Khalsa Aid – Who We Are and What We Do
Khalsa Aid International is a UK-based charity (Registered Relief Number: 1163294) that provides international assistance to victims of natural and man-made disasters such as floods, earthquakes, famines, and wars.
Our team is often the first on the scene to help distribute food, water, clothing, medicine, and sanitation facilities. We fund and build temporary shelters, if needed – anything needed in those early days to save lives, reduce human suffering quickly and help maintain their dignity.
The charity was founded by Ravinder (Ravi) Singh, who was attacked in Kosovo in 1999.
That year also marked the 300th anniversary of the birth of the Khalsa – a public opportunity to reflect on the fundamental teachings of their faith.
Ravi saw pictures of Kosovan refugees in the news and was inspired by one Scythian ideology in particular – “Sarbat da Bhalla” meaning “welfare for all” – recognizing humanity for all and reaching out to those in need, regardless of race, religion, borders.
During festivals throughout the UK, and around the world, there were gruesome scenes in the stories of refugees who struggled to cross the cold border and mountains to reach a safe and peaceful Albania.
I read in the newspaper about a small group organizing a series of relief trips to Albania – the Sikh doctrine ‘Sarbhat da Bhalla’ came running through my mind.
I phoned the newspaper group and asked to join them in helping to deliver the aid provided to the Sikh community who were so generous with food and money – within two weeks we were on our way with two trucks and a relief van to Albania.
Khalsa Aid was born.
Although the motivation of the charitable organization stems from a strong belief in Sikh values, our work is not limited to the Sikh community. Khalsa Aid has become the first humanitarian organization in the world to cross the border based on Sikh principles.
Since 1999, we have been able to provide essential services to millions of people around the world: from the victims of the Yemen Civil War to refugees arriving on the Greek coast from the Middle East and, more recently, Rohingya Muslims from Myanmar seeking refuge. Bangladesh; earthquakes, floods, and hurricanes in Nepal, Australia, and the Caribbean.
Close to home, our teams have helped UK citizens cope with the devastating floods that hit Cumbria and southwestern England; and we were there to support the families that survived the horrific fire at Grenfell Tower in London.
The first name that comes to mind when we think of relief and recovery during any crisis in any part of the world is Khalsa Aid, an international NGO that aims to provide humanitarian assistance in disaster and conflict-affected areas.
Here are sixteen times when its volunteers did all they could to help those in need.
- Where Khalsa Aid volunteers set up relief camps throughout the state of Kerala providing food and shelter for flood victims.
- They started langars, providing food to 13,000 people twice a day. The team was cooking food to feed those trapped by the rain. Collaborating with Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha in Kochi and setting up their community kitchen there.
- When the organization was involved in cleaning up places of worship around the Kerala region, it was flooded.
- Sikh volunteers from Khalsa Aid have played a key role in cleaning up churches and temples filled with mud from floods.
- When its volunteers assist Syrian refugees in a war that ravages Lebanon, Turkey, and other Middle Eastern nations.
- From free food to shelter to health services, the organization worked and rescued the Syrian people who had been devastated by the war with great dedication. The organization also has a dedicated Langar charity that provides emergency food and water in war-torn areas.
- While the organization is working on the Bangladesh border to assist Rohingya refugees with food and water.
- Khalsa Aid volunteers from India and many other countries arrived at the Bangladesh border when Rohingya Muslims fled Myanmar.
- When Khalsa Aid volunteers came forward to help the people trapped in the 2015 Chennai floods.
- While their volunteers distributed food to passengers stranded during the 2017 Mumbai floods.
- When installing water pumps in the villages of the African country Malawi.
- The Khalsa Aid team consulted with local communities, government, and contractors to begin the process of building a permanent source of drinking water for the people of Malawi.
- It extended its support to nine orphanages in Haiti eight years after the 2010 earthquake.
- Khalsa Aid was one of the first humanitarian organizations to visit Haiti and provide post-earthquake relief. For the past eight years, it has been delivering the support of the people of South Africa.
Volunteer to build houses for earthquake victims in Nepal.
- Khalsa Aid volunteers from Delhi, Punjab, and Jammu were the first to arrive in Nepal when an earthquake struck the country in 2015. They even began to build houses and schools in a disaster-stricken country as part of a global emergency.
- While the Khalsa Aid relief teams supported Greek refugees in 2016 with essential food and water.
- When they come to help those affected by Cyclone Fani in Odisha.
- Khalsa Aid volunteers have established langar, which provides free food and drinking water to affected people in the devastating typhoon in Odisha.
- While Khalsa Aid is providing 4,000 shares in flood-hit Assam.
- As the flood situation in Assam worsens, Khalsa Aid has provided a budget for the 4000 people affected by the floods.
- While Khalsa Aid provides food and shelter to thousands of protesting farmers in Delhi NCR and surrounding areas.
- When its volunteers arrived in Uttarakhand after the floods.
