What does the TOS do in Australia?

In Australia, we work in six inter-related areas - service:  peace, social welfare, education, healing, animal welfare and the environment. 
Members may work on individually selected activities or on group projects, sometimes in partnership with other groups.
 

At a local level

TOS members are involved in a wide range of service activities in their local communities. These include:

• organising Peace Day Gatherings
   
• holding meditations for World Peace
   
• conducting craft workshops to introduce young people to TOS service work and raise funds for projects
   
   
• partnering with community groups
   
• raising awareness of issues through conducting talks and seminars on a variety of topics associated with the TOS service areas
   
• tutoring refugees in English and helping them adjust to Australian society
   
• adopting a refuge for homeless women
   
• volunteering in aged-care centres
   
• knitting squares to make blankets
   
• raising funds for local charities
   
• gardening for a local hospice and a cancer centre
   
• collecting toys and clothes for relief appeals
   
• raising awareness about climate change and personal actions to minimise our energy and water usage
   
• collecting signatures on petitions for the welfare of people and animals.

At a national level

The TOS in Australia supports local groups and coordinates national activities. Together, local TOS groups and the National TOS provide funds for many projects organised by the TOS in Asia and Africa. For example, groups and individuals make donations to the Golden Link College in the Philippines, the Adyar Animal Hospital, Educational scholarships for students in Pakistan, the provision of mobility aids in India and famine relief in Kenya.

Currently we have 3 projects as a national focus -

1.  Pakistani Home-schools  We fund four literacy home-schools run by the TOS in Pakistan for children and young girls who have no opportunity to have even a basic education. See Projects-1 page and the TOS International website for more details.
 

 

2.  Supporting a Kenyan village to become self-sustaining  This project started as providing six months’ of emergency relief food to a drought-stricken village in Kenya. As relationships were developed, the project grew. See Projects-2 page
 

 

3. Supporting a campaign to combat violence against women in India This year we are supporting a new project initiated by the TOS in Bhubaneswar, Orissa, India. They have been in talks with government agencies and local businesses and are now well on the way to implementing their plan to put up 10 huge billboards in strategic positions around the city. See Projects-3 page