A Community Service Project
The ‘Sai Protein Service Project’ is a community service project undertaken by the Ladies’ Wing of Sri Sathya Sai Society. Sai Protein is a powder rich in protein that can be dissolved in either hot milk or hot water to prepare a health drink which may be served to anyone be it children, adults or the aged and elderly. The Sai Protein powder was introduced by Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba and plays a significant role in many community service projects in India.
The idea came to us through a sister from Mumbai during a brainstorming session at Sai Society’s monthly Ladies’ Wing Meet. The Ladies’ Wing has undertaken this simple yet fulfilling service project for the transient migrant workers on Serangoon Road from Jan 2011 with due permissions for distribution from the NEA.
The transient migrant workers, served by the Cuff Road Project run by TWC2, are workers without a job and earnings, primarily due to work-site injury or other reasons. With no earnings, they have limited access to food and nutrition, especially sources of protein. The Sai Protein project fills this gap and offers healthy plant-based protein to these unfortunate people. Currently, nearly 80% of these unfortunate people come from Bangladesh. This project therefore serves very needy people.
The protein drink is lovingly prepared and served once a week to the Transient Migrant Workers at a restaurant on Cuff Road. With more volunteers joining this programme, there is scope for expanding the service. While the Ladies’ Wing is primarily involved in the preparation of the powder, it encourages youth participation in preparing and serving the drink at the site. Interested youth may please contact [email protected] by email.
Procedure:
The preparation of Sai Protein Powder involves
- Procuring of raw materials
Procure all ingredients from local retailers. - Cleaning and Dry Roasting
Thoroughly clean ingredients by checking for insects, stones etc. Dry-roast all ingredients separately in a thick –bottomed pan on low flame. All ingredients, except cardamom and sugar, are to be dry-roasted. - Grinding
Mix all the dry-roasted ingredients and send to a mill for grinding. Sugar and cardamom are to be ground separately. - Packaging
Mix all ingredients well and pack into 1Kg packets for distribution or storage. - Preparing the drink
Take 3 heaped teaspoons (45gms) of powder in a cup and add hot water little by little and stir well until all the powder mixes in. Serve hot. Hot water may be replaced with hot milk.
Sai Protein Powder – Recipe
This recipe makes about 25Kg of powder.
Serving size: 3 teaspoons (45gms) per cup
| S. No. | Ingredient | Quantity |
| 1. | Wheat | 6kg |
| 2. | Boiled Rice | 1.5kg |
| 3. | Ragi (Millet) | 1.5kg |
| 4. | Green Gram (green chickpeas) | 1.5kg |
| 5. | Green Moong (green lentil) | 1.5kg |
| 6. | Soft Channa Dal (roasted split chickpeas) | 1.5kg |
| 7. | Soya | 0.5kg |
| 8. | Peanut | 0.5kg |
| 9. | Jowar (Great Millet/Kaffir Corn/ Guinea Corn) | 0.5kg |
| 10. | Sago | 100gm |
| 11. | Barley | 50gm |
| 12. | Cardamom | 30gm |
| 13. | Sugar | 10kg |
| Total Weight | 25kg 180gms |
Bhagavan categorically emphasizes that what seva does to you is far more important than what seva you do. What do we need in order to do seva? Money, material and man power are required but Bhagavan says these are not as important; instead what is required is a pure heart. A pure heart full of love is the highest qualification we need to do seva. He summarizes it by saying, to live is to love; you live so that you may learn to love and you love so that you may learn to live. Seva is not a compulsory duty or an uncomfortable obligation. Swami says it should happen naturally and spontaneously. It should occur naturally to us to serve others. He gives a Vedantic stamp to it and says Paropakaarardham idam sariram – this body is meant to help others. It is the very purpose of this body. Hence seva should become a natural thing for us. Excerpt from ‘The Significant Synthesis of Seva and Sadhana’ By Dr. Shiv Shankar Sai, H2H Journal
Quotes by Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba on Selfless Service
“Seva eppudu kashtapadi cheya vaddu, ishtapadi cheyali”, meaning ‘Never render service as an exertion, but do it with liking.’
There is a famous saying that Swami often quotes: “Na thapamsi na theerthani,” – Not by penance, nor by pilgrimage – “na shastram japa nahi” – not by the study of scriptures, nor by continuous chanting – “samsara sagarothare sajjanam, sevanam bina” – if you have the aspiration to cross the ocean of worldly existence, if you are a mumukshu – seeker of liberation – then you must serve.
For the progress of humanity, work alone is not adequate, but the work should be associated with love, compassion, right conduct, truthfulness and sympathy. Without the above qualities, selfless service cannot be performed.
Service broadens your vision, widens your awareness and deepens your compassion.
A person should strive to use every talent and skill they have, not only for their own benefit, but for the benefit of the whole world. Understand that society is the source of whatever pleasure one derives and whatever wealth one achieves in life. We owe everything to society and should be grateful to society for all that we receive from it. We have to repay this debt by helping at least as many people as we can. With a genuine keenness or readiness to serve others, one can attain happiness in any group or community, and the very eagerness to serve others will endow you with the power and skill necessary for the required service.
Click the below link to view the Photo Album of Sai Protein: