By Varghese Alengaden

Indore, May 7, 2020: Covid-19 and lockdown forced to cancel all the training programs for the youth in Universal Solidarity Movement at Indore. The movement which is being sustained by the income from the training programs faced a serious crisis of sustaining itself.

Knowing about the crisis USM facing, Ankita Das, a young journalist who was part of USM during her student days, sent 2,000 rupees with this message, “I want to start with myself. If I can do my bit, only then I can encourage others.”

Launching of Universal Solidarity Movement of Value Education for Peace in 1993, was a proactive response to the chaotic sociopolitical scenario which existed in India due to rampant corruption, communal polarization, exploitation of the marginalized, caste and regional conflicts.

Communal violence and murder of thousands of people all over India that shook the country after the demolition of the disputed mosque in Ayodhya in December 1992, and the death of more than 200 innocents in the serial bomb blasts in Bombay (now Mumbai) in January 1993 motivated the launching of the Universal Solidarity Movement on July 16, 1993, at Indore

The focus was to build a civilization of love free from communalism, corruption, exploitation of the marginalized through a practical module of value education for the youth in high schools. The values which USM promotes through value education are the universal values enshrined in the preamble of the Indian Constitution.

The USM envisages a nation with the ‘we feeling’ as enshrined in the preamble of Indian Constitution, “We the people of India …” The youth shall be motivated to live in the spirit of ‘Vasudaiva kutumbakam’ without any discrimination of caste, creed and culture.

The USM’s value education is based on the national heritage of pluralism, ‘Unity in Diversity.’ The movement envisages a vision for India and the world based on the spiritual values of all religions: We visualize a nation/world with the universal family spirit of Hinduism and Baha’i faith, the discipline and fellowship of Islam, the courage of Sikhism, the compassion of Buddhism, the non-violence of Jainism, the creativity of Parsi religion, the indomitability of Judaism, the cosmic solidarity of tribal religions, the self-sacrifice and forgiveness of Christianity.

Commitment to this pluralistic vision is practiced by an open house Annual General Body meeting in which people of all walks of life and faiths participate and a governing body in which members of four different religions are members. The value education USM promotes is practical and it is expected to be practiced by teachers and parents along with the students.

The whole spirituality of USM is based on the Gandhian way, “you be the change” or change the world by changing oneself. It consists of Five Paths for Self Transformation.

1. Pray daily for peace and forgiveness to be an agent of reconciliation.

2. Skip a meal a week to express solidarity with the poor and the marginalized and contribute the money saved to support the needy.

3. Do a good deed a day consciously without any selfish motive.

4. Honor parents, teachers and all human beings.

5. Respect earth and save its resources.

From its inception, the movement has made a deliberate option not to own any land and property. For the past 28 years USM has been functioning and organizing training programs from a rented building. Throughout the year several groups of students, teachers and principals come for one week residential leadership training and retreats in USM community.

As many as 8,141 students from 404 schools of 22 states participated in the one-week enlightened leadership training from 2007 to March 2020. More than 1,184 principals, managers, provincials and some bishops in 75 groups participated in the leadership retreats and understood the practical value education and pluralistic community living.

USM believes in raising funds through its training programs to meet the expenses like rent for the building, salary of the staff, publications and other activities. USM is also networking and collaborating with various secular organizations to organize programs to promote peace and universal solidarity in different parts of the country such as peace conventions.

Everything was going well until the breakout of coronavirus. Various groups came to USM regularly for training and retreats week after week. It naturally increased confidence of the USM team. The outbreak of the pandemic Covid 19 hit USM unexpectedly. All the training programs were cancelled.

Now there is no possibility of restarting any training program in the near future. USM that has opted to live by daily labor is stuck. The funds required for paying rent for the buildings, salary of the staff members who have been serving USM with dedication for many years and other essential expenses have become a huge challenge.

In the past also USM had faced financial crisis, but they were temporary. I used to say, “Ho jayega (It will be done); if this is God’s mission He will take care of it”. Knowing our plight many friends have come forward with love offering which would enable us to manage for two months. Each month we need between 600,000 to 700,000 rupees.

While the USM team was holding a meeting to explore the possibilities of managing the crisis, my mobile phone rang. It was from Ankita Das, who had been to USM for training seven years ago. She had been an active member of USM and has kept in touch with us through letters.

While interacting with her she came to know of the crisis USM is facing. She volunteered to communicate to all young friends of USM with whom she is having regular contact. She decided to mobilize them for supporting USM in this moment of crisis. Two hours later she deposited 2,000 rupees in the USM account and send a short message, “I want to start with myself. If I can do my bit, only then I can encourage others.”

She further wrote about her action plans. “I spoke to a few USM friends today. We are trying to create an online campaign for fund raising,” she wrote.

Next day she wrote a letter which is worth more than millions of rupees.

“Dear Father Varghese,

I owe the making of my life to USM so no matter what; I will always do my part in whichever small way I can. My association with USM is not “phase-based.” It is for life.Now is the time for us to ACT.

I have spoken to few of my USM friends and planning to create an online fundraising campaign. Will create the base and share with you for approval. It is because of USM and the values that USM has injected in people like us that we are able to morally, emotionally and financially deal with this crisis time. Our mind is functioning differently and only attracting positive energy.

Father, you and everyone from USM Family has made young people like us believe in ourselves and become who we are today. I hope together as a community we stand strong and tall to fight this time. We can and we will Father. Sab Ho Jaega. I wish each member in the USM family good health and peace of mind. I feel so blessed for the timing of the call yesterday. It reinforces our heart-to-heart connection and divine love. Your mission was to create us, our responsibility is to care for our creators. It is just a matter of time and we all will pass this test. In any and every capacity, I want to assure you my service in these times and forever. Thank you for counting on me. I am at your disposal. Will write back to you with some constructive actions.

Regards, Ankita”

More than the love offering of 2000 rupees and the promise of support, her spirit of solidarity and determination touched me very much. Despite adverse situations and indifference of people who matter, the hard labor put in by USM seemed to be bearing fruit. I am once again affirmed of the vision with which USM struggles to build a civilization of love free from violence, hatred, communal polarization, corrupt politics and hypocritical religiosity.

Hundreds of young people are waiting to be awakened. Youth and youth alone can transform the nations and solve the misery the world is facing today.