Prem Rawat:
Hello, everyone. I hope all of you are well. Today I thought we would do something a little bit different. And what we’re going to try to do today is just, I’d like to inform you about what TPRF has been doing since this coronavirus thing started.
A tremendous amount of help has been going out. And there is a little presentation I’d like to run by, that would give you some indication of what TPRF has been doing. I mean, of course, we partner with a lot of different organizations that are at the forefront of fighting this coronavirus.
You know, sometimes everything turns to become political—and we get caught in the drama, trauma, news, everything. And it is very easy to lose sight of just the basic human beings that are trying to make a difference.
And TPRF, of course, has always held a very special place. Because we don’t try to look for publicity; we don’t try to look for—you know, I mean, of course, publicity is nice and it’s nice for people to know that such an organization exists.
But one of the things we try to do is get to the core issues, where people are really, really helped by whatever partnerships we forge with different organizations. I mean, when you look at it, there are just so many charities out there, so many organizations. But a lot of times, the help that’s supposed to arrive doesn’t arrive! Because something gets lost somewhere in translation.
And with TPRF, I have particularly made this point over and over again, that we really have to make sure that whatever our efforts are, they really are well-executed—and people do, at the end of the day, end up receiving the help that we set out for them to have.
So, here is the presentation. “The Prem Rawat Foundation, advancing dignity, peace, and prosperity.”
Onscreen text:
The Prem Rawat Foundation
Advancing dignity, peace, and prosperity by addressing
the fundamental human needs of food, water, and peace.
Prem Rawat:
“Keeping in Touch. TPRF is providing regular social media posts, website articles, and emails with the latest updates on all activities and how people can participate.
“TPRF is introducing the ‘Lockdown’ videos to new audiences, reaching over 2.3 million people so far,” and this was a few days ago. And these are some of the comments from people.
“‘Thank you for your love and support and daily messages. Hugs!’ ‘I’m loving these broadcasts, thank you so much.’ Another one, ‘Thank you so much for showing us your wisdom, clarity and love in this trying time.’” So, TPRF is making sure that this message is reaching out to people.
“Humanitarian Aid. TPRF is giving initial grants of over $200,000 to provide care, medical supplies and food in areas that are overwhelmed with the coronavirus. $100,000 is going to Doctors Without Borders and International Medical Corps to help people in South Africa, France, Spain, Mexico, the U.S. and various other countries.
“‘TPRF’s support will help our medical teams launch a global response to the coronavirus pandemic and its consequences.’” This is a direct quote. “‘—Thomas Kurmann, Director of Development, Doctors Without Borders,’ the USA division.
“$50,000 for CESVI to help people in Northern Italy with care and supplies.” And this is one of the responses. It’s quite a long letter I received, but this is a little quote from the letter.
“‘Thank you on behalf of everyone at the CESVI for your generous donation. It has given us the strength to move forward in this difficult situation. I would like to congratulate you on the aims pursued by TPRF. Roberto Vignola, CESVI, Deputy CEO.’” And we particularly wanted to help Italy because Italy has been hit very hard with this coronavirus.
“$5,000 for Street Peace and Respect, a group of former gang members who were inspired by the Peace Education Program to contribute positively to their community by bringing food to elderly neighbors in need in Alpachaca, Ecuador.
“$25,000 is going to Family Promise to provide shelter and meals to homeless families in the U.S.” A lot of this stuff gets overlooked, and at TPRF we really don’t want that to happen.
“$25,000 is going to the World Central Kitchen to provide fresh packaged meals to thousands of U.S. children, families and seniors in the most vulnerable communities.
“An initial grant of $25,000 is going to help people in Fiji recover from Cyclone Harold, which left people without shelter, food or medical care.” The thing in Fiji is, people are very poor. There is one island, one main island where there are Suva and Nadi. And then there is the big island and a lot of other little islands.
And when natural calamities happen, (and this is a double hit for them, not only the threat of coronavirus but also this cyclone), it’s really, really hard. It’s hard enough on an everyday basis. And then when something like this happens it actually makes it really, really hard.
And I have been to Fiji many times. People are beautiful; people are very simple. And it really is a community effort in Fiji. “The severe tropical cyclone hit as the area was already struggling to treat patients and stem the spread of the coronavirus,” like I said.
“Supporters have donated over $60,000 for coronavirus relief effort. TPRF will continue to provide aid to those in need. And you can contribute to the coronavirus relief effort at TPRF.org.” Every bit helps, always—every bit helps.
“In 2019, over 36,000 people participated in the Peace Education Program worldwide. In 2020, there have been over 5,000 participants”—and that’s the Peace Education Program initiative that TPRF heads.
“Most Peace Education Program courses have been temporarily paused to avoid spreading the virus. People in the U.S., Mexico, Colombia, Brazil, Italy, Germany, Austria, France, Switzerland, and other countries are starting to facilitate the course virtually”—that’s a community effort that TPRF supports and it’s a wonderful, wonderful thing that’s happening.
And of course, we’re looking forward to having the Peace Education Program virtually for us too, all of us who are not going through that particular program. I’m trying to still work on it and make a lightweight version of that.
“In Brazil,” which is again—you know, I was just there and when you come out in the rural Brazil area, people are very, very poor. And wherever people are poor, they’re going to get hit really, really hard.
“In Brazil, people from thirteen states are participating virtually. After only one week of conducting these courses from São Paulo, there are fifty participants per day. The participants keep inviting more people. ‘This is the best part of my day, and I am learning a lot about myself.’” That’s a quote.
This is another quote, “‘Listening to Prem Rawat has been really helping me understand my life.’ – Pisa Professor. Universities in Bogotá, Colombia and Pisa, Italy, have offered the program virtually.” Again, that’s a wonderful effort.
“In Colombia, the Secretary of Education invited teachers who had been implementing the program to watch ‘the personal messages to humanity’ in the ‘Lockdown series,’ encouraging them to take good care of themselves, and stay at home.”
I mean, I’ve been to Colombia. And again, you know, the country just has been through so much, with the whole, drugs and the revolts and the this and the that. And there is a lot to be said about the power of the people, about the motivation that people have to move forward, to try to make a difference.
Because a lot of things just come and go—but people are there. And they need to bind together; they need to come together to truly make a change. And so it’s really wonderful that the people take this one step further.
“Participants in prisons have been receiving written materials to continue their learning. ‘We are very grateful and find the support very helpful.’ This is from the Prison Director in Colombia.”
Again, you know, in the middle of all this fiasco that is a fiasco to most of us, there are some people who have already gone through the fiasco and are in the midst of that fiasco, and they are the homeless.
“At a homeless shelter and two drug rehabilitation centers where the program has been flourishing, staff are learning to facilitate the program virtually.” I mean, this is like a double hit for those people who are homeless. You know, they have to squeeze into tight spaces—that they cannot afford to have that distancing, the social distancing. I mean, what social distancing?
They’re not part of the mainstream society; they’re just there at the fringe, you know, because whatever bad things have happened to them, they’ve been shoved that way. And it’s very, very thoughtful that the Foundation, TPRF is doing something about them and that they are included—that everybody is included, that everybody gets help. So, it’s wonderful to see that.
“TPRF is providing support for those who want to learn virtual facilitation of the program.” And if you want to get in touch about that, that’s “Email pep@tprf.org to learn more.” And that’s the Peace Education Program effort.
“As regular Food for People,” effort is concerned, “services are paused by government regulations; TPRF is exploring other ways of providing food and aid to people in dire need, including home delivery. Food for People has served over 3 million meals since 2006.” And that’s really wonderful.
And the amazing thing is that there is a sister organization in India that is going ahead and working with the police and with the local officials to provide food to the people, (which is called the Premsagar Foundation). And RVK has been helping in that and has been very, very effective of making sure the food distribution happens.
In fact, I have a presentation by those organizations exactly like this one—except that one is in Hindi, so I will have to have it translated into English. But that’s really wonderful to hear that over three million meals since 2006, have been served.
Onscreen text:
Thank You
to all of the TPRF volunteers and supporters who are making a positive impact.
Learn more at tprf.org
Prem Rawat:
And the Prem Rawat Foundation again thanks everyone: “To all the TPRF volunteers and supporters who are making a positive impact.” Because this is a positive impact for our society and the world that we all live in. So, it’s really wonderful to see that TPRF is really shining at this moment in time.
So, thank you. Stay well; stay healthy. Be well. Be. I’ll talk to you later.