As nature played havoc with Kerala, several charities came forward to help. Among them was UK-based Sikh charity Khalsa Aid. The volunteers did touch the hearts of the people of the flood-ravaged state with their helping hands.
The Sikh volunteers arrived in Kerala from across India and other countries to start a community kitchen at Kochi, providing meals to 13,000 people twice a day, besides helping the locals clean up slush and debris from places of worship in and around Alleppey.
Over the past 20 years, Khalsa Aid has been at the forefront of several relief operations, guided by the principle: Recognize the whole human race as one. It has covered 22 countries across four continents, serving, among others, refugees in Syrian camps in 2017; the displaced population in Yemen following the civil war in 2015; victims of the Nepal earthquake; refugees in Greece; and orphans in Haiti.
Jaspreet Singh and Gurpreet Singh, who have been working tirelessly since they arrived in Kerala, said:
“We are overwhelmed by the love the people have shown us. When you see a smile on their face all the tiredness vanishes and you feel happy and contended. That is the best feeling.”
The group has volunteers from all age groups and coordinates with several international organizations, including the UN Refugee Agency, World Food Program, International Red Cross, Red Crescent Movement and Medecins Sans Frontieres.
In June, Khalsa Aid’s Langar Aid team was awarded the Queen’s award for community service in the UK.
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