Guyana Helping Hands Project

Anjali Mudra Mission

Guyana Helping Hands Project

MISSION STATEMENT: The Anjali Mudra Mission - Guyana Helping Hands Project is a humanitarian organization working in conjunction with Kishnayoga in Wappingers Falls, NY; Braj Dham Temple, Brooklyn, NY; and Bhuvaneshwar Temple on the East Bank of Demerara in Guyana, South America. Anjali Mudra Mission will provide wholesome food, nutritional education, basic clothing, housing repair assistance, minor medical guidance, and over-the-counter medicines to those in need.

The Anjali Mudra Mission, in coordination with Bhuvaneshwar Temple will also assist children of this area by giving donations to the orphanages, providing school books, educational materials, computer training classes, language classes, as well as music and Yoga classes in the Temple.

Anjali Mudra Mission will also provide food, clothing and other basic necessities to those living at the Dharam Sala -- Guyana’s homes for the elderly.

We will coordinate trips to Guyana for people in the US and other countries who have special skills or anything to offer to those in need. Anjali Mudra Mission will also provide free modest accommodations and food to those who wish to donate some time and funds each year to participating in this project.

In the spirit of selfless service and compassion, Anjali Mudra Mission is dedicated to providing assistance in this area of Guyana regardless of religious beliefs, color, race, background or orientation.

About Anjali Mudra Mission

Guyana Helping Hands Project

Anjali Mudra is the sign of the hands placed together in prayer. Anjali means offering and mudra means to seal. Anjali mudra nourishes the heart with awareness, gently encouraging it to open in compassion. In this way we also interpret it as joining of hands together in assistance to others.

Anjali Mudra Mission first began in 2001 through Sandy Sooknanan-Kriz who is a Citizen of Guyana and permanent resident of the United States. She was born in Georgetown, Guyana in 1963 and came to the USA in 1982. Sandy holds a degree in Nutrition and decided to become a Yoga Teacher. She gave up her career to dedicate her life to teaching Yoga and participating in humanitarian projects.

Sandy’s grandparents, Kishna & Nanan Sooknanan, deeded to her and her siblings a house that she has been visiting yearly. One day, she realized that this house could be used to help some of the children in the villages. Each paycheck she would put away some money and then contact a family member in the village who would tell her the names of those children and families in need. Sandy would shop for clothes and toys for them which she then would bring with her when she visited the Village. She would also help the parents with some monetary support as she was able.

Sandy, with the help of her father, brother and sisters, rebuilt their grandparent’s home to accommodate people from the US and other countries who would want to visit Guyana in order to donate their time and money to help provide assistance to those in need by cooking and serving foods, doing minor household repairs, and any kind of specialized assistance they could provide such as nursing, medical, dental, nutrition, as well as spiritual practices and education.

In 2006, Sandy began to coordinate with Barbara Colber of Santosha Yoga Center in Newtown, CT, Dolly & Lall Singh of Braj Dham Temple and Bhuvaneshwar Temple, and Toni Marie Caravello of Prema Yoga Studio in Pawling, NY in order invite others to help donate their time and money.

Who we are:

SANDY SOOKNANAN-KRIZ is interested in the Healing aspects of Yoga that include a focus on stress reduction, weight loss, study of yogic techniques that reduce anxiety, increase sense of total wellness and of self physically and spiritually. Sandy offers instruction not only in the physical practices of Asana (yoga poses), but also in pranayama (breath work), in meditation, and in yoga philosophy.

Sandy first began the physical practice of yoga just before her son was born in 1998, and has been a student of meditation and Hindu spiritualism most of her life. She has a degree in food and nutrition and has worked in the medical field and in wellness centers and various gyms since 1991 counseling people with respect to weight loss and educating patients about specialized medically prescribed diets. Sandy is a mother of four children and incorporates healthy living into every aspect of her life.

While putting together the brochure for our Mission after it had been named Guyana Helping Hands Project, we began looking for a quote about selfless service from one of the Masters that would help guide us on our journey and convey our goals. In less than two minutes of searching we found this quote on Ammachi’s website:

"Lending a helping hand to a neglected soul, feeding the hungry, a compassionate smile towards the sad and dejected, this is the real service, a manifestation of true Love. We should invoke God's compassion in our own hearts and hands."

--Mata Amritanandamayi “Ammachi” The Hugging Saint

The Anjali Mudra Mission’s
Journey to Guyana

The Anjali Mudra Mission will be scheduling small groups (20 people or less) to travel to, from and within Guyana each year to facilitate the goals of Guyana Helping Hands Project. Trips are 7 - 10 days in duration. The efforts of the Anjali Mudra Mission & Guyana Helping Hands Project address rural areas of Guyana. The itinerary of each trip includes daily meetings with other professionals in a variety of settings such as the temple, private homes, homes for the aging, and schools. Before and after regularly scheduled daily activities, travelers will have time to pursue relevant interests regarding the mission of the Project as well as personal interests. Travel and activities in Guyana must comply with all Government of Guyana’s laws, rules and regulations pertinent to the Anjali Mudra Mission & Guyana Helping Hands Project.

What you need to do if you want to participate:
1.) Contact Sandy Sooknanan-Kriz at 845-849-2795 to briefly discuss your interest and qualifications for attendance (see Qualification Requirements below).
2.) Once you have been "pre-qualified", complete the registration packet and other related documents **Please note that even after pre-qualification, a final decision on your ability to participate cannot be made until we have received your registration packet, supporting documentation and registration fee.
3.) Send in your registration packet, supporting documentation and registration fee. (If you do not qualify, your registration fee will be returned).
4.) We will contact you within a few days to begin helping you with your travel arrangements.

Qualification Requirements-

Anjali Mudra Mission’s Journey participants can be:

1. Certified healthcare providers (nurses, doctors, dentists, counselors, etc.)*

2. Repair specialists such as Plumbers, Carpenters and Electricians *

3. Spiritual Educators such as Monks, Yoga Teachers, Priests*

4. Indian Musicians (tabla, harmonium, sitar, singers)

5. Computer specialists and teachers

6. Teachers of music, and any other skills.

7. Anyone with a sincere desire to donate food, clothing, and/or their time.

*When applying, please include a copy of any pertinent certifications and licenses.

Financial Requirements:

 Donation from Volunteers: Anjali Mudra Mission and Sandy Sooknanan-Kriz will donate accommodations, food and laundry services to provide you with a comfortable stay. We ask that you consider bringing charitable donations to give to those in need. A regular 7-10 day vacation in Guyana would normally cost more than $2,000. BUT we ask that you donate at least $400 in money and items to Anjali Mudra Mission or directly to the families. This is about a quarter of what you would spend if you took that regular vacation, and you will still have a wonderful time in Guyana for less. If you don’t have the monetary funds to donate, we ask that you have some special skills and offer much of your time in Guyana to those in need.

Donations can be also in any combination of the following.

1. $400 minimum amount to be donated to Anjali Mudra Mission Guyana Helping Hands Project which will be used to purchase food, clothing and other items from the farmers and vendors in Guyana. These items will go directly to the families, orphanages and homes for the elderly. Purchasing items from local merchants helps support the farmers and vendors as well as provides food and clothing for the members of the community.

2. Choose a family (info to be provided) and donate medicines, money, toys and clothing for this family. You can bring clothing from USA or purchase in Guyana. Purchasing items in Guyana helps the local merchants also.

3. Donate your time and money for materials to perform minor repairs on old houses which can include repairs to roofs, windows, stairs, and floors. Most of the hard labor is done by the locals and we participate in their daily activities assisting and overseeing. This further helps the locals by creating jobs for them.

4. Bring over-the-counter medicines, medical supplies.

5. Purchase toys for the children of the Orphanages in Guyana.

6. Donate food and clothing and toiletries to those in Home for the Aging.

Monetary and Other Donations -
For those who do not wish to travel to Guyana, Anjali Midra Mission accepts any and all donations. One of our officers hand carries the donations to Guyana for Guyana Helping Hands Project. Rest assured that ALL monies and items reach their intended beneficiaries. Make check or Money Order out to Kishna Yoga, put Anjali Mudra Mission Guyana Helping Hands in the memo portion of the check

Mail to or drop off cash donations at:

Sandy Kriz

Anjali Mudra Mission

c/o Kishnayoga

1575 Route 376
Wappingers Falls, NY 12590

Anjali Mudra Mission c/o Sandy Sooknanan-Kriz

16 Exeter Road

Poughkeepsie, NY 12603

845-849-2795

Donations Sites -

You can also drop off your cash or other donations at specific sites in Brooklyn, and areas in Upstate New York. A list of drop-off sites will be available. Please call Sandy Sooknanan-Kriz at 845-849-2795

The following items are also needed:

Anti-diarrhea medicine	Personal hygiene products
Diabetic Testing Kits	Flip-flop slippers
Sinus & Allergy OTC meds	Vitamins
Aspirin, Tylenol	Blood pressure kits
Antacids	Children's vitamins
First Aid Kits, band-aids, etc	Toys, coloring books, crayons
Medical Supplies	Non-prescription reading glasses
T-shirts & underwear & socks	Hair holders, brushes
You are allowed 100 pounds of items to be brought into Guyana to be divided into suitcases weighting 50lbs or less. Please pack accordingly.

 Registration Fee - Our registration fee is $50 and is required for all symposium participants. This is how we keep ourselves funded and is tax-deductible. Our registration fee covers the review of your application, help with making your travel arrangements, and other basic arrangements in Guyana such as guides and night security. If you are selected to go, you will be required to send us a check for $50.

General Costs:
The Anjali Mudra Mission does not make a profit on your traveling expenses such as hotel, flights, etc. Our registration fee is to help with operations of the Mission. The missionaries and coordinators of Guyana Helping Hands Project are also volunteers and do not make any money or draw a salary.

 Flight from US to Guyana - Our group normally flies out of JFK straight to Guyana. On average, these flights range from $500 - $800 round trip depending on the Airline and time of year. We might even be able to obtain a special rate since we are traveling as a humanitarian group. You are responsible for your transportation from your home to New York’s JKF airport should you choose to fly with the group. Group transportation to the airport from various points may also be arranged. You are, of course, welcome to travel to Guyana from another airport, but you would have to schedule your flight with our flight in order to arrive in Guyana on the same day in order to secure transportation from the Airport in Guyana to the Mission Headquarters and Main House Accommodations.

 Guyana Travel Documents: - You need a valid Passport to enter Guyana but no visa is required. Travelers for other than tourism purposes should check with the Ministry of Home Affairs for information about requirements for work permits and extended stays.

See: http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1133.html

and

http://www.guyana.org/govt/visa_requirements.html

All U.S. citizens visiting or residing in Guyana are strongly encouraged to register at the ACS window in the Consular Section during walk-in hours or online at https://travelregistration.state.gov/ibrs/home.asp

 Housing: - The Anjali Mudra Mission provides modest housing in a private Guyana home (Main House) owned by Sandy Sooknanan-Kriz’s family. You will need sleeping bags, toiletries, a Yoga mat, bug repellants, etc (a complete list of essential items will be provided upon registration.) You will be assigned a shared room with a member of the same sex, a mattress and a shared bathroom, but more importantly, you will get exposure to the day to day living in a Guyanese Village. The Main House is modestly furnished at present, however we would be delighted to have donations which would help us purchase beds and other furniture for your use and the use of future participants.

You also have the option of staying at a nearby hotel. Depending on the quality of the hotel, prices range from $50 and up. Either way, we will help you make your arrangements.

 Transportation: - In Guyana, the Anjali Mudra Mission travels by mini-bus as a group. The bus provides pickup from the airport upon arrival, transportation to all scheduled symposium events, transportation to Temple and private homes for mission work, transportation to recreational activities and drop off to the airport for departure. The fee for the bus for the whole week is less than $100 per person payable along with your registration fee. (You will be notified of actual amount).

 Food: - Anjali Mudra Mission provides FREE on-site food and cooking for the staff. There will be no beef served in the house. You are also able to eat in various restaurants which can cost anywhere from ten dollars per day for eating three meals a day at moderately priced restaurants.

 Incidentals: - We suggest planning for $30 a day for incidentals such as eating out, nightly entertainment, bottled water, taxis for after hours travel, etc. We will try to do everything as a group, but if you wish to go out on your own, we will help you find transportation or help coordinate additional trips for you. However fees for these events are not included in your stay.

 Total Cost of a 7-10 trip including registration fee, airfare, transportation, accommodations, food, monetary/item donations, and incidentals will range from $1050 to $1750 or more should you decide to stay at a hotel. The total cost will vary depending on how often you eat outside the Temple, take private transportation and visit the surrounding sites on your own as well as how much you decide to donate.

MEDICAL INSURANCE: The Department of State strongly urges Americans to consult with their medical insurance company prior to traveling abroad to confirm whether their policy applies overseas and whether it will cover emergency expenses such as a medical evacuation. See: http://travel.state.gov/travel/tips/health/health_1185.html

Program Partial Scholarship:

Anjali Mudra Mission is setting up a partial scholarship program for those who have special skills but might not have the funds to participate in the program. Some examples of scholarships could come in the form of waiver of registration fee, partial payment of airline tickets, donation items waived in exchange for special skills or work related projects, travel expenses within Guyana.

Those who would like to fully or partially sponsor a participant, please contact Sandy Sooknanan-Kriz at 845-849-2795.

Those who wish to be considered for scholarships, please provide the following:

1. Registration (fee waived)

2. An essay describing your special skills, how you intend to participate, why you want to participate in the program and how you feel such a program will help you with your future plans.

3. Three letters of reference

4. A breakdown of the financial reasons and any information you can provide with respect to why you are requesting a Scholarship.

Make all checks payable to Kishnayoga and mail or drop off your registration packets including $50.00 registration fee to:

Sandy Sooknanan-Kriz

16 Exeter Road

Poughkeepsie, NY 12603

845-849-2795

www.kishnayoga.com

The Anjali Mudra Mission’s Journey to Guyana

Typical Daily Itinerary

Morning

6:00 Wakeup

6:30 Meditation & Prayers

7:15 Hatha Yoga Class

8:30 Breakfast

9:15 House Meeting regarding day’s Schedule

10:00 Taxis arrive for pickup

10:15 Arrive at work destination (e.g., Temple, Dharm Sala, Private House, etc)

Afternoon

1:00 Lunch at workplace, restaurant or back at the Main House.

2:00 Back to scheduled workplace

4:00 Taxis leave for Main House

4:15 Free Time & Snacks

Evening

5:45 Dinner

7:00 Temple for Evening Program

e.g. Kirtan, Chanting Music, Satsang, Guest Speakers

9:00 Tea and Snacks in Main House

Water: The drinking of bottled or boiled water is recommended.

Daily schedules will vary, and there will be ample time for visiting the sites around the area. Anjali Mudra Mission will plan and organize several group excursions and tours such as to Sea Wall (beach), Shopping, Selena Resort, Guyana Zoo, Bollywood Night Club for Dancing, Splashmins Fun Park and Resort, Churches, Museums, Nature Walks most of which are free, travel arrangements are included in transportation fee, other costs will be the responsibility of traveler. We will try to do some of the above, but perhaps not ALL. It will be based on the amount of time we have, the weather, as well as decisions by the group on where they would like to visit.

It will most likely be one day of mission work and then one half day of touring. Most of the hard labor is done by the locals and we participate in their daily activities assisting and overseeing.

The Anjali Mudra Mission’s Journey to Guyana

Typical Sample Daily Temple Menu

Breakfast:

Coffee, Juice & Tea

Tropical & Regular Fruits

(mangos, pineapples, bananas, grapes, etc.)

Bread, Rolls and Cheese and Cereals

Roti (Indian flatbread)

Various Vegetable Curries & Dal (lentils, splitpea)

Eggs available outside of temple upon request

Snack:

Fruits

Indian Sweets

Cheese and Crackers

Sweet Biscuits

Lunch:

Rice, Rotis & Dal

Various Vegetarian Curries and Stews

(Spinach, Pumpkin, Fried Okra, Potatoe Curry)

Fruit and Salads

Breads

Dinner:

Rice, Rotis & Dal

Various Vegetarian Curries and Stews

Kicherie & Local Guyanese Cuisine

Salads

Breads

Night Snack (at main house):

Teas

Sweet Biscuits and Tennis Rolls (soft sweet rolls)

Pineapple tarts

Cheese & Crackers

Fruit is always available.

Dining or take-out from local restaurants is available at participant’s own cost. At Main House there will be different chicken, fish and shrimp dishes, chowmein noodles and fried rice available (meat not to be eaten in the Temple). Note: No Beef is ever served or can be eaten on any of the grounds.

The Anjali Mudra Mission’s

Guyana Helping Hands Project

Donation Drop-Off Sites

Kishnayoga 1575 Route 376 Wappingers Falls, NY 12590 www.kishnayoga.com	Sandy Sooknanan-Kriz 16 Exeter Road Poughkeepsie, NY 12603 845-849-2795 sandy@kishnayoga.com
	Braj Dam Temple Brooklyn, NY

The Anjali Mudra Mission

Further Information and Websites about Guyana

Guyana is a country in north-eastern South America. It has an Atlantic Ocean coastline in the northeast, and lies between Suriname to the east and Venezuela to the west, with Brazil to the south. It is now the third-smallest country in South America after Suriname and Uruguay. The name Guyana (From Arawak Guayana) Means: Land of many waters. (Wikipedia: http://wikitravel.org/en/Guyana)

Climate: Situated in the tropics, Guyana has an equatorial climate. But on the low lying coastlands where most of the people live, the northeast trade winds have a moderating effect, creating a pleasant climate throughout the year.

History: Originally a Dutch colony in the 17th century, by 1815 Guyana had become a British possession. The abolition of slavery led to black settlement of urban areas and the importation of indentured servants from India to work the sugar plantations. The largest ethnic group is the East Indians (about 51 percent), descendants of indentured laborers from India, followed by the Africans (38 percent). The other ethnic groups are the Chinese, the Europeans (mostly Portuguese) and the Amerindians. See: http://www.visitgt.com/guyana/

Poverty: At present Guyana has the unfortunate distinction of being one of the poorest nations in the western hemisphere. Almost half the population is unemployed. Nearly 35% of all Guyanese live in absolute poverty, and 20% live in a state of critical poverty. Poverty is particularly prevalent amongst single-parent families, and it affects women more than it does men. And amongst ethnic groups, indigence is especially marked amongst the Amerindian tribes, 80% of whose members fall below the poverty line.
See: http://www.guyanavision2020.com/chapter9.htm

Where we will be going:
East Bank of Demerara River:
The Demerara River is a river in eastern Guyana that rises in the central rainforests of the country and flows to the north for 346 kilometres until it reaches the Atlantic Ocean. Georgetown, Guyana's largest seaport and capital, is situated on the east bank of the river's mouth. The Demerara's estuary is narrow and the flowrate is rapid. This scouring action maintains a 5-6 metre deep direct channel to the ocean.