Though Baba never had any formal education, but throughout his life he laid great stress on the importance of a Teacher – the Guru. He himself was a Guru to all his devotees and visitors, taught them many things about life – not just spiritual but practical ways to lead a happy, healthy and meaningful life, and removed their doubts and progressed them from ‘darkness towards light’.

 As all his teachings were in the form of concise and precise relevant sayings at an appropriate time and place; about ‘reading and learning’, in his simple yet remarkable and powerful manner he said “Mere reading won’t do. You have to think and carry out what you read, otherwise it is of no use.” And also “The teachings of a Guru are of no use to a man who is full of ego and who always thinks about the sense objects.”

We at Sai Milan (Regd.) believe that while a significant change can be effected in the highly materialistic society, if the teachings of Shri Shirdi Sai are spread through every nook & corner on one hand, and on the other, by helping the Poor and Needy to get Educated a better, progressive and peaceful society can evolve. We are able to achieve the former objective through our Sai Bhajan Sandhyas, and for the later, we are doing the following:

 

1. We encourage children of the poor and the under-privileged to the need of the Education and how this can transform their lives for better. Our volunteers and we visit appropriate localities and areas to spread this awareness, and for keeping a regular touch with them.

In such localities, we also distribute free Picture Books, Colour Books, Crayons, Pencils, Colourful Water Bottles, School Bags, and Block Games etc. to the kids of school-beginners age, in order to encourage (and lure) them to go to school.

2. For those children who, due to financial or other reasons, have either never gone to school or had to drop out, we not just try to offer the needful help by understanding the real reason but also to try to arrange for suitable work/employment for the parent(s).

3.We also help the poor children and those living in orphanages by way of – Books, extra pair of Uniforms and Free Diet.

Orphan Child Education

The Trust believes that no one is born an orphan; one is only made an orphan – at times, unfortunately by Destiny and most unfortunately by none other than those who are responsible to give the birth. Circumstances or reasons may differ but the fate of each orphan is sealed almost in a similar fashion – unless there is someone with compassion at heart and obsession at mind to take care – obsession to see each orphan making a destiny of his own.

It is heartening even to imagine the physical plight and emotional exhaustion of such children. While some of them are a little fortunate to have known the love and care of the loved ones, most others have always been bereft of the luxury of love of the caring family. Lack of this most important element in their lives leaves a deep void and adversely affects the development of their personalities. As children their craving for care & attention, and instead getting neglect & disregard from society, is often responsible for their growing into agitated adults. This can even paint the whole society black into their minds.

Society has to play an extremely important role and must bear the responsibility of upbringing this sensitive segment into proficient and productive youths. There is a need to not to seclude them from the mainstream society and make them grow as destitute, with a narrow angled view of the society on the ‘other side of the gate’, but to include them into the mainstream. There is a need to inculcate into them, a feeling that they belong to the society and the society belongs to them.

We should not just understand, but try to spread this sentiment further that a family and economic status is the only thing that these children lack. Otherwise, given a suitable environment they can also bloom into beautiful flowers spreading happiness and warmth around themselves.

Adoption is definitely one noble way of giving these Children of God a home instead of just shelter. Providing them with their basic needs, including care, saving them from falling into bad company, and encouraging them to make their foundation strong with the bricks of basic education and mortar of moral values, can help them grow with a positive mental attitude and empathy.

We are not just providing support to such children in terms of facilitating their academic lessons but also the most important lesson of their life – to teach them that they are as capable as anybody else to grow as responsible citizens to participate into the development process of self and the nation. No matter which religion they or their biological parents belonged to, they can always follow the Religion of Humanity…to Serve Humanity with Care & Concern.

Awareness on Girl Education

‘Educating a girl is educating a whole family’. Innocent Shiva came to be known as Chatrapati Maharaj Shivaji only because of his mother Jija Bai. India, once ‘the Seat of Knowledge’ where girl was even worshiped, in course of time, due to centuries of invasions of cultures, slavery and poverty, plunged into the darkness of illiteracy. This darkness not just engulfed the future of the nation but the whole generations. Unfortunately, even after more than 60 years of independence the girl child still continues to bear the brunt – so much so that it doesn’t even get to see the light outside the womb.

When such is the state of affairs what can be the future of girl education where even its survival is at stake. The ratio of girls to boys is alarming in many states. If we honestly try to find the reason, the reason is that the Girl Education did not get the kind of mass awareness that it needed to get. Even though the successive governments have done their best to highlight the need for girl education, the success can be expected only when it gets associated with people.

Sai Milan has taken up this cause in the state of Himachal Pradesh and is conducting community programs at village levels to educate people on the importance of educating the girl child. The parents are involved actively in the process by way of discussions and encouraging them to come up with their hesitations, be those economical, personal or social. This is just a small contribution of ours in this holy cause of nation building.

You can give us your helping hand and strengthen the cause in the interest of the future of the children, the society and the nation by doing any one of the following:

Kindergarten Kit: Rs.1500/- only (or multiples thereof) 

Educate a Child: Rs.12000/- only (per academic year)

Sponsor a Day’s Diet: Rs.500/- only (per day, per child)