Disaster Relief - Approach

Overview

Guided by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, the Art of Living Foundation has adapted a multi-faceted approach to bringing relief to those affected by disasters. While bringing material relief for immediate medical and food crises is the first priority, the Art of Living Foundation also recognise that rehabilitation in the true sense only happens when the trauma is dealt with on an emotional level too.The Art of Living Foundation has therefore developed the following three-tiered approach which includes

immediate response with the provision of material aid
short-term trauma relief programmes to help victims deal with any emotional trauma
long-term rehabilitation of the community, including re-building of infrastructure.

Immediate Material Aid And Service

Having a network of volunteers,The Art of Living Foundation can provide immediate material relief ie. food, clothing, medicine and shelter.Doctors, counsellors and other physical and mental health experts form an integral part of these immediate relief efforts.

Trauma Relief

Specially designed trauma relief workshops help participants to release emotional and mental trauma and equip them with skills to remain stress-free. These workshops include simple, practical breathing techniques proven to have an immediate calming effect on the mind. A study on The Art of Living Trauma Relief Programmes which were delivered to large groups of South-East Asian tsunami survivors showed significant relief from post-traumatic stress disorder, including symptoms such as disturbed sleep and depression in only four days.

A sense of community spirit is also developed in the workshops. Once the participants feel better in themselves, they naturally want to reach out to others in the community, to reconstruct their lives and support each other. For example, after the Tsunami in 2004, initial material relief was provided in the form of boats, but due to the trauma experienced by the fishermen, they were afraid to approach the sea. After undergoing the trauma relief workshops, the fishermen were able to utilise the boats, resume fishing and provide for their families.

Long-Term Rehabilitation

Whilst aid is available in the short term, the Art of Living Foundation believes that true relief can only happen when people have a sustainable future. To achieve this, our volunteers work with local volunteers and communities in villages, building homes, sanitation systems, roads, schools, vocational training centres and other necessary infrastructure.

Testimonials

MANIMARAN

"Tsunami- Village Leader:I have been the village counselor for past three years. I had been the village committee chairman for five years. Guruji came here and found us helpless. Construction started immediately. 94 houses were built in this village. Guruji’s school gives education as a service. The school contribution here is very low so that even very poor people can afford it. Guruji’s school is the only school that provides English education at such a low cost. I have a great belief that this school will grow more and more. In the future it might even become a university. Guruji was the only person who thought to build an educational institution and uplift the people by giving them proper education".

Martine, leads a group of Art of Living youth leaders
She emailed a report and pictures of the street children the group is working with. She signed off with I love you. Big kisses. This email was sent just hours before the earthquake ripped open her neighborhood. Martine, 22, wants to dedicate her life to empowering her people. For some days, volunteers had not heard from her and were unsure of her fate. Then came the news. Martine survived. She lost her home, and had no relatives to stay with. Through our Indian Art of Living family, we (the American volunteers) found an Indian family who have taken Martine, her mother and brother into their home. Her text this morning said: "Thank you. You don't know how you've helped us by finding us refuge. I love and thank you with all my heart."

Priyadarshini
"Priyadarshini, is one of the children who attended the IAHV-Art of Living Child Care Centre in Nambiar Nagar village. She lost her younger sister in the Tsunami. The memory of the incident still terrifies this sensitive and impressionable young child. For a long time Pradarshini’s dreams of dancing and becoming a doctor were clouded by the trauma of Tsunami; she was terrified and claims that she would have discontinued her education had it not been for the teachings of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. She recalls this and simply smiles plan".

Taiyal Nayaki

Taiyal has trained in jute bag tailoring under the regular workshop conducted by the IAHV-Art of Living Vocational Training center for Women.

Whitney Bank, Katrina Survivor

The course gave me much more than I expected. I was able to feel free and relaxed. I was able to find some peace where I had none. I had a feeling of peace, greater awareness and relaxation- something I didn’t think I would feel again.

Focus