Jain Digest 1995 06 Vol 11 No 02

Author(s): Federation of JAINA
Publisher: USA Federation of JAINA

Page 23

World Community Service
Dhiraj Shah - Chair
The World Community Service raised more than $95,000 for the Maharastraian earthquake victims, $60,000 of which was given to the Lions Club International to build a primary school and a Jain Nagar in India (see Jain Digest - March, 1995 pg. 15).
It has also donated $33,000 to support a project sponsored by Bharatiya Jain Sanghatana.
provide education for these displaced children. Once again the World Community Service of the JAINA provided $33,000 for this project.
The BJS has a clearly defined vision and organizational structure. At the primary level it is an organization of volunteers, who are all Jains, who formulate policy and approve budgets. At the secondary level it is a professional organization consisting of people who implement the objectives and ensure their achievement.
The BJS plans a Gurukul Style School for NRI Children
The future plans of the BJS include education, Gurukul style, for the sons and daughters of NRI Jains. The school will offer an indepth exposure to the Jain religion and its teachings while maintaining the highest standards of education. Their aim of this school is to groom an international Jain citizen. The school is planned to be established in Pune. In addition, BJS plans to run a special three week seminar that will provide an indepth introduction to Jain religious practices and their significance. The course will not only include lectures and visits to the prominent Jain ashrams, but also will allow the participant to meet with the India Industrialists to discuss future opportunities in India. This seminar will be open to all NRI and will be operated on a not-for-profit, noloss basis. The plans to establish a Jain Univeristy are not too far off in the future. Shantilal Muttha, President of the BJS was in Buffalo, NY recently to receive the JAINA's donation to the BJS.
JAINA has also provided help to the victims of the floods in Mississippi, the drought victims in Gujarat, India and the refugees of Rwanda.
Bhartiya Jain Sanghatana
The Bhartiya Jain Sanaghatana (BJS) is India's foremost social service organization specializing in child and woman welfare, support for the handicapped, public health and awareness programs, calamity and disaster management, emergency relief work, scholarships for the underprivileged and many more humanitarian activities.
It has achieved enormous success in promoting and gaining social acceptance of the concept of mass marriage. This concept has made people realize that daughter's happiness is in no way connected with how much money is lavished on her wedding day in the form of dowry. Related issues that BJS has identified include: the young widow, divorcees, improper match-making, the rise in divorce rate and the drop in birth rate of female children. The BJS has propagated the idea of re-marriage and vadhu var sammelan (a meeting ground for couple before marriage) to tackle this issues.
Above all, BJS has played a pivotal role in establishing peace during the communal riots between Muslims and Hindus in December, 1992. Several prominent Jain and non-Jain spiritual leaders undertook Pada Yatra to establish peace and harmony.
In September, 1993 the BJS was called upon to support the victims of the earthquake that struck in the Marathwada region of the Maharashtra. It provided an infrastructure for the rescue mission for the tens of thousands of people who had lost every- thing. It provided tons of food, clothing and medical supplies at the earthquake site within hours. World Community Service of the JAINA provided funds to rebuild 55 houses destroyed during that earthquake.
Realizing that the earthquake had affected children midway through their school year, BJS took a thousand boys under its care with an aim of providing them with a chance to rebuild their broken lives. A school and orphanage was set up in Pune, India to
Opening Ceremony. Vasai, India
JAINA Starts Free Dispensary
The WCS started a primary health care center to serve the needy and the pilgrims in the village of Vasai, Kutch, Gujarat, India on January 4, 1995. This is the first of many clinics envisioned by JAINA to be started in India.
The Clinic is staffed by a full time physician and a doctor's assistant who will treat sixty patients a day. JAINA has raised more that $20,000 for this cause.
For more information concerning WCS activities please call: Dhiraj Shah at 716/282/3018.
June 1995 Jalil Education International 2010_02
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