PICS: Sikh One Billion Rising Seva Initiative Prepares 2,300 Care Packages Across Canada

For the seventh consecutive year, Sikhs across Canada, in partnership with the World Sikh Organization of Canada, took part in the One Billion Rising movement by preparing over 2300 care packages for women and children in shelters in 11 Canadian cities: Surrey, Vancouver, Kamloops, Calgary, Saskatoon, Regina, Winnipeg, Toronto, Guelph, London, Ottawa and Montreal. Personal care items, edibles and handmade Valentine’s cards prepared by Sikh children accompanied the packages.

One Billion Rising began as a call to action based on the staggering statistic that 1 in 3 women on the planet will be beaten or raped during her lifetime. With the world population at 7 billion, this adds up to more than one billion women and girls.

One Billion Rising 2020 is coming to a close!

The campaign is based on the statistic that 1/3 women will face violence in their lifetime. During the month of February, WSO volunteers across the country celebrate survivors by creating care packages for them. pic.twitter.com/jQ8HcwG1PQ

— WSO (@WorldSikhOrg) February 22, 2020

This initiative was launched by the WSO in 2013 in Vancouver and has subsequently grown to cities across Canada.

For the first time this year, the Sikh community in London, Guelph, Saskatoon and Kamloops took part.

Volunteers gathered in each city to prepare packages which included a variety of items, including, gift cards, personal care products and plush toys for children.

This year, the campaign saw immense growth with record numbers of cities and packages created. Swipe to see the impact it had in raising awareness about violence against women, the Sikh Family Helpline, and the Canadian Sikh community supporting those in need. pic.twitter.com/hGS5pOw2xR

— WSO (@WorldSikhOrg) February 22, 2020

WSO President Tejinder Singh said, “the Sikh community and WSO’s One Billion Rising initiative began with just once city in 2013 and is now in 12 cities across Canada. Our volunteers who organize this event work tirelessly with the support of the community but it’s all worth it when we hear about the amazing response from those who receive the packages in shelters.

Once again, this year we have been promoting WSO’s Sikh Family Helpline as an active resource for women and families facing violence. We are proud to have had Guelph, London, Saskatoon and Kamloops join us for the first time this year. We are deeply grateful to our community partners and organizations across Canada for helping make all this possible.

These volunteers put together Valentine's Day care packages for women in Greater Toronto Area shelters as part of a Sikh community event. "It's important to tell them that the community supports them,” said organizer Gurleen Kaur. Read more: https://t.co/OSAO0kUdX7 pic.twitter.com/ISDxmvUVTu

— CBC Toronto (@CBCToronto) February 14, 2020