AMURT – Emergency relief and Community Development

AMURT and its sister organisation AMURTEL is the emergency response and long term recovery arm of Ananda Marga. From its founding in India in 1965, it has developed into a global emergency response organisation active in more than one hundred countries around the world.

We work very closely with the international Ananda Marga network and bring a refreshingly different approach to emergency response and long term community development.

Mission

AMURT’s mission is to :

• Provide assistance to people facing calamity, conflict and disasters (natural and human caused);
• Help improve the quality of life for the poor and disadvantaged people of the world;
• We facilitate circumstances to enable individuals and communities to harness their own resources for securing the basic necessities of life
• We support the sustainable development of resilient communities in gaining greater economic, social and spiritual fulfillment, while honoring their customs, language, and religious beliefs.

Principles

1. Every human being regardless of race, creed, gender, color or social status is a dignified member of the human family and should be treated with understanding and respect.
2. Every human being has the right to his or her own fundamental needs such as nourishment, accommodation, medical care, clothing, and education. The resources of the earth should be used in a just and appropriate way to meet those needs.
3. Development is a balanced process that maintains an equilibrium between industry and the environment, urban and rural growth, human needs and available resources. Development should lessen the gap between the rich and poor and provide opportunities for all.
4. Appropriate development begins within the social and cultural framework of each community. It enables underprivileged communities to gain a greater degree of independence to determine their own future.
5. It is only by showing respect for women, and ensuring their integration and active participation in the development process, that a harmonious growth of the family, community, and society as a whole can be achieved.

Some of AMURT’s other Projects

Abha Seva Sadan

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The rural areas of Jharkhand state (formerly Bihar) in North-eastern India are among the poorest and most neglected parts of the country. With few schools of poor quality, around 70% of the villagers are illiterate. They suffer from chronic malnutrition and infectious diseases. Primitive subsistence agriculture is the main employment available.

AMURT Australia supports a program that has three parts:

1. Holistic health care for the poor
2. Education in nutrition and hygiene
3. Cerebral Palsy Rehabilitation Program

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Homeless, Refugee and economically disadvantaged Support

In Australia AMURT works with Foodbank Victoria and Foodbank NSW, to provide support for the homeless, refugees and economically disadvantaged persons in Melbourne’s northern suburbs and Sydney’s western suburbs