Sewa is an integral part of Hindu Samaj, and now youngsters have the opportunity to acquire knowledge and skills along with the mindset to serve.
Sewa International Fellowship
The Fellowship is a 100-week (approximately two years) program for youths between 21 and 30 years. While participants can belong to any field, they must have some volunteer experience along with a year of work experience. During the Fellowship period, participants would serve with partner organizations. Participants can directly sign up for the program or be nominated by their seniors, including his/her manager, professor, teacher, guru, colleague, or mentor.
The Fellowship also provides three kinds of support to the participants. “One, ₹20,000 per month during the entire period of grassroots work as a stipend. Two, Around ₹1.75 Lakhs as a grant amount on the successful completion of the fellowship. Three, the accommodation and food would be taken care of by their respective host organizations during the fellowship. Apart from this, there would be an additional investment in the training in the form of courses, reflective activities, immersive programs, and hands-on workshops”, notes the Sewa International website.
The curriculum is firmly rooted in the perspective of individuals actively engaged in grassroots social development. It is structured around three essential pillars: knowledge, skill development, and fostering a strong will to drive change. Each year, fellows will immerse themselves in a comprehensive 300-hour curriculum, which includes participation in residential boot camps, retreat camps, and online lectures. This educational framework complements the experiential learning that takes place during their grassroots work.
This curriculum is the result of thoughtful consideration of India’s current and future requirements and the level of readiness necessary to meet them. It has been developed through extensive consultations with grassroots leaders, subject matter experts, and experienced academics. For a detailed breakdown of the curriculum, you can visit the fellowship’s homepage.
The Sewa fellowship program is meticulously designed to equip participants with the tools and knowledge necessary to tackle intricate challenges and craft innovative solutions in their mission to serve our nation.
Throughout their fellowship journey, participants will receive extensive training, engage with over 80 experienced leaders from more than 30 different organizations, and acquire valuable hands-on skills. The choice of host organizations has been determined by considering four key factors: a strong commitment to a service-oriented culture within the organization, a genuine enthusiasm for creating social impact, the presence of qualified mentors, a substantial level of grassroots involvement, and a diverse range of geographic and project focuses. With the comprehensive curriculum, immersive grassroots experiences, and guidance from seasoned mentors, fellows will be well-prepared to either join established social change organizations or take independent initiatives to drive positive change.
Sewa International’s overarching goal with this fellowship is to foster a community of aspiring and talented young individuals who share a common vision for our nation and the world. Sewa International is committed to supporting fellows far beyond the initial two years, encompassing their entire impact journey. Sewa International recognizes that this is a lifelong partnership in the endeavor of nation-building, commencing with the two-year fellowship period.
Any person with a passion for serving, purposiveness, and self-awareness is an ideal fellow for the Sewa Fellowship. “Each fellow would be assigned a community and a project to work on for the first year of the fellowship. These projects would be part of the partner organizations’ work in the area and would vary from health, education, livelihoods, social businesses, tribal development, etc. A tentative list of projects is mentioned on the fellowship homepage”, says the website regarding the kind the project fellows would undertake during the fellowship period.
About Sewa International
Sewa International originated in 1993 as a global movement targeting the Bharatiya Diaspora (NRI) with the aim of encouraging them to maintain a connection with their Bharatiya heritage. This connection was fostered through contributions to humanitarian causes both locally and in Bharat, particularly during times of natural disasters such as floods, earthquakes, cyclones, tsunamis, pandemics, and other events that cause widespread suffering and require substantial resources for recovery. This movement has since expanded its reach to encompass more than 25 countries worldwide.
In Bharat, Sewa International was formally established in 1997 as a registered non-profit trust, adhering to the principles of ‘Service before Self’ and the belief that the “World is One Family,” deeply rooted in Bharat’s ethos. Since its inception, Sewa International has been unwavering in its commitment to serving those in distress, irrespective of their caste, creed, color, religion, race, or region.
Over the past decade, the organization has shifted its focus from providing short-term disaster relief and rescue efforts to more effective, long-term rehabilitation and development projects in underserved areas. This transformation reflects a dedicated effort to address the underlying socio-economic issues by providing sustainable solutions.
Sewa International is presently engaged in various areas, including health, education, livelihood generation, environmental protection, skill development, community, and rural development, women’s empowerment, and water conservation, operating across 20 states in Bharat through direct initiatives and in collaboration with dedicated grassroots organizations. The organization’s future endeavors align with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are aimed at achieving lasting peace and prosperity for both people and the planet.
(Featured Image Source: Sewa International Website)
