News and Features
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A Visionary Program for Palestinian Children
TPRF funds eye-care clinics in the Occupied Palestinian Territory In the West Bank and Gaza Strip, Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT), Dr. Humam Rishmawi and Dr. Bashir Shaheen spend their days operating on children with congenital eye diseases, giving them a chance for a better start in life. They are the only two of 144 ophthalmologists qualified for pediatric surgery. Both work for the St John Eye Hospital Group (SJJEH), which has been providing eye care in the area since 1882. For the fourth year TPRF is partnering with SJJEH, providing $30,000 to help fund eye care for indigent patients. Over the past... Read more
From Atop the Hill of Peace
The following is Part I of interactions between Prem Rawat and the Peace Education students at the Dominquez State Jail in San Antonio, Texas. PEP Student TS: The message you brought has touched my life. I want to thank you for the words of wisdom, which have taught me to follow my heart and not the evil thoughts of my brain. Though I still need help from time to time and struggle to overcome these thoughts, I find solace in attending Inner Peace every chance I get. My biggest problem at this point is accepting that my family has given up on... Read more
Inmates, Jail Authorities and Academics Applaud Peace Education at San Antonio Jail
San Antonio, Texas: A Peace Education Program (PEP), based on Prem Rawat’s message of peace and sponsored by The Prem Rawat Foundation (TPRF), has been one of the most popular classes at the Fabian Dale Dominguez State Jail in San Antonio. Jail authorities have reported a significantly positive impact upon the over 1,000 inmates who have participated in the program since it began in 2007 and a marked reduction in recidivism. The success of the program in San Antonio has recently attracted the attention of the Department of Criminal Justice at the University of Texas, San Antonio (UTSA), where particular attention... Read more
Television News Segment of Prem Rawat's Visit to San Antonio
The following clip (with English transcript) is a segment from Univision Channel 41 "News of the Day" in San Antonio Texas. It describes Prem Rawat's visit to speak at the University of Texas (UTSA) forum "Peace on the Inside" on Thursday, January 26th, 2012. The program focused on the work of TPRF's Peace Education Program which has been operating a model initiative at a regional correctional facility. Mr. Rawat also spoke at that facility - Dominguez State Jail - on the previous day. More information and video features about these events will be posted here soon. Read more
TPRF aids water purification program in drought-ravaged Ethiopia
Only a third of residents in the Borena Zone of Oromia, Ethiopia's largest province, have access to clean and safe drinking water. A $20,000 contribution from TPRF is helping to fund a water purification program in the region. This program directly reduces the incidence of waterborne diseases among the local population, giving about 10,000 people a better chance for a healthy, productive life. Leading the effort on the ground is AmeriCares, a nonprofit global health and disaster international relief organization, that delivers aid to people in crisis around the world. TPRF also partnered with AmeriCares to alleviate human suffering in the... Read more
European Parliament Welcomes Back Ambassador of Peace Prem Rawat
European Parliament, Brussels, December 1, 2011—The 1st Vice President of the European Parliament, the Honorable Gianni Pittella, hosted an international conference titled: “Peace and Well-being, addressing the founding values of the European Union” on November 28. Against a backdrop of international uncertainty, including riots in many European cities, government change and continued unrest in the Middle East, an audience of institutional representatives and MEPs joined academics and business people from more than 25 countries to explore the most pressing issues facing Europe and the world today: peace and well-being. Gianni Pittella and keynote speaker Prem Rawat were introduced by Dr. Anthony Seldon,... Read more
10th Anniversary Holiday Campaign
10th Anniversary Holiday Campaign In 10 short years, TPRF has become a respected, efficient, and effective charity doing work on 5 continents, addressing the fundamental human needs of food, water, and peace. (Watch video highlights.) Help us continue: The goal was simple: at least 100 new monthly donors contributing $10 or more in the month of December. **UPDATE** Thanks to your enthusiastic response and generosity, the initial goal was reached soon after the campaign began and the number of new monthly donors has just about doubled from the original target as the campaign closed on December 31st, and new donor support has continued... Read more
A Fresh Start for Cape Town's Next Generation
TPRF Funds Food Security Program in Mfuleni Township With food to ease their hunger and social and educational programs to lift them out of the cycle of poverty, schoolchildren in Cape Town's Mfuleni Township can look forward to a brighter future. That's the simple but effective philosophy of Afrika Tikkun (AT), a nonprofit that has been helping families secure their long-term nutritional needs since 1994. A $10,000 grant from TPRF is providing nutritional support for one year to 55 elementary and high-school students in AT's Food Security Program. Read more
Quest for Peace
The following is an excerpt from Prem Rawat’s address on peace in Italy at the Theatre Verdi of Padua’s town hall in October 2010. Peace—either you feel it in your life or you don’t. If you feel, enjoy it. If you don’t feel it, find out how you can. First: What is peace? What is this elusive thing that we are all trying to pursue? Is it an idea? Why doesn’t peace seem to be a happening thing? Because the individual is missing from the equation. We talk about world peace, not individual peace. We see the final product. Read more
I’ll Never Come Back to Prison
by Lewis S. This is a letter sent in June 2011 by an inmate at Dominguez State Jail in San Antonio, Texas. He has since been released. Listening to Prem Rawat has changed me in many ways: The way I handle situations in my life. I think about it first before I even say anything. It has even helped me to be able to get along with others that are disrespectful, even mean. Prem has helped me to look at different situations that happen here in prison. He helps me to open up and talk to people. This peace is a good feeling in... Read more
TPRF Funds Well-drilling Program in Andhra Pradesh
Clean, safe drinking water for thousands of Indian families The construction of bore wells in remote villages in southeastern India will help villagers lift themselves out of a persistent cycle of poverty and disease. TPRF has given $16,756 to the Sri K. Pitchi Reddy Educational and Welfare Society (SPREAWS) to drill and maintain bore wells in 15 of the most water-challenged villages of Andhra Pradesh State. The project will benefit an estimated 7,500 families. Read more
TPRF at WaterAid Anniversary Hosted by The Prince of Wales
Last month representatives of TPRF were invited to the home of His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales at Clarence House, on the occasion of the 30th Anniversary of the founding of the International NGO, WaterAid. This invitation arose in recognition of the substantive support TPRF has provided to WaterAid over several years. Prince Charles, as President of WaterAid, hosted the reception for about 80 people, and met with TPRF representatives to discuss the plight of those without clean water or sanitation. He expressed his thanks for the support the Foundation provided. Read more
Prem Rawat Receives the Freedom of the City of London
During a special ceremony at Guildhall in London, Prem Rawat received the Freedom of the City of London in front of more than 100 distinguished guests. He was nominated for the Freedom of the City in recognition of his 40 years of relentless efforts toward peace, human dignity, and humanitarian work. As the ceremony commenced, Prem Rawat was greeted by a guard of honour before taking the formal Read more
The Food for People Story
The First Five Years Opened in India, 2006 A little over five years ago, the doors opened to TPRF’s first Food for People facility, located in a tribal area of northeast India in the state of Jharkhand, near the village of Bantoli. Children here grow up with firsthand understanding of the daily struggle to stay alive. Simple huts with dirt floors provide basic shelter, and food must be coaxed from rocky soil or purchased with the money from hard manual labor. Plumbing and electricity in the homes is unknown. For many children, going to school is a luxury they cannot afford, while... Read more
TPRF Funds School Lunches for Johannesburg Teens
In the poorest sections of Johannesburg, balanced meals financed by a $30,000 grant from TPRF will give 500 high school students a better start in life. This is the second TPRF grant for the same program. The ACFS Community Education and Feeding Scheme (ACFS) has been feeding Africa's indigent children since 1945, when Bishop Trevor Huddleston began distributing peanut butter sandwiches at schools. Today, the program goes much further, says Executive Director Phindile Hlalele. While school meals remains its core focus, she says, "we also work to promote healthy, contributing citizens who are economically viable and self-sufficient." ACFS targets the neediest children.... Read more
Changing Lives in Cambodia's Poorest Province
Food, Water and Education Lift Standard of Living In the villages of Cambodia's Kampong Speu province, west of Phnom Penh, a pilot program sponsored in part by TPRF is restoring self-sufficiency and dignity to the poorest of the poor. The Cambodian Sao Sary Foundation (SSF), dedicated to building strong communities that will impact positively on the standard of living of poor and vulnerable people, is combating the demoralizing effects of poverty through an immediate infusion of nutritious food and clean water coupled with education in efficient farming methods, sanitation, and financial management. "Our village is so green now. There are gardens in... Read more
Emergency Water Saving Lives in Ethiopia
Herders and agricultural workers in Ethiopia's Dollo Bay and Dollo Ado areas, near the epicenter of the worst drought to afflict the Horn of Africa in 60 years, are getting relief in the form of clean, safe water through a partnership between TPRF and International Relief and Development (IRD), an Arlington, VA-based nonprofit known for its rapid response to international humanitarian crises. TPRF approved a $25,000 grant to IRD to help provide emergency relief to about 24,000 people. "This morning when we woke up, five different villages in Dollo Ado were completely out of water," Scott Webb, IRD's relief officer in Dollo... Read more
Water Brings Hope to Kenya's Driest Regions
The families of nomadic herdsmen in Kenya's remote Wajir province, where in some areas it has not rained in three years, will have a better chance at a healthy future thanks to an immediate infusion of emergency supplies of clean drinking water. TPRF has made an outright grant of $25,000 to Mercy Corps (MC) and up to $10,000 more in matching funds to help address the immediate life-threatening situation as well as to take steps to help avoid such devastation in the future. The matching funds will be at 50 cents per dollar for funds raised on a TPRF campaign on... Read more
A New Life of Possibilities
The following is a personal note written by an ex-inmate who discovered personal freedom during the time of his incarceration at the Dominguez State Jail in San Antonio, Texas. My name is Rene Chapa. In 2009 I was sentenced to the Dominguez State Jail for one year. Before then, my life had become chaotic and unmanageable. I wanted answers. I wanted to know why my life had been the way it was. In prison, I attended classes, church, and AA. But I wanted more. Then I heard about the Inner Peace class [part of TPRF’s Peace Education Program in prisons]. I... Read more
Nomads in Niger, One Year Later
About a year ago, TPRF made a grant in response to a food crisis in Sahel, a semi-arid area near the Sahara Desert, in the West African country of Niger. TPRF’s partner was Rain for the Sahel and Sahara (RAIN), and their recent report on the difference this support has made for people of the area is both informative and heartwarming. Sahel was once a flourishing crossroads for many cultures, where traders from Europe and the Middle East exchanged goods and ideas. Read more
Pakistani Flood Victims One Year Later
It was one year ago, on July 28th, that the South Asia country of Pakistan reeled from the deadly blow of a monsoon that left twenty percent of its land under water. This was the most devastating flood in generations, and twenty million people were displaced —many of them children. More than a thousand people died. Those most affected by the flood were small farmers and unskilled laborers who were already living below the poverty level. In this crisis, the minimal infrastructure of hygiene and sanitation in their communities collapsed and the health of the residents, especially the children, deteriorated from... Read more
Three Grants Awarded for Aid in East Africa
Three Grants Awarded for Aid in East Africa TPRF will be making three grants to aid people suffering from the historic drought in East Africa. A grant of $25,000 will go to Mercy Corps with up to an additional $10,000 offered in matching funds, both to provide aid for people in Kenya. A grant of $25,000 will go to International Relief and Development (IRD) for their efforts to address the needs of water, sanitation, and hygiene; and a matching grant of up to $10,000 targeting water purification has been awarded to AmeriCares. Each of these partners is actively engaged in effective... Read more
A Chance at Last
A letter from inmate William W. For nine months, I was part of a workshop on Inner Peace at the Dominguez State Jail in San Antonio, Texas. Because of this group, my life has changed. I now see that I have a chance at last. I am 56 years old and had it all to lose, and I did four times. I entered the Department of Criminal Justice and was given a bunk, once again to find myself just a number. As I put on my white clothes again, I felt the walls close in. I have prayed and not understood and... Read more
Relief for Libyans
Just four months ago, Libya exploded into violent civil war. Thousands became refugees overnight. Thousands more were no longer able to obtain medications for serious medical conditions. In an expedient response, TPRF donated funds to help that country’s most vulnerable victims. Shortly afterward, the UN launched a worldwide humanitarian aid appeal for Libya. Today, despite Libya’s continued political uncertainty and widespread conflict, thousands of refugees and displaced persons have obtained the help they need, thanks to a-political humanitarian organizations such as TPRF. Read more
"Inside I Am A Good Man"
Until 1994, if you were a black man growing up under South Africa’s apartheid era (official government policy of racial segregation), you would not have the right to vote, to a decent education or health services. You could be living in a cramped room with your extended family, in a squatter camp, or out on the street—an easy prey to gangs, where guns, drugs, and alcohol are readily available. Chances are by 18 you’d have become a drug addict, have AIDS, or be in prison. Three years ago, inspired by TPRF’s successful prison program, two women started workshops in Zonderwater (which... Read more
Zainabu's Story, Tanzania
Last year, TPRF made a grant to WaterAid to support their long-term Community Managed Water Supply program in remote rural areas of Tanzania that lack basic safe water. Not only does this program target neediest areas, but it is based on community participation, local skill development, and long-term sustainability. For forty-three-year-old Zainabu Salum, the new access to clean water is changing her life and that of her fellow villagers in Tanzania. She explains, “Before, we used to have to ration water. We used to get lots of stomachaches. Now we have enough to wash our hands before dinner and after going... Read more
An Incredible Act of Humanity
In mid June, Prem Rawat attended a two-day event in England on the 40th anniversary of his arrival in the West at the age of thirteen. Following is an excerpt from one of his addresses at that event. I was thinking about something. In Japan there was a horrible earthquake. Horrible. Now, of course, the intensity and the destruction it brought was a big surprise. But I don’t think that the fact that there was an earthquake was a big surprise to the Japanese because they’ve had other earthquakes. But then the tsunami came. And that had a terrible destructive force. Some... Read more
Press Recognizes Success of Food for People Nepal
As Food for People in Tasarpu, Nepal, reaches its second anniversary, its accomplishments are praised in a full-page article in the Nepalese national newspaper The Annapurna Post. At the top of the page is a colorful drawing of three school children sitting with smiling faces before heaping plates of food. Spread below this is a full-page article by Senior Journalist Krishna Murari Bhandari. FFP Nepal is located in the shadow of the capital city of Kathmandu. Mr. Bhandari describes the village of Tasarpu this way: Read more
What? Why? How Could It Be Possible?
Students of Mazara, Italy, ask Prem Rawat questions on the last day of the Week of Peace Question: The people of the Maghreb have a dream: freedom, peace, tranquility, and serenity. In my opinion, only a wise person with a good heart like you can help these people. Do your future plans include a visit to Libya or in some way offering help for these people? Prem Rawat: Your question is very heartfelt. I travel around the world wherever I am invited and feel that I can help. I would be very honored, some day, to be invited to Libya,... Read more
Boosting Productivity of Subsistence Farmers
Just over a week ago, TPRF’s recent partner, The Adventure Project (TAP), initiated a unique approach to solving the problem of hunger in East Africa by helping farmers to become not only self-sufficient but also profitable. Impossible? Only if you don’t know about the power of ordinary people joining together with imagination and passion and whatever contributions they can make. Read more
I Used to Live in Loneliness
by Benita, an inmate in Unit 31, Ezeiza, Argentina I fell in love with Prem Rawat’s message in prison. The message is about the right a human being has to life, to dignity, to the knowledge of oneself. Before hearing this message, my life was so cruel, so hard. There was no reason to feel thankful, happy, or good. The years went by like this until I ended up in prison with a life sentence. I went through many things in prison. I was against everything and everyone—against life, against myself—feeling so guilty, carrying a heavy burden. One day an inmate gave me printed material from the workshop on peace.... Read more
TPRF Awarded 4 Stars by Charity Navigator for Third Time
Charity Navigator, considered America’s premier evaluator for US non-profit organizations, has once again awarded TPRF their highest rating of 4 stars. The Charity Navigator rating system includes an analysis of how efficiently the organization uses its support and how well it is growing its services over time. This is the third consecutive award of Four Stars for TPRF. Read more
Tanzania
In 2010 TPRF made a grant to WaterAid to support the long-term Community Managed Water Supply program in remote rural areas of Tanzania to ensure equitable and sustainable access to water, sanitation and hygiene services for the poorest and most vulnerable communities. See the article below about the positive impact this specific assistance has made in the life of one rural village in the central part of the country. Read more
Expressions from Inmates
Expressions from Inmates Inmates in correctional facilities around the world are listening to Prem Rawat’s message of peace. Most attend weekly workshops where they watch videos brought to them by TPRF volunteers and have interactive discussions. Some have access to audiotapes or watch videos on a computer. Some only have a few reading materials they might borrow from the prison library. However they receive the message, whatever language they speak or culture they are from, they have expressed profound appreciation for the way their life has changed as a result. Many send letters directly to Prem Rawat or addressed to him at TPRF.... Read more
TPRF Joins Global Attack Against Hunger
Over 925 million people—more than the populations of the US, Canada, and the European Union combined—will not get enough to eat this year. World Food Program USA, nonprofit that generates support in the US for the United Nations World Food Program (WFP), is launching a major fund-raising campaign via mail to help underwrite its priority programs—with a pledge from TPRF to match the first $30,000 raised. Letters to the organization's donors will include information about TPRF's grant. The objectives of the World Food Program (WFP), the food-assistance arm of the United Nations, are very much in line with TPRF's goals. Read more
Prison Official Speaks About TPRF's Peace Education Program
(VIDEO) Millions of inmates are crammed into overcrowded correctional facilities around the world with no educational programs addressing self-esteem or positive life skills. The rate of recidivism in some U.S. states is 75% or higher. In contrast, Captain Lorenzo Carter, of the Dominguez State Prison in San Antonio, Texas, recently reported that for inmates there who had attended the TPRF’s Inner Peace Workshop, less than 1% have returned to this prison. For almost four years, TPRF volunteers Roberto and Chantal Piriz, Sherilyn Strickland, and Jim Clink have been presenting workshops for inmates based on Prem Rawat’s message of peace. In organizing... Read more
Otinibi Celebrates Groundbreaking for FFP Ghana
Construction of the new Food for People facility in Otinibi, Ghana has officially begun. Children, parents, teachers and district dignitaries all gathered for the “sod cutting” ceremony, with the Chief of Otinibi shoveling the first spade full of earth. Enthusiasm for the project abounded. Brightly colored dresses whirled as women and children danced in celebration to the rhythmic beat of the drums. A group of children acted out a play based on a real story about a boy who often falls asleep in class because he comes to school without breakfast. Read more
Contest for Peace in Sicily
Mazara del Vallo sponsors contest under high patronage of President of Italy Under the high patronage of President Giorgio Napolitano, of the Italian Republic and with the leadership of Mayor Nicolò Cristaldi, the town of Mazara del Vallo is sponsoring a writing contest on the theme of “Peace: A Human Heritage and a Human Right.” (See Mazara del Vallo website here.) One of the stated aims of the competition is to “honor our fellow citizen Prem Rawat for his dual commitment as a witness for peace and promoter of humanitarian initiatives.” In 2009, Mr. Rawat was made an honorary citizen of... Read more
TPRF Supporters Extend a Hand of Help for Japan
Early response targets hardest hit cities The severe earthquake that struck without warning along Japan's northeast coast on March 11 and the subsequent tsunami stripped hundreds of thousands of survivors of the most fundamental necessities. While the island nation of Japan continued to endure aftershocks, the results of the tsunami, and the threat of damaged nuclear plants, people from all over the world began to respond with donations to help. TPRF supporters responded promptly and generously, raising over $130,000 in the first two weeks. Read more
Japan Fundraising Success
TPRF supporters have responded enthusiastically and most generously to the Foundation's campaign to raise money for earthquake and tsunami survivors in Japan. Thank You! So far, over US$130,000 has been raised through the TPRF website, with hundreds of people participating worldwide. TPRF is in the final stages of completing an agreement with an international charity that moved into Japan just a few days after the catastrophe, partnering with a local Japanese charity. The immediate concern in relief efforts is providing for an estimated 250,000 people who are still living in evacuation centers almost three weeks after the first shockwaves struck. TPRF... Read more
Helping the Wounded and Chronically Ill in Libya
The situation in Libya changes by the hour as opposing forces fight for control of the country, but one thing that doesn’t change is the human price paid out daily. Medicines and medical supplies are hard to come by even as the number of severely wounded, both civilians and fighters, is on the increase. TPRF has teamed up with International Relief & Development (IRD) to help bring pharmaceuticals and medical supplies into the war-torn areas. IRD has obtained a donation of US$11 million-worth of pharmaceutical goods from a supplier in Amsterdam. But getting them to those who need them is no... Read more
Blogging for Water
Lots of fun was had by all as over 100 bloggers spent March 22, World Water Day, blogging to raise $10,000 in 24 hours to bring sustainable clean water to villagers in India. The initiative, called typeTAP, was the brainchild of The Adventure Project, an innovative non-profit founded last year with the aim of raising awareness and funds to support the world’s most effective social ventures. The idea was to find at least 100 bloggers who could inspire at least 10 readers to give US$10 to assure clean water for villagers in India. In the end 148 bloggers joined in,... Read more
Supporting World Water Day
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: (updated March 23, 2011) TPRF is supporting the ADVENTURE PROJECT's exciting typeTAP program in honor of World Water Day. Their ambitious goal was to raise $10,000 through the coordinated efforts of 100 bloggers in one day, World Water Day, March 22nd, to bring fresh water to 3,600 people in India in the next year. By day's end, 321 donations were received totaling $11,320. Objective achieved! TPRF will be matching these donations to double the impact! Here is the link: http://theadventureproject.causevox.com/. Since 1992, March 22 has been designated as International World Water Day, focusing attention on the importance... Read more
A Stunned World Reaches out to Japan
A 9.0 magnitude earthquake, followed by a tsunami and ongoing aftershocks, has literally rocked the earth, leaving millions of people in Japan in a state of massive trauma, heartbreak, and unimaginable uncertainty. The quake itself is one of six to be called a megathrust quake and one of the four largest since 1900, when modern record keeping began. The immediate effects far exceed the damage caused by the earth’s shaking. The ensuing tsunami, which swept across the entire Pacific rim, did its greatest damage, by far, to Japan. Read more
Helping Libyans Caught in the Crossfire
As the civil war in Libya rages on, casualties are increasing dramatically, and there is now an emergency need for aid from outside the country. TPRF is in the final stages of a grant agreement with a reliable international relief agency that has a presence on the ground. This NGO has already begun to deliver trauma medicine to the injured along the border of Libyaand Tunisia. Preparations are underway for a large-scale operation to deliver medicines and medical supplies from Europe to hospitals in Tripoli, Benghazi, and the Tunisia and Egypt borders. Read more
Peace Within Prison Walls Worldwide
Whether it is Zonderwater Prison in South Africa, Tihar Jail in India, Ezeiza Prison in Argentina, Montgomery County Jail in Maryland, Dominguez Jail in Texas, or Yulin First Prison in Taiwan, there are dedicated teams of TPRF volunteers around the world conducting peace education workshops for the incarcerated. The name and format in each country may differ—whether it is called a Life Education Course in Taiwan or Inner Peace Workshop in Texas—but the essential content is the same. It is Prem Rawat’s message that peace is a fundamental human need and anyone can discover it Read more
Food and Education Restore Hope and Dignity to Pakistani Refugees
For 5,000 villagers in Pakistan's devastated Khyber-Pakhtunkhawa (KPK) Province, the gift of nutritious food is the first step on the road back to normal family life. A $40,000 donation from TPRF to Shirkat Gah - Women's Resource Centre (SG), a women's rights organization experienced in coordinating relief and rehabilitation activities in the region, funded the distribution of monthly food packets for three months to families of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) returning to their homes in the village of Tindodag. Driven from their homes by fighting between the army and outlawed terrorist groups, the returning villagers, predominantly widows and children, found their fields... Read more
Preventing Blindness & Improving Vision in Rural India
For India's poor, the line between survival and destitution is thin. Deteriorating eyesight can be catastrophic for those unable to afford proper eye care. Recognizing this problem, TPRF and its counterpart in India, The Prem Sagar Foundation, have [since 2003] sponsored eye clinics in some of the subcontinent's neediest areas since 2003. The most recent were held between October 2010 and January of this year. With a $10,000 donation, TPRF supported five two-day clinics in four different states. The clinics were organized by volunteers from Raj Vidya Kender, an Indian service organization with ties to Prem Sagar Foundation. Read more
Helping Little Lin and Her Friends in Cambodia
When the Cambodian Children’s Fund (CCF) medical staff first met Lin in 2009, she showed signs of malnutrition. She was 2 years old, about 2 1/2 feet tall and weighed only 15 pounds (very underweight for her size). Lin was one of many impoverished children living at a toxic landfill site on the outskirts of the city of Phnom Penh, the capitol of Cambodia. Her parents could not supply her with enough nutrition for her growing body. Both parents were scavengers, supporting their three children by collecting and selling garbage, and earning only 9,500 riels per day or $0.47 per... Read more
TPRF Third Food For People Center Gets Under Way in Ghana
The cycle of poverty is a downward spiral. Weakened by hunger, its victims lose the strength to work and with it the ability to feed their children. The desperate search for sustenance keeps children away from school and the opportunities that education might provide for a better future. In this way the scourge is passed on from generation to generation. The Prem Rawat Foundation's model Food For People (FFP) program is helping to break that cycle in poverty-stricken villages in India and Nepal. Building on these successes, TPRF has dedicated $250,000 to begin work on a new FFP facility in rural... Read more
Massive Flooding in Queensland, Australia
Flooding after the recent torrential rains in the Brisbane to Toowoomba region of Queensland left more than 20 people dead, 25,000 people displaced from their homes, and more than 4,000 people requiring emergency accommodation. The Prem Rawat Foundation (TPRF) in liaison with Ivory’s Rock Foundation (IRF) offered Queensland emergency authorities the Ivory’s Rock Conference Centre (IRCC) facilities in Ipswich as a temporary shelter and distribution site for flood victims. Read more
Stemming the Spread of Cholera in Haiti
When cholera turned up in Haiti’s Central Plateau last October, it was the first time any cases of the disease had been reported on the island since 1960. Few Haitians knew what caused it or how to prevent it. The outbreak quickly reached epidemic proportions. According to the most recent reports, more than 2,600 have died and at least 120,000 more are infected. Read more
A Helping Hand for Haiti's Cholera Victims
The massive earthquake that struck Haiti's densely populated interior nearly a year ago could scarcely have found a more vulnerable target. Battered by political violence for much of its history, the island nation, the poorest in the Western hemisphere, lacks the infrastructure to respond to such crises. It had still not recovered from the four tropical storms of 2008, which damaged its transportation network and the agriculture sector on which two-thirds of its population depends. Read more
Food for the Forgotten - Aiding Thailand's Flood Victims
As local agencies scramble to respond to widespread disaster, it's inevitable that the needs of some of those affected will not be met. That's what happened to some farming families in central Thailand when the Chao Phraya River overflowed its banks during the last monsoon season, causing the worst flooding in 60 years. Read more
Thousands on the Move? TPRF Cause Membership Keeps Growing, Exceeds 340,000
The TPRF: FFP Cause on Facebook that numbered around 5,000 members a year ago now has over 340,000 and continues to grow at an average of 1,000 people per day. Members come, literally, from all over the world. It’s a phenomenon! Now the Foundation is initiating a journey to a new level of involvement, where what matters is participation, doing something. Read more
Building Strong Bodies, Brighter Futures for Ugandan Orphans
Between 1996 and 2002, civil war and epidemics of cholera, malaria, and HIV/AIDS devastated western Uganda's Kasese district, creating a generation of orphaned street children. While political conditions have now stabilized, overwhelmed government agencies have been unable to provide basic necessities such as food, clean water, and education to many of these children, estimated to make up as much as 17% of the population. Read more
Recovering from Mudslides in Peru
TPRF funds school food program for children in devastated area of northeastern Peru Unusually long and heavy rains wreaked havoc in the Peruvian Andes earlier this year, reducing many villages and outposts to rubble. The damage was severe enough to shut down Machu Picchu, the country's most popular tourist site, for several months. In April, the Rumichaca Lagoon in northeastern Peru, swollen by the persistent rains, overflowed into a ravine, sending an avalanche of mud and rocks hurtling into the small city of Ambo below. In moments, more than 25 people were killed, about 50 injured, and 500 rendered homeless. Read more
Online Story Articles Weave Ancient Wisdom Into Present Day Truths
Who doesn’t love a good story? The Ancient Wisdom Series is an expanding collection of insightful fables and profound life observations excerpted from the talks of Prem Rawat, bound into ready-to-read booklets and beautifully illustrated with fanciful artwork. The series was first conceived in response to the request of an advisory committee member at a large prison in California: printed materials were needed to supplement the Words of Peace TV program that was available for inmates to watch. Over the course of the development of this series, volunteers for TPRF have been working on translation into 30 languages. Recipients are varied and include... Read more
A Noon-Day Meal For Hungry School Children in Rural Mexico
It is a sobering paradox. In the Mexican economy, ranked the twelfth largest in the world, many rural populations struggle to survive. The small community of Kunché, in the coastal state of Yucatán, is one such place. Yucatán was once the center of the ancient Maya civilization, and is still home to many of these indigenous people. The inland settlement of Kunché has 600 Mayan residents who grow corn as their main livelihood and source of food. Read more
Third TPRF Food for People to Open in Ghana in 2011
The success of the TPRF: Food for People Cause on Facebook and the generous contributions from Friends of TPRF across the globe has made it possible for TPRF to initiate a third Food for People (FFP) facility. After much research, it has been decided to locate the facility in Ghana, in the village of Otinibi on the outskirts of the capital city, Accra. Read more
“Where there is water, there is life...”
Nowhere is this truer than in central Tanzania in East Africa. A country known for its picturesque Serengeti grasslands and towering peaks of Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania has, at its heart, a vast plateau of rural outposts where people exist on subsistence farming.Here, the focus is on growing food for basic survival rather having a surplus to sell at the market. This hard way of life is perpetuated by unpredictable Read more
Amid Devastation, a Hand of Relief in Pakistan
Pakistanis are used to heavy rain during the annual monsoon season, but this year the situation is different. Many areas of the country have already been inundated with the worst flooding in more than 80 years. In fact, whole villages have been washed away by floodwaters rushing down Pakistan's great waterways Read more
TPRF funds programs for nomadic people in Niger
Niger, a parched and landlocked country in the West African desert, is ranked by the United Nations as the poorest in the world––and among its most destitute people are the nomadic Tuareg and Wodaabe tribes of the central Agasez region. These tribes, which have relied for generations on their herds of goats, sheep, and camels for sustenance, receive virtually no assistance from government or NGOs. Now increasing desertification, drought, and political unrest are threatening their very survival. Read more
Water Both the Problem and a Solution in Pakistan
The Prem Rawat Foundation (TPRF) has awarded a grant of US$100,000 to the international charity WaterAid, in response to the overwhelming need generated by the recent floods in Pakistan. This year the monsoon rains have been torrential, causing rivers to break their banks and flood vast tracts of land. The deluge has engulfed everything across 62,000 square miles, a huge area the size of England. Read more
Prem Rawat Inspires Hope for Peace on North American Tour
Los Angeles—Prem Rawat, known internationally as an Ambassador of Peace, has just completed an 11-city tour of North America, speaking at events in Oakland, Berkeley, Seattle, Colorado Springs, Columbus, Atlanta, Boston, Baltimore, Woodstock, Toronto, and Montreal. Audiences responded with rapt attention—pin-drop silence punctuated by hearty laughter—as they listened to Mr. Rawat offer a new perspective on life and the peace that so many are looking for. Opening his event in Colorado Springs, he said, “I understand that as people come to these events, there are some who are searching and some who have very distinct ideas about what peace is.” Explaining... Read more
Food for People Nepal Praised by Social Welfare Council
In a recent Newsletter from the Social Welfare Council (WSC) of Nepal, TPRF’s Food for People (FFP) program in the Dhading district, west of Kathmandu, has been recognized as an “innovative intervention in Nepal.” WSC is a government body that regulates NGOs (nonprofits) in the country. Food for People is “an exemplary model in Nepal,” they write, praising the feat of having distributed a record-breaking 110,138 meals by the end of January 2010. Read more
The Gift of Sight - Helping Heal the Eyes of Children
In the overcrowded, poverty-stricken Palestinian communities of East Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Gaza, blindness is ten times more common than it is in the West. For the third consecutive year, The Prem Rawat Foundation has given a grant of $25,000 to help St John of Jerusalem Eye Hospital expand its in-house and mobile services to the area, ensuring that the children of the Gaza Strip will grow to become active, productive adults. Read more
A Journey of Love - Taking a Message of Peace to a Women's Prison
For three years, a team of three people has been visiting the Women’s Prison in Ezeiza, Argentina, holding workshops that feature Prem Rawat’s “Words of Peace” videos in Spanish and printed material published by TPRF. This is their story. Every Tuesday we set off to prison—so the inmates at the Women’s Prison in Ezeiza can listen to Prem Rawat’s message. Ezeiza is 30 km from Buenos Aires, in an area where the federal prisons are located. Read more
Prem Rawat Addresses Peace Conference at European Union
Prem Rawat was invited by Gianni Pittella, First Vice President of the European Union, to share his vision of peace at a special event called “Words of Peace for Europe,” held at the EU Parliament House in Brussels on June 29, 2010. Mr. Rawat’s remarks offered a clear and challenging perspective. “If we have the power to make such a mess out of this earth, then certainly we have enough power to bring peace to this earth, too,” he said. Read more
Prem Rawat Receives Seal of Padua Province, Italy
On June 24, Prem Rawat was greeted by an enthusiastic audience in the Theatre Verdi of Padua's town hall. A city of over 200,000 people, Padua is located on the Bacchiglione River near Venice. Home of the renowned Universita' di Padova, where Galileo Galilei once lectured, it is one of the oldest cities in northern Italy. The event itself took place under the patronage of Padua Province, the Veneto Region, and the Ministry of Justice. Anna Milvia Boselli, member of the Padua City Council, welcomed Prem Rawat on behalf of the city and later presented him with the seal of Padua.... Read more
Town Officials Name Prem Rawat "Ambassador of Peace in the World"
In the peaceful village of Sondrio, Italy, in the foothills of the Alps, government officials and townspeople alike gathered to honor Prem Rawat's efforts to encourage world peace: a peace that begins with each individual. On the invitation of the Sondrio Town Hall and under the patronage of the Province of Sondrio, the Lombardy Region, and the Ministry of Justice, Prem Rawat arrived in this northern city on June 22, 2010. In a private meeting of the Sondrio City Council, officials graciously awarded him the title "Ambassador of Peace in the World" and presented him with a symbolic gift from the... Read more
Water for Life in Sudan - TPRF Grant Funds Wells
Water is essential to life. But for the people of Southern Sudan, one of the world's poorest regions, finding enough water for their daily needs has always been a struggle—so much so that that the quest for it shapes their way of life. Young girls and women walk as far as six miles each day to collect water for their families, a chore that often keeps the girls from attending school. Poor water quality fosters disease and malnutrition. Read more
TPRF Grant Provides Food for Ugandan Orphans
In the wake of protracted fighting between rebels and government troops in the Rwenzori mountains, hundreds of displaced children still live on the streets of Kasese, Read more
TPRF Grant Provides Food for Ugandan Orphans
In the wake of protracted fighting between rebels and government troops in the Rwenzori mountains, hundreds of displaced children still live on the streets of Kasese, a town in western Uganda. A grant of $15,000 from The Prem Rawat Foundation (TPRF) will provide three nutritious meals each day for orphans aged 5 to 15 who have lost their parents to armed conflict or to HIV/AIDS. Rwenzori Women’s Initiative for Community Development (RWICOD), recipient of the grant, works to improve the prospects of local orphans. The grant by TPRF will have a direct impact on the lives of children who have had... Read more
Offer of Good Food Every Day Fills Schools in Nepal
After the resounding success of the first model Food for People (FFP) program in India, TPRF opened a second facility in 2009 in the mountainous region of Dhading District, Nepal, where 80% of the residents are unable to sustain themselves throughout the year. For years, the VIEW SLIDE SHOW Read more
Mayor of Tainan Gives Prem Rawat Key to City
With great respect for Prem Rawat’s contribution to encouraging peace in the world, the Mayor of Tainan, Tain-Tsair Hsu, awarded him the Golden Key to the city as well as an emblem of the Sword Lion, a symbol of the cultural capital of Taiwan. {jcomments on} Read more
Prem Rawat Awarded Honorary Citizenship in Two Sicilian Cities
There is a growing interest in Prem Rawat’s message of peace in Sicily. Early in 2009 Prem Rawat was invited to speak to the townspeople of two Sicilan cities, Read more
Baby Heng: Story of Hope in Cambodia
TPRF has given two grants to the Cambodia Children’s Fund (CCF), a foundation dedicated to providing nutrition and care for abandoned children in Phnom Penh. Some have been rescued from a life of scrounging for scraps in a huge toxic garbage dump, and some are orphans or children whose parents were unable to care for them. Recently, they took in “Baby boy Heng,” a two-month-old premature infant with a birth weight of two pounds. He was lethargic and seemed to be failing. After two months of caring attention and high-protein formula fed on demand, he became an active... Read more
Clean Water Comes to Moroccan Village
Imagine not having water readily available for drinking, washing, cleaning, and all the things we use it for every day. In many rural areas of Morocco, Read more
Peace: Human Heritage
Prem Rawat gave the keynote speech at an event in Potenza, Italy, at the invitation of Emilio Colombo, former Prime Minister of Italy and former President of the European Union; and Basilicata President Vito de Filippo of Potenza, Read more
Chilean Town Shows Courage Amidst Adversity
Immediately after the devastating 8.8 magnitude earthquake in Chile, people and organizations from all over the world rallied to help. In time it became apparent that some remote areas were being overlooked. TPRF recently made a grant of $33,000 to help. Rio Claro is an agricultural town of about 13,000 people in the foothills of the Andes. By the time a series of aftershocks toppled most of the buildings that remained standing after the initial quake, 80% of the people were homeless. The bridge to the community collapsed, and roads were damaged. Many of the crops that people depended upon... Read more
Clean Water Comes to Moroccan Village
Imagine not having water readily available for drinking, washing, cleaning, and all the things we use it for every day. In many rural areas of Morocco, the only source of clean water is a long walk away, and it must be toted back to the villages by hand. For the most part, this task falls to the young girls. In Douar Hadad, nestled in the foothills of the High Atlas mountains, clean water has been particularly hard to come by since local sources are often contaminated. Village girls walk a long way to reach the nearest source of fresh water, fill... Read more
TPRF Grant of $25,000 Provides Eye Care for over 13,500 people in India
TPRF Grant of $25,000 Provides Eye Care for over 13,500 people in IndiaSeven Multi-Day Eye Clinics Receive High Praise from ParticipantsLos Angeles, February 3, 2010 — The Prem Rawat Foundation (TPRF) gave US $25,000 to sponsor multi-day eye clinics in seven cities December 2009 through January 2010 that provided eye care free of charge to over 13,500 people in India.Almost 10,000 people received prescription glasses, over 10,500 were given eye drops for infections, and more than 1,700 were diagnosed with cataracts and referred to hospitals for further treatment.In 2007, the Health Ministry of India estimated that 1.1% of the population... Read more
TPRF Gives $50,000 for Clean Water Initiative in Haiti
Grant by The Prem Rawat Foundation will help supply bottled water, water purification, and hydration supplies to earthquake survivors Los Angeles, February 11, 2010 — As the weeks go by since the January 12 earthquake inHaiti, clean water and medical treatment continue to be crucial elements for survival. A grant of US$50,000 from The Prem Rawat Foundation (TPRF) will help provide a two-week supply of bottled water for 42,000 people; distribute purification sachets to produce 13 million gallons of potable water to communities where none is available; and distribute oral rehydration solution and salts (ORS) to treat 125,000 children and... Read more
TPRF Helps Bring Clean Water to Haiti
A grant of US$50,000 from The Prem Rawat Foundation (TPRF) provided a two-week supply of bottled water for 42,000 people in Haiti; distributed purification Read more
Post-Earthquake Water Distribution
Post-Earthquake Water DistributionA grant of US$50,000 from The Prem Rawat Foundation (TPRF) will help provide a two-week supply of bottled water for 42,000 people in Haiti; distribute purification sachets to produce 13 million gallons of potable water to communities where none is available; and distribute oral rehydration solution and salts (ORS) to treat 125,000 children and adults at risk of severe dehydration and water-borne illnesses. Read more
Eye Clinics in Seven Cities Throughout India
TPRF Grant of $25,000 Provides Eye Care for over 13,500 people in India Seven Multi-Day Eye Clinics Receive High Praise from Participants Los Angeles, February 3, 2010 — The Prem Rawat Foundation (TPRF) gave US $25,000 to sponsor multi-day eye clinics in seven cities December 2009 through January 2010 that provided eye care free of charge to over 13,500 people in India. Almost 10,000 people received prescription glasses, over 10,500 were given eye drops for infections, and more than 1,700 were diagnosed with cataracts and referred to hospitals for further treatment. In 2007, the Health Ministry of India estimated that 1.1% of the... Read more
Grant for Food for Earthquake Victims in Haiti
Grant for Food for Earthquake Victims in HaitiWithin days of the earthquake in Haiti, The Prem Rawat Foundation (TPRF) made a donation of US$50,000 to provide immediate food aid for survivors. TPRF teamed up with one of its ongoing partners, Friends of the World Food Program. The World Food Program (WFP) was able to begin delivering food within 24 hours of the disaster, since it has an already-established aid operation in Haiti, long ranked as the poorest nation in the western hemisphere. Related press release. Read more
The Prem Rawat Foundation Gives Food Aid to Typhoon Victims in Philippines
Grant provides hot food to 150 children under 5 for six months Manila, Philippines, November 19, 2009—The Prem Rawat Foundation (TPRF) has given a grant of US $15,000 to provide food for six months to 150 malnourished children under 5 years old who are victims of recent typhoons in the Rizal province in the Philippines. The grant was made to the Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC ) for a sustainable hot meal program. The delivery of essential aid to these children comes just in time. PNRC reports that thousands of people were severely affected when multiple typhoons recently hit the... Read more
Food and Water Aid to Earthquake Survivors in Sumatra
The Prem Rawat Foundation Gives Grant of US$26,000 to Aid Indonesian Earthquake Survivors Nutritious food to be provided immediately to over 2,400 survivors in remote areas Los Angeles — After two consecutive earthquakes struck the west coast of Sumatra, Indonesia, The Prem Rawat Foundation (TPRF) is providing immediate food aid to over 2,400 survivors in remote areas. TPRF is working with the Yayasan IDEP, a local non-profit organization, which reports that thousands of survivors in the Padang Pariaman area have not received “help whatsoever to date” and are “homeless and desperate for food and clean water.” According to their reports, IDEP is... Read more
Grant to St. John of Jerusalem Eye Hospital helps provide eye care for 30,000 Gaza children
The Prem Rawat Foundation’s grant to St. John of Jerusalem Eye Hospital will help provide eye care for 30,000 children.A $25,000 grant by The Prem Rawat Foundation is helping St. John of Jerusalem Eye Hospital (SJJEH) to provide eye care for 30,000 children in an area of the world where blindness is ten times higher than in the West. Over 50% of the people in the Palestinian Territories, one of the world’s fastest growing populations, are now under the age of 18, and almost that many live below the poverty level.This is the second grant that TPRF has made to... Read more
TPRF Makes Two Grants to Provide Relief in Pakistan
The Prem Rawat Foundation Makes Two Grants to Provide Relief in Pakistan Non-profit organizations Shirkat Gah Women’s Resource Centre and ActionAid International both receive funding to help Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) during the country’s post-conflict period. Northwest Frontier Province, Pakistan — The Prem Rawat Foundation (TPRF) has granted over US$65,000 to provide food, medication, cattle and livestock provisions, and fruit plants to aid over 10,000 persons affected by the country’s recent internal conflicts, which have displaced over 650,000 people. (World Food Programme, July 2009) Thousands of families were displaced in May and June of this year due to the escalation of conflict... Read more
Assistance to Displaced Persons in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka Refugees Grateful for TPRF Food Aid In August 2009, The Prem Rawat Foundation responded to the plight of the growing number of people in Sri Lanka displaced by the civil war in the Northern Province, Bavuniya District. A gift of US$20,000 to the Jeeva Shakthi Society provided food aid to hundreds of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) living in hastily formed camps. The upheaval is the result of the decades-long Sri Lanka Civil War between the government forces and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), commonly known as the Tamil Tigers, who have fought for an independent homeland for the... Read more
TPRF Donates US $30,000 for School Lunches in Soweto
The Prem Rawat Foundation Donates US$30,000 for School Lunches in Soweto July, 2009—For most children in schools around the world, school lunches are part of their daily routine. But not at the Emndeni Junior Secondary School in Soweto, South Africa. This high school, located in an impoverished settlement area, had no feeding program at all and no cooking equipment. Now, thanks to a grant of US$30,000 to the African Children’s Feeding Scheme (ACFS) by The Prem Rawat Foundation (TPRF), 500 of the poorest students at the school will be receiving nutritious lunches. The 500 children selected were those who came... Read more
Grant for Water Aid in Haiti
The Prem Rawat Foundation Gave US$20,000 Grant for Water Aid in HaitiTPRF Partners with Mercy and Sharing Foundation to Bring Water to 7,000 People Los Angeles, April 2009 — The Prem Rawat Foundation (TPRF) gave a $20,000 grant to address a dire shortage of clean water in Haiti. Over 7,000 people will be helped over the course of the coming year. According to the Mercy and Sharing report, “The children of Haiti are dying at an alarming rate from disease, starvation, malnutrition and dehydration. Haiti is the eighth poorest country on the planet and the poorest in the Western Hemisphere. There is... Read more
TPRF Gives US$25,000 to Reduce Blindness in Rajasthan, India
TPRF Gives US$25,000 to Reduce Blindness in Rajasthan, IndiaThe Prem Rawat Foundation’s grant will support ORBIS UK in preventing blindness in thousands of children in northwestern IndiaRead original press release Los Angeles, November 2008 —The Prem Rawat Foundation (TPRF) has made a grant of US$25,000 to ORBIS UK, a beneficiary of the 2008 Lord Mayor of the City of London’s Appeal, to support ORBIS UK and the Lord Mayor’s Childhood Blindness Programme in India. According to ORBIS UK, India is home to almost 20% of the world’s blind children. Over 320,000 children under the age of 16 are totally blind, while even... Read more
TPRF aids St. John of Jerusalem Eye Hospital, treating over 17,000 people in war-torn Gaza
In 2008 — The Prem Rawat Foundation (TPRF) has made a contribution of $20,000 to help St. John of Jerusalem Eye Hospital continue providing care in conflict-ridden Gaza. The only charitable provider of eye care in Gaza, St. John is open to all patients, regardless of race, religion or ability to pay.St. John Eye Hospital is one of the few medical care institutions currently functional in the Gaza territory, where all infrastructure, including the healthcare system, is in nearly complete collapse.It is now estimated that over 80% of the population of Gaza is dependent on humanitarian assistance. According to a... Read more
TPRF Provides US$40,000 to Feeding America for US Hurricane Victims
TPRF Provides US$40,000 to Feeding America for US Hurricane VictimsAssistance will provide more than 65,000 meals for people returning to devastated homesRead original press release Los Angeles, October 2008 —The Prem Rawat Foundation (TPRF) has contributed $40,000 to Feeding America, formerly named America’s Second Harvest, to provide truckloads of food to help people returning to their homes in devastated areas of Texas after Hurricane Ike. Hurricane Ike and its predecessors Gustav and Dolly struck in regions already struggling with high poverty rates, stretching the resources of Feeding America’s network of food banks and other relief agencies that were already seeing a nationwide... Read more
Grant to Provide Clean Water to 60 Schools in Pakistan
TPRF Gives US$15,000 Grant to Provide Clean Water to 60 Schools in PakistanTPRF and Pakistani Rotary Club bring clean drinking water to 20,000 students Read original press release Los Angeles, October 2008 — The Prem Rawat Foundation (TPRF) has made a contribution of $15,000 to the Rotary Club Lahore Mozang, which will add $5,000 in matching funds, to provide clean drinking water for 60 schools in the Punjab region of Pakistan serving approximately 20,000 elementary through high school students. “An estimated 250,000 child deaths occur each year in Pakistan due to waterborne disease,” according to USAID. “Waterborne infections such as cholera, typhoid fever... Read more
TPRF Gives Grant of US$10,000 for Permanent Water Wells in Niger
Los Angeles, October 2 2008 — The Prem Rawat Foundation (TPRF) has made a $10,000 grant to the Sierra Vista Rotary Club Charities in Arizona to aid 40,000 Nigeriens by providing sustainable and permanent sources of clean water at the Tamesna Center for Nomadic Life in the desert Region near Agadez, Niger, West Africa. These grant funds will be matched by other Rotary Clubs and The Rotary Foundation, potentially bringing together over $61,000 for this project. “Niger is one of the poorest countries of the world. Many live on less than US$1 per day,” says Ernie Montagne, Rotary Foundation Director of... Read more
Grant to bring Prem Rawat’s message of peace to 20,000 indigenous people in the northern highland areas of Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia
The Prem Rawat Foundation Provides US$4,500 to Bring Prem Rawat’s Message of Peace in Native Peruvian and Ecuadorian Quechuan LanguageThe Prem Rawat Foundation (TPRF) has donated US$4,500 to Mountains of Hope (Montanas de Esperanza or MdE) to translate and produce DVDs, CDs and text materials to bring Prem Rawat’s message of peace to 20,000 indigenous people in the northern highland areas of Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia.“This message is very beautiful. It helps the families here stay together, and that is why I want the message to stay in the community,” says one village leader. Currently, Prem Rawat’s message is available... Read more
The Prem Rawat Foundation Donating US$250,000 to Build Second "Food for People" Facility in Rural Nepal
The Prem Rawat Foundation Donating US$250,000 to Build Second "Food for People" Facility in Rural NepalFirst Food for People Facility in Bantoli, India, Serving 100,000 Meals Each Year Read original press release Los Angeles, September 2008 — The Prem Rawat Foundation (TPRF) is donating US$250,000 to build and maintain a sustainable "Food for People" facility in the impoverished Tasarpu village in Nepal's mountainous Dhading region. The Tasarpu center will provide nutritious hot meals year-round to approximately 500 children. Premsagar Foundation Nepal, a charity seeking to relieve Nepal's poor after a ten-year period of political instability, will spearhead the project. The launch of Food... Read more
The Prem Rawat Foundation Donates US$10,000 for Disabled in Niger
In May 2008 the Prem Rawat Foundation (TPRF) donated US$10,000 to the Koulawa NGO organization to provide food for more than 750 disabled women and children in Niamey, Niger, who are in various educational and training programs. An exceptionally arid region on the edge of the Sahara desert, Niger has long suffered political instability, drought and scarcity of food. With the recent rapid increase in the price of cereals, many of those most at risk have been faced with the threat of starvation. By the end of July, three distributions of rice, maize and millet had been made to 760 people... Read more
TPRF Gives US$40,000 to America’s Second Harvest to Aid U.S. Midwest Residents Caught in Floods
TPRF Gives US$40,000 to America’s Second Harvest to Aid U.S. Midwest Residents Caught in FloodsAmerica’s Second Harvest delivers aid to communities in five states Read original press release Los Angeles, July 2008 — The Prem Rawat Foundation (TPRF) has granted America's Second Harvest – The Nation’s Food Bank Network US$40,000 to provide food and water to those stricken by recent flooding in the Midwest. America's Second Harvest, the largest charitable domestic hunger-relief organization in the United States, will use this grant to work closely with local food banks to bring food and water to those affected by floods, many of whom... Read more
US$100,000 for Clean Water in Ghana
In July 2008 The Prem Rawat Foundation (TPRF) has made a grant of US$100,000 to Community Water and Ecological Sanitation Care (CWESC) to provide 10 impoverished communities within Ghana's Wa West and Gemoa East districts with potable water and proper sanitation essential to eliminating debilitating diseases associated with contaminated water. The grant is the third in a series that will help a total of 23 communities and nearly 100,000 people in Ghana. “Less than five percent of the residents living in these regions are currently able to obtain safe drinking water. Many are forced to salvage what they can from streams,... Read more
TPRF Provides US$15,000 for People Disabled by 8.0 Earthquake in China
In 2008 The Prem Rawat Foundation (TPRF) has donated US$15,000 to the China Disabled Persons’ Federation (CDPF) to provide food and bottled water for survivors of the 8.0 magnitude earthquake that devastated southwestern China’s Sichuan Province on May 12. A respected charity that specializes in attending to the needs and rights of disabled people in China, CDPF was quick to respond to the staggering affects of the earthquake that left almost 70,000 dead and more than 370,000 injured.“TPRF’s grant helps meet immediate needs of food, water and shelter for the hundreds of thousands affected by the worst disaster to hit... Read more
Food Aid for Haitians at Risk of Starvation
The Prem Rawat Foundation Gives US$50,000 for Food Aid in HaitiRead original press release Los Angeles, May 2008 —The Prem Rawat Foundation (TPRF) has offered a US$50,000 challenge grant through the Facebook “Causes” page to help thousands of people at risk of starvation in Haiti due to the recent dramatic rise in food prices. TPRF’s challenge to Facebook members is to raise an additional $50,000, for a total of $100,000, which can supply food for 60,000 people for one month. “Through TPRF’s partnership with Friends of the World Food Program, the fundraising arm of the United Nations’ World Food Program, food will... Read more
$20,000 Grant from The Prem Rawat Foundation to Support Prison Telecasts
$20,000 Grant from The Prem Rawat Foundation to Support Prison TelecastsAs Many As 900,000 Inmates to See Positive Messages of Hope and Fulfillment Read original press release Instructor Lee Logue facilitates TLN classes Los Angeles, May 8, 2008 — The Prem Rawat Foundation (TPRF) has donated $20,000 to the Maryland-based Correctional Education Association (CEA) to underwrite the costs of telecasts on the Transforming Lives Network (TLN) that present Prem Rawat’s message of hope and the possibility of personal fulfillment to U.S. prison populations. The grant will cover expenses associated with telecasting half-hour “Words of Peace” programs for one year, eventually making them available in... Read more
The Prem Rawat Foundation Donates US$100,000 for Disaster Relief in Myanmar
The Prem Rawat Foundation Donates US$100,000 for Disaster Relief in MyanmarRead original press release Los Angeles, May 2008 — The Prem Rawat Foundation (TPRF) has donated US$100,000 to bring immediate aid to the hundreds of thousands of survivors who have been stranded without food, shelter or potable water after Cyclone Nargis hit the country on May 2. Through Friends of the World Food Program, TPRF’s donation will help the UN World Food Program (WFP) provide aid directly to those most affected by the disaster. “WFP was one of the first humanitarian agencies to be allowed to deliver aid directly to the people... Read more
Water Aid in Zitundo
The Prem Rawat Foundation Provides Clean Water Systems in Mozambique Read original press release Los Angeles, April 2008 — Like many children in the world, the children in Zitundo, Mozambique, wake up every morning looking forward to going to school. However, Zitundo is a remote area of the Maputo province in Mozambique, and the people are very poor. Before the children—especially the girls—can attend classes, they have to walk miles to fetch water from a contaminated water supply and then walk miles back home to bring it to their families. Not only do the children miss school, but their health and... Read more
$26,000 Grant from The Prem Rawat Foundation Aids Flood Victims in Ecuador
Grant to Montañas de Esperanza will feed 1,500 families for one month.In 2008 The Prem Rawat Foundation has donated $26,000 to Montañas de Esperanza or Mountains of Hope (MdE), a local non-profit in northern Ecuador, to provide relief to flood victims in the coastal village of Santa Lucia. The grant will supply 32 tons of vital food supplies to feed 1,500 families (c.7,500 people) for one month.Ecuador has been battered by torrential rains since early January, which have affected 40% of the country, destroying entire towns, crops and herds of livestock, particularly in the coastal areas. As many as 300,000... Read more
Food Aid for People in Need in Nairobi Area
TPRF Contributes Food Aid to Kenyan Refugees Read original press release Los Angeles, March 2008 — The Prem Rawat Foundation (TPRF) responded quickly to aid victims of the violence that erupted following the December 2007 elections in Kenya. A significant contribution was made to the Friends of the World Food Program (FWFP) to help the UN World Food Programme (WFP) provide food for the hundreds of thousands of Kenyans who were displaced. Over 300,000 people were forced to flee the violence that claimed 1,000 lives, and they had nowhere to go. Makeshift camps, police stations and churches housed many refugees temporarily, but they... Read more
TPRF Funds Breakfast Program for Aboriginal Children in Taiwan
TPRF Funds Breakfast Program for Aboriginal Children in Taiwan Read original press release Los Angeles, February 7, 2008 — A grant from The Prem Rawat Foundation (TPRF) will provide nutritious breakfasts for 530 aboriginal children attending 14 primary schools located on offshore islands and in remote mountain areas of Taiwan. The breakfast program, which needs to be renewed each year, is offered by the Taipei-based Eastern Culture Foundation (ECF) and their sister organization, the Eastern Charity Foundation. Typically, aboriginal children in remote areas arrive at school feeling so hungry that some become faint before lunchtime. They are unable to concentrate, and their... Read more
The Prem Rawat Foundation Provides Safe, Clean Drinking Water to Schools in Thailand
The Prem Rawat Foundation Provides Safe, Clean Drinking Water to Schools in Thailand Read original press release February 2008 — The Prem Rawat Foundation (TPRF) recently made a significant contribution to the Betterment of Life Foundation in Thailand (BoLF) to provide clean, safe drinking water to more than 2,500 children attending 12 schools in remote areas of Thailand. Through this project, water tanks with pumps, filtering systems and taps where children can easily get water will be installed at each school. Somchai Chansate, director of the Bangkok-based BoLF, reports that villagers in remote areas lack access to public utilities. They use water from... Read more
The Prem Rawat Foundation Funds Healthy Meals at Houston's Kids Café
The Prem Rawat Foundation Funds Healthy Meals at Houston's Kids Café Read original press release Los Angeles, January, 2008 — The Prem Rawat Foundation (TPRF) has made a grant to the Houston Food Bank (HFB) to provide more than 80,000 meals this coming year and nutritional training to poor at-risk youngsters who take part in the food bank’s Kids Café program. This is TPRF’s second collaboration with HFB. They first worked together to bring food and shelter to people displaced by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Mr. Brian Greene, president and CEO of HFB, expressed his appreciation for TPRF’s contribution saying, “Please convey my... Read more
The Prem Rawat Foundation Provides Disaster Relief to Mexico's Flood Victims
The Prem Rawat Foundation Provides Disaster Relief to Mexico's Flood Victims Read original press release Children crossing provisional bridge into the village of Las Limas, isolated due to flooding. Los Angeles, December 13, 2007 — A grant from The Prem Rawat Foundation (TPRF) will provide water, canned food and other necessities to families caught in the flood that has left nearly half the State of Tabasco in Mexico under water. The flooding in Tabasco is extensive, covering more than 15,000 square miles and straining available resources and rescue efforts throughout the region. To reach the victims, TPRF is partnering with the Mexican nonprofit organization... Read more
Food Aid for Students with Disabilities
Food Aid for Students with DisabilitiesTPRF provided a $150,000 grant to China Disabled Persons’ Federation to provide nutrition for 800 children for two years. Read more
Safe Water & Essential Nutrition for Cambodian Children
In 2007 The Prem Rawat Foundation (TPRF) has made a significant donation to "Safe Water & Essential Nutrition for Cambodian Children," a program run by the nonprofit The Cambodian Children's Fund (CCF).The grant brought food and water to more than 300 children in three centers for children of very poor families on the outskirts of Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia. Scott Neeson, CCF Founder and Executive Director, expressed, "The CCF is extremely appreciative of this grant … to provide consistent nutrition and clean water for one of Cambodia's poorest communities…. TPRF’s undertaking is simultaneously simple and ambitious: To provide nutrition... Read more
The Prem Rawat Foundation Funds Disaster-Relief Efforts in Indonesia
Los Angeles, November 15, 2007 — The Prem Rawat Foundation (TPRF) has made a significant donation to the Indonesian Development of Education and Permaculture (Yayasan IDEP) Foundation to assist more than 2,000 people displaced by the Sumatra earthquake in districts north of Bengkulu in West Sumatra, Indonesia. Yayasan IDEP Executive Director Petra Schneider said the grant will help fund rescue efforts and relief through the distribution of fresh water and nutritious food, as well as the re-establishment of local water supplies. The disastrous conditions were brought about when an earthquake measuring 8.4 on the Richter scale struck the island of Sumatra early... Read more
Food and Water Aid to Earthquake Survivors in Bengkulu, West Sumatra
The Prem Rawat Foundation Funds Disaster-Relief Efforts in Indonesia Read original press release Los Angeles, November 15, 2007 — The Prem Rawat Foundation (TPRF) has made a significant donation to the Indonesian Development of Education and Permaculture (Yayasan IDEP) Foundation to assist more than 2,000 people displaced by the Sumatra earthquake in districts north of Bengkulu in West Sumatra, Indonesia. Yayasan IDEP Executive Director Petra Schneider said the grant will help fund rescue efforts and relief through the distribution of fresh water and nutritious food, as well as the re-establishment of local water supplies. The disastrous conditions were brought about when an earthquake... Read more
Jaipur and New Delhi
The Prem Rawat Foundation Holds Two Eye Clinics in India The Prem Rawat Foundation (TPRF) recently held its ninth and tenth eye clinics for India’s poor and received high praise from attending physicians. Over six days, doctors provided consultations and supplies to more than 3,400 patients, providing eye drops to over 2,100 and eyeglasses to over 2,200. The clinics were held in Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan in northern India, and Delhi, the capital city of the Republic of India.Seven doctors and nine trained assistants worked with the help of the Foundation’s financial support, facilities, management and volunteers. Among those participating was Dr.... Read more
The Prem Rawat Foundation Aids "Action Against Hunger" for Children in Argentina
Los Angeles, October 25, 2007 — Prem Rawat, founder of The Prem Rawat Foundation (TPRF), presented a significant contribution to Action Against Hunger (AAH) in support of its “Children of Tucumán” initiative. The presentation took place during a special ceremony in Barcelona. Tucumán is the fifth largest city in Argentina. Although Argentina is the world's fourth biggest exporter of food, AAH estimates that 64% percent of Tucumán residents live in extreme poverty. Many Tucumán parents, unable to afford milk, feed their babies sugary green tea instead. These practices lead to children... Read more
Breakfast Program for Indigenous Australian School Children Exceeds Expectations
In 2007 TPRF funded a three-year breakfast program for indigenous schoolchildren in Mornington Island, Australia. In less than a year, the School Breakfast Program funded by The Prem Rawat Foundation in partnership with Oxfam Australia has more than doubled in size and has helped bring about dramatic improvements in school attendance and performance. Attendance at the Mornington Island State School, which serves the indigenous population, has historically been very poor. Many children arrived hungry, clearly suffering from long-term malnutrition. The result was not only sporadic attendance, but also difficulty concentrating on learning. According to Jenny Sewter, Oxfam Australia's Community Development Officer, "In addition... Read more
Food Aid for Earthquake Survivors Near Pisco, Ica, and Huancavelica
Los Angeles, September 20, 2007 — Immediately following the recent earthquake in Peru, The Prem Rawat Foundation (TPRF) took action to help the surviving victims. Within a week, TPRF partnered again with Friends of the World Food Program (WFP) to assist victims of a natural disaster. Karen Sendelback, President and CEO of Friends of WFP, wrote, “Your gift will go toward helping to save the lives of hungry Peruvians affected by the recent earthquake.” On August 15, the south-central area of Peru suffered a 7.9 magnitude earthquake and numerous aftershocks. More than 500 people died. Massive destruction leveled homes, hospitals, schools, churches... Read more
2007, September – TPRF Launches Five-Year Plan for Food for People
“Food for People” Ready to Expand Food for People, an innovative food-aid initiative of The Prem Rawat Foundation in a tribal area of northern India, has been a resounding success. Responding to interest in other areas of India and also in Nepal, the Foundation would like to open three new facilities where the effort would give people the hope of breaking through the downward cycle of poverty and malnutrition. The Food for People StoryIn Bantoli, a remote tribal area in the state of Jharkhand in northern India, life has been a struggle for survival for the people in several villages. Malnutrition has... Read more
TPRF Launches Five-Year Plan for Food for People
“Food for People” Ready to Expand Food for People, an innovative food-aid initiative of The Prem Rawat Foundation in a tribal area of northern India, has been a resounding success. Responding to interest in other areas of India and also in Nepal, the Foundation would like to open three new facilities where the effort would give people the hope of breaking through the downward cycle of poverty and malnutrition. The Food for People StoryIn Bantoli, a remote tribal area in the state of Jharkhand in northern India, life has been a struggle for survival for the people in several villages. Malnutrition has... Read more
The Prem Rawat Foundation Brings Disaster Relief to Indonesia
Los Angeles, August 20, 2007 — The Prem Rawat Foundation (TPRF) has responded to recent multiple natural disasters on two Indonesian islands by making two critical donations to Yayasan IDEP, a local non-profit, non-governmental organization providing community-based crisis response. One grant will assist the remote mountain village of Kinahrejo, on Java Island, where an earthquake caused massive flooding in 42 villages. More than 70 people died and 4,000 more were displaced and in need of emergency refuge, food and water. This community's health and hygiene are threatened due to the lack of proper water storage facilities and only having access to... Read more
Food and Water Aid to Flood Victims in Sulawesi
The Prem Rawat Foundation Brings Disaster Relief to IndonesiaRead original press release Los Angeles, August 20, 2007 — The Prem Rawat Foundation (TPRF) has responded to recent multiple natural disasters on two Indonesian islands by making two critical donations to Yayasan IDEP, a local non-profit, non-governmental organization providing community-based crisis response. One grant will assist the remote mountain village of Kinahrejo, on Java Island, where an earthquake caused massive flooding in 42 villages. More than 70 people died and 4,000 more were displaced and in need of emergency refuge, food and water. This community’s health and hygiene are threatened... Read more
Food and Water Aid to Earthquake and Volcano Survivors in Kinahrejo
The Prem Rawat Foundation Brings Disaster Relief to IndonesiaRead original press release Los Angeles, August 20, 2007 — The Prem Rawat Foundation (TPRF) has responded to recent multiple natural disasters on two Indonesian islands by making two critical donations to Yayasan IDEP, a local non-profit, non-governmental organization providing community-based crisis response. One grant will assist the remote mountain village of Kinahrejo, on Java Island, where an earthquake caused massive flooding in 42 villages. More than 70 people died and 4,000 more were displaced and in need of emergency refuge, food and water. This community’s health and hygiene are threatened... Read more
TPRF Helps Provide Clean Water for 40,000 Villagers in Ghana
Nearly 40,000 destitute Ghanaian villagers are enjoying clean fresh water and marked improvement in their living conditions due to support by The Prem Rawat Foundation (TPRF) for the United Nations Development Programme’s Community Water Initiative (CWI). The Ghana project was started in 2006 to provide potable water facilities and sanitation to “rural, poor and marginalized communities in high parasite-infested areas,” according to CWI. For the nine Ghana communities impacted, the results have been life changing. Previously, these villagers often spent entire days searching for or hauling contaminated water. Many places had indiscriminate toilet practices due to lack of facilities, and guinea worm... Read more
Food for People Celebrates One Year
TPRF’s Food for People Brings Hope to Villagers in India June 13, 2007 — Just over a year ago, The Prem Rawat Foundation (TPRF) inaugurated Food for People (FFP), an innovative food initiative, in a remote area of Jharkhand, in northeastern India, where tribal people have historically struggled just to survive from day to day. Situated on six acres of land, FFP is a newly constructed, impeccably clean 10,0000-square-foot facility, equipped with a large kitchen, separate storage and food preparation rooms, a spacious dining area, and modern sanitation facilities. During its first year of operation, FFP served over 150,000 hot,... Read more
Food Security in Manica, Sofala and Chokwe
City of London Honours Prem Rawat and The Prem Rawat FoundationRead original press release London, June 1, 2007 — At Mansion House, the home of the Lord Mayor of the City of London, Prem Rawat, on behalf of The Prem Rawat Foundation (TPRF), made a significant contribution to Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO). VSO is a charitable organisation and benefactor of the 2007 Lord Mayor’s appeal. The reception was attended by Alderman John Stuttard, Lord Mayor of London, and Sheriff Richard Regan. The reception was followed by a gala event called “Giving from the Heart”, held at Guildhall. The event, hosted by... Read more
TPRF Grant Brings Relief to Flood Victims in Sumatra
Los Angeles, May 9, 2007 — About 2,400 Indonesian villagers, stranded by floods in the Aceh province of Sumatra, received emergency supplies for two weeks in January, thanks to a grant from The Prem Rawat Foundation. The grant was made to the Yayasan IDEP Foundation, a non-profit organization that provides disaster relief while working for environmentally-based improvements in Indonesian food production. Last December, torrential rains in Aceh and North Sumatra triggered flash floods and landslides, forcing thousands of people to flee their homes. Rivers of mud and debris poured over villages, destroying thousands of homes. Some villages were cut off from... Read more
Food and Water Aid to Flood Survivors in Aceh
TPRF Grant Brings Relief to Flood Victims in Sumatra Los Angeles, May 9, 2007 — About 2,400 Indonesian villagers, stranded by floods in the Aceh province of Sumatra, received emergency supplies for two weeks in January, thanks to a grant from The Prem Rawat Foundation. The grant was made to the Yayasan IDEP Foundation, a non-profit organization that provides disaster relief while working for environmentally-based improvements in Indonesian food production. Last December, torrential rains in Aceh and North Sumatra triggered flash floods and landslides, forcing thousands of people to flee their homes. Rivers of mud and debris poured over villages, destroying... Read more
The Prem Rawat Foundation Provides Typhoon Relief in the Philippines
The Prem Rawat Foundation Provides Typhoon Relief in the Philippines Read original press release Albay, Philippines, April 25, 2007 — After a typhoon buried part of Daraga, a town in the province of Albay, TPRF responded with disaster relief for the residents, providing victims with much-needed food aid. When Typhoon Remind/Duran, the name given to the devastating storm, struck Albay, strong and sustained winds in excess of 140mph lasted for three hours. Heavy rains continued after the winds, washing down sediment and boulders deposited from previous eruptions on the Mount Mayon slopes, burying part of Daraga. At least 4,679 families and 27,844... Read more
TPRF Grant Brings Clean Water to 10,000 Villagers in Ghana
Los Angeles, April 11, 2007 — More than 10,000 residents from four remote villages in Ghana now have a source of clean drinking water, thanks to a grant The Prem Rawat Foundation made to the National Council of Women of the United States a few months ago at a special event held at the United Nations in New York. A few days ago, representatives of the two organizations joined village elders, residents, and local officials in ceremonies commissioning the wells. Mary Singletary, president of NCW-US, represented her organization. TPRF was represented by Emmanuel Adjei, from Ghana. A proverb in Ghana says,... Read more
Food Aid for Cyclone Relief in Vilankulo and Caia
The Prem Rawat Foundation Awards Grant to Support Flood- and Cyclone-Relief Efforts in Mozambique Maputo, Mozambique, March 30, 2007 — The Prem Rawat Foundation made a critical grant to The Foundation for Community Development (FDC), by supporting a program with the aim of providing relief efforts for the victims of the floods and cyclone that occurred in the central and southern regions of Mozambique. The contribution is to be used to provide emergency food supplies for children and women in the Vilankulo and Caia districts affected by the cyclone and floods that occurred in the first two months of 2007. The funds... Read more
Update on Water and Sanitation in Ghana
In 2007, following a grant by The Prem Rawat Foundation, five major community water projects have been completed as part of an initiative providing safe drinking water and improved sanitation in poor areas of Ghana. These projects address the need for safe drinking water, community access to clean drinking water, eco-toilets to improve health conditions, reforestation to maintain the flow of water, and local management and maintenance. Accomplishments to date include eight hand-dug wells and one dam rehabilitation providing potable water to nearly 10,000 people, reforestation to protect spring water used by 3,500 people, public eco-toilets servicing thousands of people, and... Read more
The Prem Rawat Foundation Helps Fight Hunger & AIDS in India
The Prem Rawat Foundation Helps Fight Hunger & AIDS in India Read original press release Washington, DC, January 4, 2007 —The Prem Rawat Foundation has joined forces with the United Nations World Food Programme to fight hunger and HIV/AIDS in Bihar, India. The Foundation has made a significant contribution to the World Food Programme and the Nazareth Hospital Nutrition and HIV/AIDs Project, which started last month. The project aims to improve the nutrition and quality of life for people affected by HIV and AIDS and their family members through nutritional supplementation and nutritional counseling. The Prem Rawat Foundation’s contribution will provide... Read more
The Prem Rawat Foundation partners with Oxfam to bring water to the Middle East
The Prem Rawat Foundation partners with Oxfam to bring water to the Middle East Los Angeles, November 14, 2006 — The Prem Rawat Foundation made a significant contribution to Oxfam America to aid people in need of water as a result of the Middle East crisis. During the recent conflict, water pipes, generators, pumps, and electrical networks were destroyed or severely damaged in the conflict, preventing people from receiving clean water. Oxfam is working in conjunction with local organizations like TPRF to bring clean drinking water, install water tanks, rehabilitate sanitation facilities, and promote hygiene through the distribution of hygiene kits in... Read more
The Prem Rawat Foundation partners with Oxfam to bring water to the Middle East
The Prem Rawat Foundation partners with Oxfam to bring water to the Middle East Los Angeles, November 14, 2006 — The Prem Rawat Foundation made a significant contribution to Oxfam America to aid people in need of water as a result of the Middle East crisis. During the recent conflict, water pipes, generators, pumps, and electrical networks were destroyed or severely damaged in the conflict, preventing people from receiving clean water. Oxfam is working in conjunction with local organizations like TPRF to bring clean drinking water, install water tanks, rehabilitate sanitation facilities, and promote hygiene through the distribution of hygiene kits in... Read more
The Prem Rawat Foundation Expands Aid Efforts in Indonesia
The Prem Rawat Foundation Expands Aid Efforts in Indonesia Java, Indonesia, September 13, 2006 — The Prem Rawat Foundation (TPRF) is expanding assistance to the victims of the earthquakes and tsunami on the island of Java. The Foundation is partnering with three reputable nonprofit organizations to bring aid to the victims in need, following a series of new earthquakes. A grant was made by TPRF to Yayasan Dian Desa (YDD), a disaster-relief organization in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, to rebuild damaged water wells and restore the supply of much-needed water to the people living in this area most affected by the earthquakes. Many water... Read more
Water Aid to Earthquake and Tsunami Survivors in Yogyakarta
The Prem Rawat Foundation Expands Aid Efforts in IndonesiaJava, Indonesia, September 13, 2006 — The Prem Rawat Foundation (TPRF) is expanding assistance to the victims of the earthquakes and tsunami on the island of Java. The Foundation is partnering with three reputable nonprofit organizations to bring aid to the victims in need, following a series of new earthquakes. A grant was made by TPRF to Yayasan Dian Desa (YDD), a disaster-relief organization in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, to rebuild damaged water wells and restore the supply of much-needed water to the people living in this area most affected by the earthquakes. Many water... Read more
Food Aid to Earthquake and Tsunami Survivors in Yogyakarta
The Prem Rawat Foundation Donates $25,000 for WFP’s Earthquake Relief Operations in Indonesia Washington, DC, June 5, 2006 —The Prem Rawat Foundation donated $25,000 this week to support the World Food Program’s earthquake relief operations in Indonesia. These funds will help the World Food Program (WFP) provide emergency food aid to earthquake survivors who lost their homes and livelihoods to the disaster. “We are grateful to The Prem Rawat Foundation for this generous gift and their ongoing support,” said Karen Sendelback, President and CEO of Friends of the World Food Program. “They have been such a wonderful partner in our work... Read more
The Prem Rawat Foundation Donates $25,000 for WFP's Earthquake Relief Operations in Indonesia
The Prem Rawat Foundation Donates $25,000 for WFP's Earthquake Relief Operations in Indonesia Washington, DC, June 5, 2006 —The Prem Rawat Foundation donated $25,000 this week to support the World Food Program's earthquake relief operations in Indonesia. These funds will help the World Food Program (WFP) provide emergency food aid to earthquake survivors who lost their homes and livelihoods to the disaster. "We are grateful to The Prem Rawat Foundation for this generous gift and their ongoing support," said Karen Sendelback, President and CEO of Friends of the World Food Program. "They have been such a wonderful partner in our work to... Read more
Jharkhand
The Prem Rawat Foundation Holds Successful Eye Clinic in India Read original press release Jharkhand, India, May 3, 2006 — Nearly 2,000 people benefited from a free two-day eye clinic in a remote tribal area in northern India, sponsored by The Prem Rawat Foundation. The Foundation regularly holds free medical clinics with certified optometrists and ophthalmologists who donate their time and expertise. Villagers came from surrounding areas, where some of the poorest in the Indian subcontinent struggle just to survive. A medical staff of 50, including four doctors and many local volunteers, welcomed the 2,000 people who would otherwise not be able... Read more
Prem Rawat Receives Humanitarian Award at the United Nations in New York
New York, NY, April 21, 2006 — Prem Rawat delivered the keynote address at a special event held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York in honor of the support provided by The Prem Rawat Foundation to the United Nations Development Programme’s Community Water Initiative in Ghana and The National Council of Women of the United States’ Water Well Project in Ghana. The event, called “Water for Humanity and Peace,” was attended by distinguished representatives of the United Nations in New York, as well as by government and civic leaders from the New York area. Prem Rawat, widely known as Maharaji,... Read more
The Prem Rawat Foundation Brings Food Aid to People in Need in the Philippines
The Prem Rawat Foundation Brings Food Aid to People in Need in the Philippines Manila, Philippines, March 26, 2006 — A generous donation was made by The Prem Rawat Foundation (TPRF) to the Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC) to provide continuing aid to survivors of the massive landslide that hit the village of Guinsaugon in eastern Philippines earlier this year. This donation will provide nutritious food packs for two months to all 190 families living in the Catmon Evacuation Center in St. Bernard, Southern Leyte. Gwendolyn Pang, PNRC Director of Fund Generation and Executive Assistant to the Chairman, said: “It is in... Read more
Food for People Launched in Northeastern India
Prem Rawat Inaugurates First “Food for People” Facility in Northeastern IndiaU.S. Newswire press release Jharkhand, India, March 24, 2006 — Prem Rawat, known as Maharaji, has inaugurated a new facility which will provide free hot meals each day year-round to people in a tribal area in Jharkhand, northeastern India. “Food for People” is a custom-built, well-equipped 10,000 sq. ft. facility providing 45,000 free meals of their liking to people in need each month. Hot meals are served to 500 children every morning and evening and to 500 adults each afternoon. The opening of the first "Food for People" marks the launch of... Read more
The Prem Rawat Foundation Helps Rebuild Homes and Lives in Mexico
The Prem Rawat Foundation Helps Rebuild Homes and Lives in Mexico Cancun, Mexico, January 17, 2006 —The Prem Rawat Foundation has donated construction materials to provide roofing for 400 homes in the Rancho Viejo region of Cancun that were devastated by Hurricane Wilma. When 25-foot waves from Hurricane Wilma washed over Cancun and destroyed the homes of thousands of villagers last year, The Prem Rawat Foundation purchased and distributed construction materials to Mayan villagers that enabled them to rebuild the roofs of 200 homes. This second contribution brings the total assistance to 600 new roofs, helping more than 3,000 people... Read more
The Prem Rawat Foundation Brings Relief Aid to Mexico after Hurricane Wilma
The Prem Rawat Foundation Brings Relief Aid to Mexico after Hurricane Wilma Cancun, Mexico, January 16, 2006 — A generous donation by TPRF provided roofing for 200 homes in two of the poorest neighborhoods near Cancun devastated by Hurricane Wilma. More than 1000 residents in the communities of Zetina Gasca and El Milagro (Spanish for “The Miracle”) were recipients of this help from The Prem Rawat Foundation. The entire project was organized by students of Prem Rawat, who is known internationally by the honorary title Maharaji. A team of nine volunteers surveyed the neighborhoods and spoke to residents to see who needed... Read more
Food Aid to Earthquake Survivors in Kotbala
The Prem Rawat Foundation donates $100,000 to the UN World Food Programme for Pakistan earthquake relief Los Angeles, November 4 — On October 14, 2005, The Prem Rawat Foundation, founded by Prem Rawat, known also by the honorary title Maharaji, donated $100,000 to the United Nations World Food Programme. The donation will help bring food aid to victims of the recent earthquake in Pakistan. For Linda Pascotto, President of the Foundation: “Our deepest sympathy goes out to all the victims. Tens of thousands of people have lost their lives in this terrible earthquake, and millions are left homeless as a rigorous winter... Read more
The Prem Rawat Foundation makes a donation to United Nations’ World Food Programme to alleviate famine in Niger
Los Angeles, September 7, 2005 — The Prem Rawat Foundation has made a contribution to the United Nations’ World Food Programme (WFP) to bring emergency hunger relief to people in Niger. The contribution will provide food for 2,000 people for a month. For Karen Sendelback, President and CEO of Friends of the World Food Programme, “The Friends of the World Food Programme express our sincere gratitude to The Prem Rawat Foundation for the generous gift of $35,000 in support of the World Food Programme’s emergency operations in Niger. Currently, WFP is feeding 1.9 million people facing extreme hunger and malnutrition in... Read more
The Prem Rawat Foundation makes significant contribution for hunger relief to Hurricane Katrina victims
The Prem Rawat Foundation makes significant contribution for hunger relief to Hurricane Katrina victims Los Angeles, September 7, 2005 — Only eight days after Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast, The Prem Rawat Foundation donated $75,000 to the Houston Food Bank (HFB), a member of America's Second Harvest network (ASH)—the largest domestic hunger-relief organization in the United States. ASH distributes two billion pounds of food each year, feeding over 23 million hungry people through more than 200 regional food-rescue organizations in 50 states. The Prem Rawat Foundation promotes the message of peace of Prem Rawat, known also as Maharaji, and heads significant... Read more
The Prem Rawat Foundation Gives US$100,000 for Clean Water in Ghana
The Prem Rawat Foundation Gives US$100,000 for Clean Water in GhanaGrant to Community Water and Ecological Sanitation Care is Third in Series, Bringing Clean Water to 23 Communities Los Angeles, July 2008 — The Prem Rawat Foundation (TPRF) has made a grant of US$100,000 to Community Water and Ecological Sanitation Care (CWESC) to provide 10 impoverished communities within Ghana's Wa West and Gemoa East districts with potable water and proper sanitation essential to eliminating debilitating diseases associated with contaminated water. The grant is the third in a series that will help a total of 23 communities and nearly 100,000 people in... Read more
Food Aid for 4,500 Schoolchildren
June 16, 2005 — Responding to an invitation from Dr. Eduardo Padrón, President of Miami Dade College, Prem Rawat, known also as Maharaji, addressed a distinguished audience of faculty, guests, and students at the James L. Knight Center, Miami’s largest auditorium. MDC is the largest institution of higher education in the US with 163,000 students from 170 countries. The event benefited the World Food Programme (WFP). The Foundation’s contribution will provide food for 4,500 schoolchildren in Guatemala for a month. The sponsors for this event included Bell South, the Human Services Coalition, Mahoney Cohen, Grubb & Ellis, the City of... Read more
Miami Dade College welcomes The Prem Rawat Foundation, which makes a contribution to the World Food Programme
Miami, June 16, 2005 — Responding to an invitation from Dr. Eduardo Padrón, President of Miami Dade College, Prem Rawat, known also as Maharaji, addressed a distinguished audience of faculty, guests, and students at the James L. Knight Center, Miami's largest auditorium. MDC is the largest institution of higher education in the US with 163,000 students from 170 countries. The event benefited the World Food Programme (WFP). The Foundation's contribution will provide food for 4,500 schoolchildren in Guatemala for a month. The sponsors for this event included Bell South, the Human Services Coalition, Mahoney Cohen, Grubb & Ellis, the City... Read more
Food and Water for Tsunami Victims in East and West Sri Lanka
Tsunami Food Assistance Project An interview with Linda Pascotto, President of The Prem Rawat Foundation, about TPRF aid to tsunami victims. March 12, 2005 You recently came back from Rome, where Maharaji handed over a check for $150,000 to the World Food Programme. Tell us about this. First, it is a pleasure to see Maharaji's humanitarian efforts bearing fruit. At the same time as he travels the world bringing a message of peace, we are starting to see how he can use the Foundation to help improve the quality of life for people around the world. The World Food Programme was selected... Read more
The Prem Rawat Foundation makes a significant contribution to World Food Programme
The Prem Rawat Foundation makes a significant contribution to World Food Programme Rome, Italy, February 7, 2005 — Today in the Italian Senate, President Emilio Colombo, former Prime Minister of Italy, former President of the European Parliament and a lifetime Senator, hosted a ceremony during which Prem Rawat, founder of The Prem Rawat Foundation, made a contribution to Francesco Strippoli, Senior Advisor to the Executive Director of the World Food Programme, to help WFP in its effort to bring food aid to people in Indonesia. This contribution will provide food for 9,000 people for a month. For Mr. Strippoli: "This donation... Read more
Food Aid to Survivors of Massive Tsunami in Aceh
The Prem Rawat Foundation makes a significant contribution to World Food Programme Rome, Italy, February 7, 2005 — Today in the Italian Senate, President Emilio Colombo, former Prime Minister of Italy, former President of the European Parliament and a lifetime Senator, hosted a ceremony during which Prem Rawat, founder of The Prem Rawat Foundation, made a contribution to Francesco Strippoli, Senior Advisor to the Executive Director of the World Food Programme, to help WFP in its effort to bring food aid to people in Indonesia. This contribution will provide food for 9,000 people for a month. For Mr. Strippoli: “This donation... Read more
Food Aid to Survivors of Massive Tsunami in Aceh
The Prem Rawat Foundation makes a significant contribution to World Food Programme Rome, Italy, February 7, 2005 — Today in the Italian Senate, President Emilio Colombo, former Prime Minister of Italy,…
Chattarpur
The Prem Rawat Foundation holds free medical clinic New Delhi, Nov. 10, 2004 — More than 7,200 eye consultations were arranged by The Prem Rawat Foundation, which promotes and disseminates the…
The Prem Rawat Foundation distributes flashlights to hurricane victims in Grenada
November 1, 2004. When the eye of Hurricane Ivan hit the Island of Grenada head-on a few weeks ago, it was a once-in-a-lifetime event. 90% of all buildings on the…
Mehrauli
The Prem Rawat Foundation Holds Free Medical Clinic New Delhi, Nov. 8—More than 7,200 eye consultations were arranged last week by The Prem Rawat Foundation, which promotes and disseminates the message…
45 Tons of Rice to War-Torn Ivory Coast
Abidjan, August 19, 2003 — The Prem Rawat Foundation today announced it has donated all the necessary funds to the Ivory Coast’s Ministry of Solidarity and Social Services for the…
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Ghana Food for People Opening Soon
