TPRF - The Prem Rawat Foundation

The Prem Rawat Foundation (TPRF) strives to address fundamental human needs so that people everywhere can live their lives with dignity, peace, and prosperity. Founded in 2001, TPRF works to extend the outreach of Prem Rawat’s message of peace throughout the world. TPRF also provides aid for people in urgent need of life-sustaining resources like food and water, especially in areas where funds from larger foundations may not be available. The Foundation has actively funded humanitarian initiatives in 27 countries.

An important part of the TPRF's mission is to help improve the quality of life for people most in need. The Foundation regularly holds free medical clinics in India, helps refugees in war-torn areas, and assists other organizations that support charitable, social, or philanthropic programs and services consistent with Prem Rawat's message of peace.

The Foundation has delivered aid rapidly and efficiently in many countries to people whose lives had been devastated by natural disasters. TPRF has relationships with the best humanitarian organizations with a strong presence in the field: Friends of the World Food Program, the Red Cross, the Houston Food Bank, Action Against Hunger, and Oxfam, among others.

The activities of TPRF are funded by the generosity of individuals who are appreciative of Prem Rawat’s message and the Foundation’s humanitarian initiatives and by the sale of related materials.

The promotion and dissemination of Prem Rawat's message is funded by the contributions of people who appreciate his message and wish to help make it available to others. Prem Rawat is a successful private investor and does not receive any compensation from the Foundation or any other organization furthering his message.

These partnerships are very successful. Foundation’s relationship with Friends of the World Food Program has enabled them to provide food for one month to 9,000 Indonesian tsunami victims; 2,000 famine victims in Niger; 4,500 school children in Guatemala; 6,000 earthquake victims in Pakistan; and thousands of earthquake victims in Peru.

Through the Red Cross, the Foundation provided food aid to mudslide victims in the Philippines, and through Oxfam, TPRF helped to provide drinking water to war victims in Lebanon and Israel. Through the Houston Food Bank, TPRF provided three meals a day for three months to 8,000 victims of Hurricane Katrina.

"Food for People" initiative was started by Maharaji which provides nutritious meals twice a day round the year to people in need in India, Nepal and few other countries. The Foundation also regularly holds free medical clinics. Volunteer eye-care professionals come at appointed times about once a year in each location. They examine people's eyes and dispense the most commonly needed prescriptions immediately. Special prescriptions are made up overnight as needed. At each clinic, about 2,000 people are examined, with 75% of them needing glasses. While blindness is widespread in India, most of it is preventable, and TPRF is educating people on how to take care of their eyes as well as treating their eyes with simple medications and corrective lenses.

TPRF is a California not-for-profit public benefit corporation created in 2001. Contact information:

The Prem Rawat Foundation (TPRF) P.O. Box 24-1498 Los Angeles, CA 90024 USA Ph: +1.310.392.5700 site: TPRF.org

The IRS has granted TPRF public charity status as a 501(c)(3) organization for tax-exempt reporting (Form 990) and contributors’ tax deduction purposes in the U.S. Financial statements are audited annually by an outside accounting firm. Tax returns for all years have been filed with the Internal Revenue Service and the State of California and are available for viewing online at: GuideStar

Recent News & Activities of TPRF

Touching Hearts in Teignmouth

Tourists traveling down to the southwest corner of England can discover a vibrant culture of music, poetry, and the arts in the picturesque seaside town of Teignmouth. It is here that Unraveling Hearts, an innovative independent initiative supporting the work of TPRF has taken root and is flourishing due to the extraordinary local community spirit and the enthusiasm of volunteers.

PEP Piloted in National Adult Education Program in Denmark

In Denmark, continuing education courses in a wide variety of fields are made available to adults at little or no cost. It occurred to Birgitte Nielsen and her husband, Jørgen Holtegaard, friends of TPRF, that the Peace Education Program (PEP) would be a wonderful addition to the available courses.

Sixth Miami Golf Tournament is a Sunny Success

The sixth Miami golf tournament to benefit TPRF was enjoyed by new and repeat golfers at this annual event held in March at the prestigious Hillcrest Country Club in Hollywood, Florida. Golfers traveled from all parts of North America to participate and to enjoy the Florida sunshine.

Behind the Scenes at FFP Otinibi

Recently TPRF enlisted the help of a local story contact in each of the Food for People locations. Alex Wiredu, with the help of Prembaf Ghana Foundation Board member Francis Ahore, offered to develop a relationship with the local people to begin to tell their story.

He Kupu Maungarongo, A Dialogue For Peace

In an event of significance for indigenous people in all parts of the world, Prem Rawat was recently welcomed to Aotearoa (New Zealand) in a dramatic ceremony on the marae (sacred place of the Māori people). This video features the welcome ceremony as well as Prem Rawat's talk

Watch video excerpts from this event.

Sustainability and a Culture of Peace

Prem Rawat was awarded the honorary title of Citizen of São Paulo on Tuesday, April 9, at a special ceremony held at the Municipal Chamber of the City.

With over 300 guests in attendance, the event was broadcast live over the web, and recorded by four TV channels in Brazil.

PEP at Evergreen Hospice

Hospice staff and volunteers are a special breed of healthcare providers who offer not only skilled care and practical advice, but also provide emotional support to the patients and their loved ones. Understanding the challenges people face emotionally at this stage of life, Becky Resnick, social worker at the Evergreen Hospice near Seattle, offered the Peace Education Program (PEP) to a mix of staff and volunteers.

FFP Expands Its Helping Hand in Nepal

It seems like only yesterday that the second Food For People (FFP) facility opened near Katmandu, Nepal.

Tucked away in the Ganesh mountains, a tiny village called Tasarpu was chosen as the site where, in 2009, five hundred children and one hundred infirm adults began receiving daily hot meals. Last month over seven hundred children were fed. The number of infirm adults who need this additional meal has dropped to just twenty-six.

Full Stomachs, Satisfied Hearts

Changing Lives in Yucatán

For two years, María Silvestre Requena Pool, 32-year-old mother of a large Mayan family, has been getting up early once a week to help prepare hot breakfasts at the elementary school her children attend.

"At first our husbands got angry because we left early to cook at the school," she says, "but when we prepared for them what we learned at school, they liked it because they were eating new dishes."

Eye Clinics Bring Clear Sight to Thousands in India

Imagine living in a rural village where no eye services are available. Both children and adults who are near-sighted simply suffer the repercussions of living in a blurry world. Affected children cannot see the blackboard in school and adults are restricted in what work they can do. As people age and farsightedness begins, they can no longer do many simple tasks such as sewing, reading, or examining something up close.

PEP Workshops Welcomed in Sun City, Arizona

The Peace Education Program (PEP) workshops in Arizona are now being presented in Sun City, the nation’s first active adult retirement community. Sun City has over 40,000 residents, who either live there permanently or seasonally, and lies about 24 miles NW of Phoenix.

Always interested in new and interesting programs to run at the Fairway Library in Sun City, Library Manager Gail Ellis welcomed the PEP curriculum when it was presented to her. The library did most of the promotion. The classes are organized and presented by a group of friends of TPRF who work as a team, volunteering their time.

Water Brings Life to the Sub-Saharan Desert

Gardens and trees are flourishing in the desert in Niger, thanks to a new borehole that brings fresh water up from a natural aquifer more than 600 feet underground.

Funding for the borehole was a joint project of Vibrant Village Foundation and TPRF. The project was envisioned and managed by Amman Imman: Water for Life. The deep well is located in Ebagueye, one of several tiny villages that have sprung up in the parched Azawak region.

Food for People Nepal Wins Accolades in the National Press

Govinda Adhikari, a journalist with The Nagarik Daily published in Kathmandu and widely read throughout Nepal, recently wrote an editorial praising Food for People as the first working solution to a long-time challenge: how to help the Chepang, an aboriginal Tibeto-Burman people who live in the rugged Mahabharat mountain range of central Nepal.

Ringing in the New Year, Feeding Two Children for a Full Year

On New Year’s Eve, inhabitants of the quiet little village of about 900 people in Aujargues, located in southern France, were invited to bring in the New Year with a special fundraising pot luck in aid of TPRF’s Food for People (FFP) program. For the pot luck dinner, or “auberge espagnole” as it is known in France, everybody brought one sweet dish and one savory dish and, of course, a bottle of French wine!

Prem Rawat Honored by President of Italian Senate

On December 3, 2012 Renato Schifani, President of the Italian Senate, hosted a conference that honored both Lifetime Senator Emilio Colombo, one of the founders of the European Union and previous president of the European Parliament, and TPRF founder Prem Rawat, who has been widely recognized as an international advocate for peace. The event was held in the Sala Zuccari, a ceremonial suite within the Palazzo Giustiniani, home of the Italian Senate in the heart of ancient Rome.

One Step at a Time

Excerpt from Prem Rawat’s address at the Italian Senate, December 3, 2012

Honorable members of the Parliament, honorable members of the government, distinguished guests. Sometimes we forget what the process of peace is. The most practical example I can give you is cleaning something. When you clean something, do you take “clean” from a bottle and spread it all over? Or do you remove the dirt? When the dirt is removed, whatever it is becomes clean automatically. That is what it is.

Eye Surgery a Game Changer for Palestinian Child

At three and a half, Mariam developed a pronounced squint. Her concerned parents took her to a local optometrist, who diagnosed farsightedness and prescribed glasses. But remembering to wear your glasses is hard when you're only three and a half, and the squinting persisted.

Nepalese and Italians in Rome Join to Support FFP Nepal

In December 2012, friends of TPRF in Rome hosted their second annual event in support of the Food for People project in Nepal. This year the event was held in the homey environment of the Society L’Angolo dell’Avventura (The adventurer’s corner) on the picturesque Lungotevere Romano.

As in the previous year, a group of 15 volunteers from People for Peace and 15 volunteers from the Nepalese Society in Rome organized the event together with the Society L’Angolo dell’Avventura, which provided spacious rooms and technical equipment.

Heart of Dublin Rocks with Peace

Friends in Dublin came together to raise awareness of TPRF’s Food for People program. A traditional pub in the heart of Dublin was the perfect venue for a lively evening of music and dancing.

Country rock and blues bands had everyone on their feet. “There was a great feeling in the place,” said Andy, one of the organizers. “We’re really inspired and are going to hold another gig in a month’s time to introduce more people to TPRF’s work.”

TPRF Funds Freshwater Supply, Modern Sanitation for Rural Indian Village

A project to provide clean water and improve sanitation at a girls school in the remote Indian village of Veedur will raise the standard of living for all of the area's 6,500 inhabitants.

Clean water is among the most desperate needs in the Villupuram section of the state of Tamil Nadu, where Veedur is located. For the villagers, whose traditional occupation is agriculture, lack of water means no way of making a living. They are trapped in a downward cycle of low literacy and poor health.

Food for People - Ghana

Now in Ghana...

With FFP thriving in both India and Nepal, the decision was made to expand the program to another continent. The village of Otinibi, on the outskirts of Accra, the capital of Ghana, was chosen partly because of the hardship of its 1,500 residents.  Most are farmers by trade, but due to poor soil conditions and unpredictable weather patterns, there is rarely enough food grown to sell. The strongest residents often work for food by breaking up rocks for road building.

The FFP facility is located near the Otinibi school, on land donated by Chief Nii Adjei Kweidzamansah III The beautiful new facility has been in operation since May 2012 and is managed by the local Prembaf Ghana Foundation. The number of meals served each weekday reached 400 in September and is steadily climbing. On the weekends, meals are served to the elderly who have few resources.

As in Bantoli and Tasarpu, school enrollment is on the rise, and teachers report increased attention from their students. According to Grace Ninsaw, Headmistress of the primary school, attendance rose from 160 to 400 in the first six months since FFP’s opening. “And because of the wonderful nourishment, we have seen a marked improvement in academic performance,” she added.

By now, the children have become accustomed to the routine of washing their hands, lining up for their plates of food, and then returning their dishes to be washed.

Joseph Nartey, a ten-year-old boy in Class Five, comments, “Before the FFP feeding program, I was afraid as each school day approached because sometimes there was no money to take to school to buy food during break time. Now, I am not afraid of school days because Prembaf always gives us good food."

Kate Nagetey, a staff member of Prembaf from a village near Otinibi, does cleaning at the facility. She said, "This FFP project has saved people from poor homes. Now the children can focus on learning and have become active. The project has helped many children to attend school, but it has also helped some old folks to survive. I wish I had such an opportunity when I was attending school."

When Prem Rawat visited the facility in November 2012, Otinibi Chief Nii Adjei Kweidzamansa III offered more land to FFP to develop an organic garden. Speaking to Mr. Rawat, he said, "I knew this area before, and I have personally seen the success of what it has now become. It is so very positive for the people in Otinibi. Prem Rawat, your name shall never vanish from the history of Ghana."

Food for People Program: First in India...   Next in Nepal...

Food for People - Nepal

Next in Nepal...

In the early morning hours, activity stirs in the FFP facility located in the small village of Tasarpu, set in the rugged mountains near Katmandu, Nepal.  Staff members are preparing to feed 500 school children and 100 infirm adults. This has been the daily routine for over three years in this mountainous area where subsistence farming rarely provides enough food for nine months.

The kitchen, dining room and toilet facilities are sparkling clean. The staff, who live in the village or in the new FFP housing structure, are cheerful and welcoming.

FFP opened in Nepal in 2009, in partnership with Premsagar Foundation Nepal (PFN). Since then, the local school has seen a significant rise in enrollment necessitating the addition of a new grade each of the last 3 years to accommodate increased demand. After the first year, the elementary school principal reported that school attendance had climbed from 40% to 94%; enrollment had more than doubled; and the dropout rate was less than 5%.

Children no longer need to work all day for food or leave school hungry in the middle of the school day. Prem Raj Dhungel, a professor of physics at Tribhuvan University and Vice President of PFN describes the situation further. “Children were skipping school to help their parents with household chores,” he said. “They had to travel long distances, up and down the hills, many times, to fetch water, look after the domestic animals, and take care of their younger siblings. With no one to prepare a morning meal for them, they either went to school hungry or not at all.”

In Tasarpu, the passing rate for the National SLC (School Leaving Certificate) examination is now 61% compared to the national average of 47%. This is the second highest in the district. (The passing rate of another secondary school in the same district where only a few students come to FFP is 24%).

Recently, seven Tasarpu students received grants to continue their education past the normal grades, thanks to the generosity of patrons of PFN. Premsagar has also donated two computers to the local schools, giving computer access to the students for the first time.
The Social Welfare Council (SWC), a government body that regulates nonprofit organizations in Nepal, recognized Food for People as an “innovative intervention” and “exemplary model” in literacy programs.  

The SWC said, “Not only has the quality of education improved, but standards of hygiene have risen both at school and in the home. The physical infrastructure, funded by TPRF, has mobilized local skills and labor, and this, along with the regular purchase of vegetables at market prices, has made a significant contribution to the local economy. Parents have gained new agricultural skills, and, with their children attending school, have more time to engage in income-generating activities.”

Food for People Program: First in India...     Now in Ghana...

Food for People - India

First in India...

 In 2006, TPRF partnered with the local Premsagar Foundation to open its first Food for People facility in the remote village of Bantoli, a tribal area of Jharkhand in northeast India.

Here, children grow up in simple huts with dirt floors. Rocky soil yields little food, and most able adults perform grueling manual labor to feed their families. Sending their children to school consistently is rarely an option for these families, which perpetuates the cycle of poverty even further.

However, the situation is changing. Each year, FFP serves over 100,000 hot, nutritious meals to children and ailing adults from the seven villages surrounding Bantoli. Because of this regular, good nutrition and the accompanying basic hygiene education, children of the area have become healthier and their parents are allowing them to return to school.

Previously undernourished children are seen skipping to the FFP facility with smiles on their faces before heading off to school. Teachers who bought food with their own money to feed their starving students now see children who are attentive throughout the day and eager to learn. School officials are thrilled that school enrollment and attendance continues to grow dramatically.

Most importantly, students are envisioning how they can help their villages by continuing their education to learn new skills. Recently, a graduate of Bantoli’s secondary school became the first child from this entire area to qualify for advanced education in the state school system.

Correspondingly, ailing adults have been able to return to work to support their families, and good hygiene practices that are learned at FFP are carrying over into homes and helping to prevent further sickness.

As a result, crime has decreased significantly in Bantoli, and there is a sense of shared pride and hope building in the community.

Before FFP, the desperate economic outlook drove people to steal firewood from their neighbors, which led to violent fights. Many children were involved in such petty thefts. As desperation for enough food has diminished, crime has become a rarity, and people feel more confident about finding work to earn money for what they need.

Said one Bantoli resident, “Now bundles of firewood and other things are left in the yard and they are safe. Nobody steals them. This is a very significant change.”

Food for People Program:   Next in Nepal...   Now in Ghana...

Grants by Country

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TPRF has helped provide rapid and effectively placed humanitarian assistance in 39 countries. Select a country link beneath the map below to learn more about specific initiatives in each location.

The Taste of Clean Water

In Rokhakiri, a small district in southeast Cambodia's Battambang province, a new beverage is now available: clean water.

"I've never tried it before," says Kheang, who lives in the tiny village of Roung. "Everyone in Roung is happy. We have good water, not like the dirty water from the pond. The people always had stomach problems, and some of the children died. We don't get sick so much now."

Seasons Greetings from Prem Rawat

Watch a special video from Prem Rawat wishing everyone a peaceful and prosperous new year.

Grantseekers

In order to focus on the development and future expansion of TPRF’s Food for People and related programs, the foundation will not be accepting new Letters of Inquiry or grant applications at this time.

New Filtration and Storage Facilities Bring Clean Water to Thai Schoolchildren

More than a thousand schoolchildren in rural Thailand will have access to clean drinking water, thanks to a partnership between TPRF and a Thai charitable foundation.

About 84% of Thais have access to clean drinking water, according to the World Health Organization and UNICEF. Those who lack such access are concentrated in remote rural areas where there are no public utilities. Many are too poor to afford bottled water and must make do with water from ground wells and streams.

Peace on the Inside

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A Bridge to Peace: Prem Rawat Speaks at Kensington Palace

It was a typical British summer day when Prem Rawat was invited to speak at Kensington Palace, as part of The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations in 2012. The audience, including members of the House of Lords, academics, politicians, and celebrities, were welcomed into the State Rooms of this historic Royal Palace.

(Last check for latest updates: 4 hr 46 min ago)courtesy: TPRF