The West Indian – June 22, 2007

New Jersey Arya Samaj Mandir Preparing For Humanitarian Mission To Guyana.

New Jersey Arya Samaj Mandir, Inc. and its Humanitarian Mission in collaboration with the Guyana Central Arya Samaj, Berbice Central Arya Samaj, and other Hindu, Muslim, and non-governmental organization are getting ready for the 2007 charitable, social and humanitarian work in Guyana.

The Project is led by Pandit Suresh Sugrim, President of the New Jersey Arya Samaj Mandir, Inc. Humanitarian Mission, to benefit the less fortunate children, children in orphanages and elders in senior citizen homes in Guyana. Over the past few months, the New Jersey Arya Samaj Mandir held its second annual grand pre-Mother’s Day fund-raising concert on Sunday May 6, 2007 in aid of its Humanitarian Mission with an effort to continue its outreach and charitable programs. The event saw a crowd of about 800 people enjoying performances by The Angels Caribbean Entertainment Group led by Vinod Bisram and others.

The turn out was greater than last year fund-raising, noted Pandit Sugrim and would go towards improving the quality of live for the less fortunate in Guyana. The Mission also wants to provide most of the necessities that children and seniors without families need to function normally. The New Jersey Arya Samaj Mandir, Inc. Humanitarian Mission is staffed by volunteers. No member is paid.

The NJASM, Inc. Humanitarian Mission, last year successfully launched their first annual fund-raising concert, which resulted in private and cooperate donations provided by the Guyanese-American community as well as other communities representing many different backgrounds. The highlight of last year and this year’s fund-raising was “The Arya Swaranjali, and evening concert featuring Bhajans, film songs, and Indian classical dancing, performed by many talented artists.“

The Arya Swaranjali.” Fund-raiser is expected to continue as a recurring annual event. We humbly urge you to open your hearts and donate generously. The New Jersey Arya Samaj Mandir, Inc. Humanitarian Mission need yours support in an effort to continue its outreach and charitable programs to assist the less fortunate children and elders in senior citizen home in Guyana and else where.

A press statement said that the organization President, Pandit Suresh Sugrim, started fund raising a few months ago, by appealing to the general public and by visiting various Mandirs, Masjids, churches, social and religious gathering reaching out to the Guyanese-Americans in the Tri-State Area and else where. It’s a very difficult job but someone has to do it.

A secretariat of the New Jersey Humanitarian Mission has been set up in Guyana by the Guyana Central Arya Samaj and the Berbice Central Arya Samaj. The chairperson is Dr. Ramesh Sugrim and public relations officer is Pandit Kamal Dhanesar . The secretariat will process all of the applications and with the help of the members of the community – each family will be provided with articles requested based upon the discretion of the secretariat and the limitation of the mission. Amongst the applications were families with disabled children. The Mission hopes to place special emphasis on visiting these homes to ascertain how to provide for their specific needs.

According to Pt. Sugrim, the Mandir will be extending this year humanitarian mission country wide, and will be focusing in some major projects such as the Dharam Shala – senior citizen home in Berbice and other project. The list of individuals and organizations that have provided invaluable service and support for this Humanitarian Mission is extensive. Therefore, we invite you to contact us at any time to review our spreadsheets. If you are in Guyana, you may contact Dr. Ramesh Sugrim, M.D. at the Head Office of the New Jersey Arya Samaj Mandir, Inc. Humanitarian Mission, Guyana Chapter at Williamsburg, Corentyne, Berbice. “Your donations/gifts show your continued support and faith in our Mission,” a Mandir statement said.