Saritsa Foundation is a mobile university that builds disaster risk reduction and climate change resilience through participatory education. It reaches vulnerable communities in Goa to develop survival skills and safety culture. In 2013, Saritsa Foundation trained over 135 village leaders, youth, and women in 6 districts. Through interactive workshops, participants learned first aid, early warning, search and rescue, and developed action plans using local resources. Evaluations found the training increased optimism, teamwork, initiative, resourcefulness, determination, and confidence in participants' abilities to protect themselves and their communities from disasters.

1. SARITSA FOUNDATION (SARITSA CHARITY TRUST)
A Mobile University For Disaster Risk Reduction & Climate Change
Builds capacity to reduce risks from disasters and climate change
by reaching to “Door Steps of vulnerable people - "A
People Centered, People Led, and People Owned Resilience and
Safety Culture Methodology.

2. Disaster Management, Preparedness Education and Training
Reaches to the Door Steps of Village Panchayats, Schools,
Women and Youth in Goa.
Government of Goa and Saritsa Foundation take disaster preparedness
at the Door Steps of 135 village panchayat members (Elected member
of village bodies/ municipal wards) youth, women, school/college
youth 6 tehsils (Talukas) from 29 July to 3rd August 2013 to develop
resilience and safety culture at individual, family and societal level to
minimize risks.
Saritsa Foundation advocates and practices people centered, people
led, and people owned methodology to teach participants the art of
survival in harsh reality of enhanced threats of disasters. Saritsa
Foundation makes people aware that surviving in life threatening
situations is a science of attitude, it can instill positivity,
resourcefulness, energy and fire inside us. The trick is to overcome the
mind of indifference towards individual, family and societal safety and
dependence on outside agencies to protect.

3. This attitude of neglect sinks people in an inaction trap. Saritsa
Foundation endeavors for a possible change at individual, family and
societal level to make people responsible for a possible change to
protect lives and property. This involves raising awareness to recognize
risks and vulnerabilities to them and inspiring them to take a decision
to learn and prepare to do it.
The participants are guided and educated to develop definite plans to
minimize risks with use of local resources. The secret to protect lies in
thinking fast with ingenuity and responding with developed skills.
Participants are told that they have to be committed to learn. No one
teaches these survival skills in school, college or other forums, the way
“aritsa does it. What ake a differe ce is that with this educatio
participants learn dynamics, self protection and survival skills.

4. Saritsa Foundation adopted interactive and participatory methodology
to make people learn and act as: -
1. Trainers and motivators
2. Early warning groups
3. First Aid groups
4. Search and Rescue groups
Saritsa Foundation had defined the roles and responsibility of each
group and made them practice with needed equipments as part of
their learning.
The mock drills with live scenarios had made each group to rehearse
and respond to strengthen their skills for search and rescue operations
in disasters like earthquake, flood, cyclone and terrorism.
The impact quantification of this education is highly satisfying.
Participants were inspired to perform their roles to protect and raise
awareness amongst them.

5. It is heartening to share that on an analysis of the impacts of this
education, the following indicators were visible amongst participants:-
1) Optimism – We can do it!
2) Team work – We are together to protect ourselves and our people.
3) Initiative – Timely mind mapping of action plans with survival skills.
4) Resourcefulness to use local resources – Innovative use of local
resources.
5) Determination – We have effective skills to save lives.
6) Confidence and finding strength in themselves – We are strong
enough to take local action to protect.
7) The preparedness education will bring best into the participants to
find their own strength.
The most valuable honor and award to Saritsa Foundation was that a
number of Sarpanches /members of panchayats/others came to
co gratulate the tea of “aritsa Fou datio a d stated that The
team members of Saritsa Foundation speak from their Soul and Heart
to impart education and training to participants which inspires them
i e sely.

6. Some of the photographs
are given showing Taluka
wise events of the
workshops

8. Additional Collector and Colonel N M Verma at inauguration.

9. The Participants

16. The Participants

54. Please Contact/Donate
saritsa@vsnl.net OR saritsafoundationindia.in@gmail.com,
http://www.youtube.com/user/saritsafoundation
Mob- 09323157377,
Tel- 91 22 24366370
Fax - 022- 24370138
Website- saritsafoundation.org (Mozilla Firefox)
Donation/Support by donors/supporters be sent on name of
Saritsa Foundation(Saritsa Charity Trust) by Cheque/Draft to
Corporation Bank, Mumbai Worli Branch India. SB Account
No. 017400101011299. IFSC : CORP0000174. OR

55. Transfer of the Donation/Support on name of Prof. Smita
Kadam, Executive Director through Western Union Money
Transfer, Mumbai India.
Address for Western Union Money Transfer –
Prof. Smita Kadam
National HQ –
Flat No.-3, Pankaj CHS, S R Keer Marg, Bhandar Lane, Mahim
West, Mumbai – 400016.
Email for information - saritsa@vsnl.net
Tel. – 91 22 2436 6370
Mob - 91 9870008717
PayPal Account shall be intimated shortly.