Recognition to SEWA

Sewa International awarded $500,000 grant by American Red Cross to rebuild homes for hurricane victims at Rosharon, Brazoria County

Houston: American Red Cross awarded Sewa International a $500,000 grant to rebuild homes of the underprivileged people devastated by Hurricane Harvey in Rosharon Village of Brazoria County, Texas. This grant will help Sewa International reconstruct 11 completely destroyed homes and 24 partially-damaged homes thus benefitting 154 men and women, including 35 seniors and 47 children.

Since day one of the Hurricane Harvey’s sweep across Southern Texas damaging property and destroying lives, Sewa International has been at the forefront of rescue operations initially, and then in relief and rehabilitation efforts. One of the most affected communities was Rosharon in Brazoria County which suffered major damage.

Known as Little Cambodia, Rosharon with a population of approximately 1400 is 30 miles South of Houston in an underserved rural area. Home to predominantly Cambodians refugees, and some Laotian and Mexican refugees, the majority eke out a livelihood in this insular setting through subsistence farming. Families here had fled Cambodia in the late 1970s escaping the genocidal regime of the Khmer Rouge. Nearly 50 per cent of the families are involved in growing water spinach, a staple of Asian cuisine. The hurricane destroyed their livelihood also.

Sewa International team members in Houston, many of whom themselves had to bear losses to their homes, have been hard at work, in raising funds from its supporters across the US, and then applying for grants from organisations who sought the help of trustworthy and qualified groups to carry out relief and rehabilitation. Sewa raised over $2 million for disaster recovery in less than a year since Hurricane hit, including the latest American Red Cross grant of $500,000.

Sewa was the recipient of $397,000 grant from Greater Houston Community Foundation (GHCF) in December 2017, providing case management help for 600 individuals. Completing the work in record time, Sewa International ended up helping 1,600 individuals from minority and underprivileged communities, earning kudos from GHCF. Thus, this grant from the American Red Cross is an affirmation of the good work done by Sewa as well as acknowledgement of the can-do spirit of the charitable organisation standing out amongst its mainstream peers. The total cost for rebuilding and repairing homes at Rosharon for this project is estimated to be about $675,000, out of which Sewa International’s donors are contributing $175,000 or 25%.

“Despite the generous support of funding agencies, the task at hand is enormous,” said Achalesh Amar, coordinator of Sewa Houston who has continued spearheading the disaster recovery efforts in Rosharon for nearly a year. Ecstatic on hearing the award of this grant, he said. “The experience of rebuilding Rosharon has been demanding, sometimes frustrating, but more often rewarding and always an optimistic one. The American Red Cross grant allows us to lay the foundation, literally—one home at a time—to rebuild and revitalise Little Cambodia.”

Gitesh Desai, president of Houston unit of Sewa International who lived in a hotel as his house was flooded, said, “We are honoured for the recognition by American Red Cross. We are grateful to them for reposing their trust and confidence in us through this gift. The grant further strengthens Sewa International’s resolve to fulfill our mission of giving back to the society through selfless service—a cornerstone of the Hindu faith.”