[YOUR LETTERHEAD IF APPLICABLE]
[DATE]
Management Sevadars
[GURDWARA NAME AND ADDRESS]
Vaheguru Ji Ka Khalsa
Vaheguru Ji Ki Fateh
Re: Support for the UNITED
SIKHS GHANAIA Tsunami Relief project Team
FUNDRAISING and UPDATE
Dear
Saadh Sangat and Management,
UNITED
SIKHS (www.unitedsikhs.org), a
global non-profit non-governmental human development organisation, would be grateful if you
would count us worthy for receiving any donations that you collect for the
Tsunami victims. UNITED SIKHS has been involved in global panthic issues having
taken the lead in the Right To Turban issue in France since last year. We have
now constituted a global legal team to assist the litigation in France.
UNITED
SIKHS is committed to the Tsunami relief work for three reasons:
- that
surviving families of Sikhs and other communities receive direct help from
the Sikh community;
- to
commemorate the tri centenary of the Sikh 'Red Cross’ movement when Guru
Gobind Singh ji handed a first-aid box to Bhai Ghanaia to nurse the
war-wounded friend and foe alike;
- to
make Sikhs known through the global media as a seva oriented community.
Sikhs
are a Seva oriented community, however, we are not in the public eye as being
such. Gurdwaras around the world have collected a lot of donations for the
Tsunami victims. However, no Sikh organisation has been mentioned in the local
or international media. UNITED SIKHS hopes that through this Relief effort,
Sikhs will become more visible. This presence is crucial especially post 9/11
as Sikhs have suffered a backlash. The Right To Turban issue in France and the
Gursikh facing prosecution in Denmark in Jan 2005 for possessing a Kirpan,
point to that.
UNITED
SIKHS is unable to do door to door fundraising as we are preoccupied with
relief work. Therefore your sangat are our greatest hope to help us deliver our
objectives to the victims. For details on how to send donations to us see http://unitedsikhs.org/reliefproject.html#donate
UNITED
SIKHS is pre-occupied with mobilising relief teams to help the Tsunami
victims. We have sent a 5 member team to Kuala Lumpur (including
a young Dr Sushleelwant Kaur from Wolverhampton, UK) . At Kuala Lumpur our Team
has bought supplies and will join other members from the Sikh Naujawan
Sabha Malaysia for Acheh, Indonesia on Friday, 7th Jan 05. The delay is
due to the accident at the Acheh airstrip 2 days ago.
Two
more UNITED SIKHS teams will leave for Chennai and Sri Lanka this weekend. They
comprise volunteers who responded to
our global call for volunteers through our website and yahoo groups mail
shot. Our Relief Team comprise medical and general volunteers from UK, Singapore,
Malaysia, US Canada and India.
See
press release at http://www.unitedsikhs.org/PressReleases/010105.html
(attached).
The
Chennai team will work under the umbrella group set up by DC of Cuddalor,
Gagandeep Singh Bedi's, called Guru Nanak Sarbat Sikh Sangat, to provide
rehbilitation facilities to the victims. According to Mr Gagandeep Singh the
current requirement is for resettlement as the victims lare now in refugee
camps.
Efforts
are afoot to assist the thousands of Sikhs who are still in Great Nicobar
island (despite rumours that all have been evacuated). To date no relief org
has ben allowed access by the Indian govt to the Great Nicobar Island. Our
point person in India (a very senior retired Government official who has
made contact with Sikhs there) has confirmed that they will need to be re-housed at
a cost of 2 lakhs rupees per family. There are some 500 families there.
There were about 200 fatal casualties in Great Nicobar and the rest have been
made homeless, as their homes and property have been razed to the ground. We
are continuing to work on a breakthrough for Great Niocobar.
The
team to Sri Lanka has been advised to supply family packs comprising food for 2
weeks, cooking utensils and bedding.These items will be bought in South India.
1.2 million people hav been displaced in Sri Lanka.
The
information from Phuket, Thailand is that the Gurdwara there has not been
affected. We are in the process of identifying the needs of the Sikh community
there.
Any donation received from the saadh
sangat shall be applied directly to the victims of the Tsunami disaster to help
them meet their emergency and to help hem re-build their lives.
You
may donate online or choose one of the following options for your
convenience:
- Donate by cheque/check
payable to UNITED SIKHS, and mail to a UNITED SIKHS regional office.
- Donate at your local bank by
over-the-counter direct payment into the UNITED SIKHS account using
the following information:
· In the
UK:
Any Branch of Natwest Bank
Deposit
Details:
Payable to: UNITED SIKHS
Natwest Bank
Kensington Royal Garden Branch
Account No: 25023772
Sortcode: 50 30 10
· In Punjab:
Any Branch of Bank of Punjab
Deposit
Details:
Payable to: UNITED SIKHS
Bank of Punjab
Doaba Complex, Court Road, Amritsar
Account No: S/B 143216293
· In the USA:
Any Branch of CitiBank
Deposit Details:
Payable
to: UNITED SIKHS
Citibank NYB
PO Box 291, Brooklyn
New York, NY 11220-9020
Citibank Account #: 63916964
Memo shd be marked for: For Deposit only.
OR Wire Transfer Details:
A/C # is: 63916964
A/C Name: UNITED SIKHS
Routing Number: 021000089
Citibank Branch is 399 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10043
For more details on the
UNITED SIKHS Tsunami Relief project see: http://unitedsikhs.org/reliefproject.html#volunteer
Yours sincerely,
[YOUR CONTACT
INFORMATION HERE]
Our Mission
To transform
underprivileged and minority communities and individuals into informed and
vibrant members of society through civic, educational and personal development
programs, by fostering active participation in social and economic activity.
UNITED SIKHS is also an avenue for networking between like-minded organizations
to establish and nurture meaningful projects and dialogues - whether social,
cultural or political- to promote harmony, understanding and reciprocity in our
villages, towns and cities. UNITED SIKHS is a coalition of organizations and
individuals, who share a common vision based on the belief that there is no
greater endeavor than to serve, empower and uplift fellow beings. The core of
our philosophy is an unwavering commitment to civic service and social progress
on behalf of the common good. Accordingly, UNITED SIKHS has sought to fulfill its
mission not only by informing, educating and uplifting fellow beings but also
by participating in cross-cultural and political exchanges to ensure that the
promises and benefits of democracy are realized by all. We at UNITED SIKHS
believe that the development of enlightened and progressive societies can be
made possible by socially conscious groups of people who make a commitment to
develop and direct human potential. Our work, efforts and achievements stand as
a testament to our faith in this vision.