Improving lives by
building self-reliance,
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For years, we work hard to put together our home, our hearth. We furnish it with things that help us live and give us joy—be it furniture, bedding, linen or utensils. To see that all gone, in a matter of a few seconds, is beyond traumatic and can break your spirit, especially if you are in the twilight years of your life. We met Babaji, in his 80s, in Ratta village, Gurdaspur district. We were in tears listening to him narrate all that he had lost in the floods. “Water was waist-deep; it washed away everything,” he says as the lines on his face crease deep with pain and hopelessness. He has less than 1 acre of land, which is not enough to sustain his household of six members. He is currently living in someone else’s home because everything in his home is soaked wet or destroyed.  

Our team gave him some essentials to tide him over a few days and promised that we’ll be there to help him and his family pick up the pieces and rebuild his house and his hope. 

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Life is not easy for anyone, and for a few like Paramjeet Kaur, every day is a struggle. She lost her husband and her father a few years ago. A widow, she somehow managed to make ends meet for her children—two boys and a girl—and herself. Then the floods happened. The house that she called home, her sanctuary, which gave her and her family hope amidst life’s tribulations, was badly damaged in the floods. When our team met her, she was picking up her children’s books and putting them out to dry, even as her eyes remained wet with tears that just refused to stop. “I lost everything that I had purchased with so much difficulty and hard work—fridge, TV, inverter. The roof is leaking. How will I put everything back together? I don’t have a husband, father, or brother.” The relief packets that we gave Paramjeet will help her and her kids for the moment. But we are more focused and concerned about her long-term rehabilitation. Repairing her home, the school for her kids, and helping her get a sustainable source of income.  

With your help, we can raise funds to support women like Paramjeet because they are the soul of our community, our pride, and the foundation on which we build our future. Take action, be a changemaker, and help women like Paramjeet get her life back. 

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We had a hard time talking to this lady and her 10-year-old son in a Fazilka village because they were so distraught. The child was badly missing his home and kept crying when we asked him about it. He told us he wants to go back home, but there’s nothing left there. Without school, he is at a loss to fill his days and is deeply affected by the tragedy he sees around him. Children are more vulnerable to the effects of natural disasters because they rely on caregivers. Factors like disruption in support system, displacement, loss of loved ones and parental stress lead to trauma in children, which can manifest as mental health issues in children, often leading to long-term physical, mental, and educational deficits. Our relief packets are a short-lived solace for these kids. What they need are schools, playgrounds, health clinics, and a safe home.  

Help us rebuild these support systems for the children of Punjab. Be the change that will ensure a healthy future for the next generation. 

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Our teams met this boy in Rana village in Fazilka. He lost both his parents to flood water and now has only his grandmother to live with. Despite experiencing such tremendous loss, his resilience shone through. He knew he had to keep moving forward. He told us that he needed clothes to wear and fodder for his two buffaloes, and we helped him with both. In the face of such an epic tragedy, such encounters with the human spirit leave us in awe and admiration. Let’s salute this boy’s resilience and help him rebuild his life. 

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Homes no longer look like what they were earlier. The flood has taken away the coziness that brought families together. Our team visited this family in Ratta village, Gurdaspur district. Their home was in shambles. Everything was wet, their roof was leaking, and they had no place to sleep. We gave them relief kits and a tarp to fix the roof. Trauma from the flood was writ large on the couple’s faces. Their disheveled appearance reflected the chaos of their home and told us volumes about how hard the past few days had been for them. It will take a long time to heal their spirit, courage and to give them hope. What can be achieved earlier is the repair of their home.  

Help us put the physical pieces back together first so that they make way for emotional and spiritual healing. 

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As we went about distributing flood relief packets in village after village, we were time and again reminded about the resilience of human grace and spirit. In a village in Gurdaspur, Babaji offered us water, tea, and other refreshments despite having incurred losses to his house and livelihood due to the floods. “You are doing so much seva, please have some water,” he told us. Their homes may be broken, but not their spirits. The large-heartedness of the people of Punjab, their quintessential Punjabiyat, inspires us to continue working hard and delivering relief even in the most far-flung and cut-off villages. We want to keep this spirit intact by rebuilding lives and livelihoods in the aftermath of floods. Help us in our mission to revive Punjab.    

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For children in the flood-affected villages, the loss of their home, routine and support system in the form of school and the larger community has been especially difficult. Their schools and playgrounds have been inundated, and books damaged. In a village in Gurdaspur, our relief work teams interacted with the children and encouraged them to keep studying even if the schools were closed. We also promised them volleyballs the next time we visited. Help us keep this promise and contribute to rebuilding schools and playgrounds for the children in Punjab. 

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Visiting households in Gurdaspur district, we came across Biji, who had witnessed the 1988 floods as well. “This is twice as bad,” she says as she fans herself, sending the hovering flies in a tizzy. As we distributed relief packets, she told us that her family has been sleeping on the roof since the floods struck, and there are snakes everywhere. Floods have destroyed homes for everyone, including the wild creatures who share our world with us. Snakes are out in the open, confused, scared, and looking for refuge. “We move our bedsheet, and there’s a snake. We open our cupboard, and there’s a snake. We have kids in the family. Tell me, how do we stay safe?” she asked us. Rebuilding homes for families like Biji’s is going to take a long time, and we need as much support as possible to get these village communities up and running again.  

You have a chance to bring happiness, routine, and safety back into the lives of thousands of people. Take this chance, make a difference.

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Surinder Kumar Swamy of Sabuana village in Fazilka stands amidst the rubble of what was once his house, bustling with family, including children and elders. During the floods, the roof of his house caved in, injuring his two sons, who then had to be hospitalized. The flood water destroyed his bike, electronic devices such as TV and refrigerator, beds, etc. “We have nothing left, please help us,” Surinder urged our teams. Surinder and many more like him across Punjab are in dire need of our help. They need to repair their homes, overcome financial losses due to damage to their crops and livestock, and recover from injuries. Take action, contribute to flood relief and help thousands of men like Surinder bring their families and communities back on their feet. 

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