Welcome to Raj Saubhag's Alleviating Hardships Initiatives
Our initiatives are to serve the poor and needy, to help in disaster relief across the world and to support those that are suffering in poverty.
Food and Clothes Distribution
For over 20 years, Raj Saubhag Ashram members have been distributing grains and clothes to individuals and families that are struggling to make ends meet and live far below the poverty line. Currently every month, 3.5 tonnes of grain are distributed to 268 families spread over 38 villages in Sayla district to enable them food security.
Assessments of need are an ongoing and in-depth process that involve the input of the recipients, their community, a third party verifier and the project managers. Families are often identified due to physical or mental incapacity, widows with dependants or other extenuating circumstances. The level of support is regularly updated to reflect changing circumstances.
Ashram members deliver the grains and clothes themselves to keep costs low. Fruit, biscuits and clothes are also distributed according to the season
Click on the video below to get an insightful introduction to our grain distribution project.
Case Studies
Laghuben Rasinbhai Kangiya
Sixty-year old handicapped widow Laghuben Rasinbhai Kangiya of Sudamada village supports her 80-year old mother and 55-year old sister. Her sister, who has been abandoned by her husband, has a 10-year old daughter. Laghuben works as a daily wage labourer in the fields and struggles to make two ends meet.
“No one wants to recruit a labourer aged over 50 years. Besides fieldwork is erratic and our meagre income irregular. We are thankful to receive foodgrains from Raj Saubhag Ashram. At least our food is taken care of and we will live to see another day.”- Laghuben Kangiya
Shardaben Laljibhai Mochi
Shardaben Laljibhai Mochi, an eighty-year old widow living in Jasapur village suffers from osteoporosis. Her son Dinesh, 55 years old, is blind since birth. Both mother and son struggle to make a daily living.
“The ashram has been our unfaltering steadfast friend for years. We thank God that, at least, we will not die of starvation.” - Shardaben Mochi
Buttermilk Centres
Every summer, Raj Saubhag Ashram distributes buttermilk to provide relief to villagers in the scorching heat. 15 free Buttermilk Distribution Centres are set up in 12 villages of Sayla district.
Last summer, villages in the district were only getting drinking water delivery every 5 - 10 days. Buttermilk, made from 2 tonnes of milk powder, was distributed providing a cooling and nutritional refreshment at this time.
Emergency relief
Following the 2001 earthquake in Gujarat, the Ashram raised over Rs. 4 million from its members and provided 35 tonnes of food, medicines and over 600 tonnes of cement for reconstruction of over 1,300 homes to the victims in and around Sayla. The Ashram adopted 1500 individuals of a remote village called Ninama which was completely destroyed. The village, renamed Ladakhpur was rebuilt nearby with 335 new homes, a school and a temple. 50% of funding came from the UK Gujarat Earthquake Relief Fund and the Times of India Foundation, the rest from the Gujarat Government.
Raj Saubhag continues to help in Emergency relief sending money, clothes and blankets during the Nepal Earthquake in 2015 and supporting the victims of the Tsunami in 2004.