Cano Cristales, Colombia

Zone 2B

Argentina

In July 2020, many animals, including birds, sheep, cows, chickens, and foxes in the Córdoba mountains perished due to widespread forest fires that destroyed over 300,000 hectares of native forest. SSSIO volunteers from the Sri Sathya Sai Group of San Marcos Sierras provided food and drinks to the firefighters as well as needy families who were affected by the disaster. The volunteers continued serving several families for a number of months after the fires ended.

Recognizing the need for a school building to support the small indigenous community of Pindoty-I, SSSIO volunteers with support from the community constructed a classroom, a kitchen, a dining room, and a bathroom. Furthermore, they provided electricity and drinking water for the entire community. Construction material for the building was donated by a local shopkeeper who was inspired by the compassionate service rendered by the SSSIO. Once built, the school has continued to grow, with the local government providing support for two additional teachers who teach Spanish and their native language of Guarani.

Bolivia

During 2020, SSSIO volunteers offered monthly services at a home for the elderly in the city of Sucre, where catholic nuns care for around 130 women and 80 men who are abandoned by their families. The SSSIO volunteers provided hygiene items, disposable diapers, bags of flour, detergent, sugar, sweets, and other items to the elderly residents.

On December 22, 2020, Sri Sathya Sai Young Adults of Sucre, Bolivia distributed toys and hot chocolate milk with cookies to 200 children.

On 24 December 2020, volunteers from the Sri Sathya Sai Centre of Sucre delivered 200 food hampers to low-income families in the city. An additional 100 hampers of food were distributed to the needy in distant locations. Each hamper contained 1 kg of sugar, 1 kg of rice, 1 kg of noodles and 1 liter of olive oil. Families with children also received toys – to their great joy.

Brazil

In April 2020, volunteers from the Sri Sathya Sai Group of Ponta Grossa in southern Brazil made cloth masks for a charitable institution that serves families with social vulnerability. They packaged each mask with a card containing an inspiring teaching of Sri Sathya Sai Baba. The volunteers continued to make masks during the subsequent months and hung the masks on a clothesline in front of the SSSIO building, inviting anyone in need of a mask to take one.

In June 2020, volunteers from the Sri Sathya Sai Centers of Santa Cecilia and Barra Funda districts in Sao Paulo packed hampers with rice, coffee, pasta, tomato, bean extracts, and soap for distribution to those affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. Numerous SSSIO volunteers joined the project from across the country, serving many needy families with food and cleaning supplies on a monthly basis during the pandemic.

Chile

In May 2020, SSSIO Young Adults from Chile delivered food to the needy in Santiago. Each volunteer was assigned a role in preparing food, drinks, and dessert, all packed in biodegradable containers to minimize environmental impact. They also served food to 25 people in need near the Public Assistance Emergency Hospital.

Colombia

Since 2005, SSSIO volunteers from the Barroblanquito Sai Group, in Piedecuesta, Colombia, have been serving the Barroblanquito community at the Prema Sai School. Every Saturday, volunteers from the Barroblanquito Sai Group in Piedecuesta organized SSEHV workshops for about 12 parents and 36 children, 6 to 12 years old. In addition, the volunteers conducted English language classes, taught music, native dances, and sports, and organized artistic drawing workshops.

SSSIO volunteers in Colombia continued to serve the destitute throughout the pandemic. In the community of Funza, they distributed 25 bags of groceries to the elderly. In four cities, SSSIO volunteers helped 12 needy families to buy groceries and medicines.

In early December 2020, SSSIO volunteers delivered essential hygiene items, blankets, cooking pots, rubber boots for children, plastic rain caps and water bags to 11 families of farmers near the town of Usme, who had lost their homes and property due to the harsh winter.

SSSIO volunteers brought Christmas cheer to 86 children from the Sri Sathya Sai School of Funza, by giving them coloring books and other school supplies.

Ecuador

In Ecuador, SSSIO volunteers delivered more than 1,500 food packages to the Sathya Sai Schools in Guayaquil and Bahía de Caráquez. In partnership with the National Board of Education with Values, the Ministry of Education, and the Ecuadorian Pedagogy Network, the ISSE of Ecuador organized 14 online classes, serving nearly 81,000 people. They also created 10 online master classes for Light Meditation that were viewed over 25,000 times. In November 2020, the Second International Meeting of Human Values Education was held with an emphasis on Integral Education. Students of the Sri Sathya Sai School of Guayaquil sent written cards with good wishes to their neighbors and other students to celebrate Christmas.

Paraguay

In October 2020, many families were severely affected by fires. The SSSIO of Paraguay offered 950 food hampers containing milk, oil, rice, sugar, flour, beans, yerba mate (tea), salt and noodles to devastated families, in commemoration of His 95th year of advent.

Peru

Early in the pandemic, the ladies of the Sri Sathya Sai Centre of Trujillo identified the need for masks to protect the most vulnerable. They also made and delivered numerous cloth masks to their local community. In addition, SSSIO volunteers delivered two oxygen concentrators and oxygen-balloons to help patients recover from Covid-19. In November 2020, SSSIO members served more than 170 indigent people by providing food and clothes.

Responding to the needs of fellow Sai devotees, members from the Sri Sathya Sai Center in Lima initiated the Sai Bonds of Love program to serve the most vulnerable members who were affected by the pandemic. In addition, volunteers from the Sri Sathya Sai Center of Miraflores (Lima) distributed groceries to the needy. This service continued throughout the year.

Fifty-eight participants attended a course titled, Excellence in the Application of Human Values, organized by the ISSE of Peru at the Indian Cultural Center from January 12 to March 8, 2020. Forty teachers enthusiastically participated in a series of five workshops from February 11 to March 10, 2020, at the Los Educadores school in Lima.

Uruguay

In July 2020, volunteers from the Sri Sathya Sai Group of Maldonado and the Sri Sathya Sai Center of Montevideo distributed 250 cleaning and pharmacy supplies, 200 wool hats, 3 paddings and 20 coats to 50 underprivileged people in the community.

Venezuela

SSSIO members around the world assisted devotees in Venezuela to buy groceries and medicines during the economic crisis caused by the pandemic.

To better serve the community, SSSIO of Venezuela began upgrading the facilities at the Sathya Sai School of Abejales, which is located in a rural area.