Nishkam Group of Charitable Organisations
GNNSJ is dedicated to practicing and promoting nishkam (selfless) service. We endeavour to nurture good human beings through the practice of faith values. We promote the values of shared responsibility, selflessness, love, altruism, compassion, forgiveness and reconciliation. GNNSJ has translated its faith-based, values-led philosophy into various sectors. This has led to the formation of the Nishkam Group of Charitable Organisations.
CIVIC ENGAGEMENT
Nishkam Civic Association
The Sikh Dharam teaches individuals to play a central role in family and social life.
The Nishkam Civic Association (NCA, commonly referred to as the Nishkam Centre) serves the civic needs of the community, helping individuals remove language, cultural and social barriers, not only to facilitate awareness of available social and welfare support, but realise self-help measures consolidated through powerful community networks. The Nishkam Centre provides a cultural and heritage locus to archive and share the rich legacy of both Sikh identity and history. It also works with the wider community in training, capacity building, civic engagement, and employment.
COMMUNITY CO-OPERATIVE
Marg Sat Santokh
During the 1980s recession, Marg Sat Santokh Manufacturers (MSS) Ltd was established as a builder’s merchant and specialist timber joiner and manufacturer. Over the last 15 years they have expanded into selling high-end kitchens.
The name of the company translates into ‘Path of truth and contentment’ and the organisation upholds the philosophy that ‘work is worship. At MSS, profit is not the other motive in sustainable economic development. MSS serves as a model of how the Sikh Dharam teaches one to earn an honest living whilst sharing with others. It has since provided income for many families and is a great example of a self-help co-operative.
EDUCATION
Nishkam Education
GNNSJ emphasises that good quality education is a basic human right, which lies at the heart of human endeavours to be self-sufficient. We promote a more fundamental concept of learning, where the moral and spiritual development of the individual is promoted alongside the development of intellect.
Through Nishkam Schools, GNNSJ is committed to serving society and forging partnerships with organisations that share our vision, to motivate and inspire the community. The school’s project is building on some 40 years of a community’s remarkable self-reliance within an area of high unemployment and urban deprivation, in forging local community well-being and regeneration.
HEALTH
Nishkam Healthcare Trust
Nishkam Healthcare seeks to deliver and innovative approach to healthcare that infuses faith-inspired, values-led care into clinical practice. Resulting in prevention, healing and patient empowerment it aims to improve the health and well-being of the community. Its emphasis lies squarely on faith-inspired, values-driven healthcare embodied in the principles of ‘caring with compassion, helping with humility and listening with love’.
This project affirms GNNSJ’s philosophy of ‘lifelong’ commitment from youth to elderly care. Intergenerational participation has been at the core of every one of GNNSJ’s activities since its inception. The teachings of the Sikh Dharam highlight that age bears not reflection on wisdom, which is a divine attribute received through God’s blessing.
OUTREACH
Nishkam Outreach
GNNSJ have contributed to a number of outreach projects in the UK and internationally. In recent decades, they have developed two organisations to combat hunger and homelessness. Both of these organisations use the Sikh practice of langar (a free community kitchen) and selfless service from volunteers.
Nishkam Sikh Welfare and Awareness Team (SWAT) was founded in 2008, and provide aid to homeless in the UK and disaster relief internationally.
Zero Hunger with Nishkam Langar (ZHWL) is an initiative working towards the UN Sustainable Development Goal 2: Zero Hunger. They work across the African continent using langar to create self-sustainable systems for providing nourishment to school-aged children.