helping women to solve their problems through counselling,
self help projects, etc.
- Taking up activities focusing on the preservation of
a clean and healthy environment.
Structure
- The Trust will function as an expression and expansion
of love of Bhagawan, helping women at large as a non-profit
trust.
- The Trust will provide an opportunity for individuals
and groups of women from all walks of life to render voluntary
services for the ultimate fulfilment of Bhagawan’s
mission of Love.
Mother and Child Programme
“One day Mother Easwaramma saw a frail
woman walking towards Bukkapatnam carrying her child with
great difficulty. Seeing them, Easwaramma said, ‘You
appear to be frail and weak and unable to carry the child.
Why should you walk such a great distance?’ The lady
replied, ‘Mother, there is no doctor in this remote
village who can give medicine to my child. What can I do?’
This incident made a deep impact on Mother Easwaramma. Therefore,
Mother Easwaramma asked Me to build a small hospital. But
Swami built great temples of healing. The small wishes of
a mother resulted in the establishment of great institutions.”
Mother and child are today being offered excellent care at
these temples of healing.
The Mother and Child Programme will run under
the auspices of The Easwaramma Women’s Welfare Project
and has as its objectives the following:
- Monitoring and improving the health and nutritional status
of expecting mothers.
- Providing regular pre-natal check ups and medical support
during pregnancy.
- Training local birth attendants in early problem identification
and in providing support to expectant mothers.
- Counselling and education in health and hygiene.
- Emergency care to ensure safe delivery.
- Providing medical and nutritional support for the newborn
child and infants.
- Immunisation programmes for children.
- Education and training in child health and nutrition.
- Assessment of and support in growth and development of
the infant.
The programme is to be initially operational
in the villages in and around Puttaparthi, with the scope
slowly expanding to include a growing circle of villages as
the programme moves forward.
- Monthly visits to the villages on prescheduled dates
are to be conducted.
- The seva groups visiting the villages will include trained
doctors, nurses and volunteers.
- The seva groups will be equipped with all necessary medical
equipment to conduct pre-natal check ups, which will include
the following:
- Registration and recording of the case history of
the expectant mother.
- Monitoring of the health of the mother and foetus;
blood pressure, position of the foetus, foetal heartbeat,
nutritional status of the mother, and early problem
identification if any.
- Providing iron, folic acid and nutritional supplements
to the mother.
- Education of mother / local birth attendant / family
member on healthcare during pregnancy.
- Providing information on early distress signs and
steps in emergency care.
- During the visits post-natal and infant care needs are
to be addressed through the following:
- Maintaining of growth and immunisation records for
the infants.
- Providing vitamins and nutritional supplements.
- Education on prevention of infections and timely
medical attention.
- Immunisation as per recommended schedule.
The Mother and Child Programme has been initiated
by Swami for the social welfare of women. The programme is
to be carried out through the voluntary participation of devotees,
especially women. Swami says, “It is only by the strength
of a mother’s will that a child will come up in life.
Hence, she must be given the pride of place. She must be respected
and cared for … Health is the foundation on which human
life rests. If health is lost you have to suffer in many ways.
There is no greater wealth than health … It is highly
important to care for the health of children. They are often
undernourished and weak and thus suffer from many ailments.
I wish people would do something to help these hapless children.
Human birth is a God given gift.”
The Mother and Child Project will strive
to enshrine these values in our society.
Easwaramma Self-Help Programme
Bhagawan says, “God is not poor
and hence, people created by Him cannot also be poor.”
A world rid of poverty; a world where poverty
is unknown; a world where every human being has access to
simple and basic amenities like drinking water, healthcare,
sanitation and primary education – This is Bhagawan
Sri Sathya Sai Baba’s vision for mankind. No Avatar
has done this before – “Going among the masses,
counselling them, guiding them, consoling them, uplifting
them,” filling everyone with a sense of self-confidence
and self-respect and encouraging them to be self-reliant.
The Easwaramma Self-Help Programme for women
seeks to empower women to achieve self reliance and to provide
a means of steady livelihood and thereby improve the health
and quality of life of women, their families and children.
The Easwaramma Self-Help Programme seeks
to train women in making a variety of useful products using
locally available and environmentally friendly raw materials
for sustained development. The Self-Help Programme will work
towards the Divine plan of establishing some opportunities
for gainful employment so that no person suffers from pangs
of hunger.
Swami in His infinite grace, has initiated
and provided all facilities within the secure environment
of the ashram for the training and education of these groups
of women. The Easwaramma Self-Help Programme will endeavour,
with the active participation of all Swami’s devotees
to provide a better quality of life to women, who are the
heart of our society, as they strive for the safety, welfare
and health of their families and children.
“Let us work together, enjoy together,
love one another and share our joy with all.”
- Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba
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