Nishkam Africa

Over 300 volunteers from the Sikh community across six continents, joined Bhai Sahib (Prof) Mohinder Singh Ji OBE KSG MGH, Chairman of Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha (GNNSJ), on a historic month-long mission of peace, service, and prayer across Africa. The journey, spanning Botswana, Kenya, Zambia, and South Africa, combined acts of selfless service with interfaith dialogue and community regeneration.

Guided by Sikh principles of ‘Nishkam Seva’ (selfless service), forgiveness, and peacebuilding, the mission brought together doctors, teachers, engineers, business leaders, and students, all united by a shared commitment to humanity. Led by Bhai Sahib Ji, a global faith leader advancing the ‘Peace Charter for Forgiveness and Reconciliation’, the pilgrimage offered a living expression of shared human-values in action.

Across the four countries, volunteers:

• Prepared and served tens of thousands of free meals
• Supported schools, prisons, and hospitals
• Launched initiatives promoting peace, education, and community development

Key highlights included:

• Botswana: The Parliament of Botswana formally adopted the Peace Charter for Forgiveness and Reconciliation and presented Bhai Sahib Ji with the prestigious Botswana Parliamentary Award of Recognition.
• Kenya: The inaugural Kericho Peace Festival, a mega event celebrating children’s values-led education alongside the centenary celebration of Kericho Wagon Works, a source of skilled employment for the local community. Bhai Sahib Ji was also formally appointed as an honorary ‘Elder’ by the Kipsigis indigenous community.
• Zambia: Opening of a community health clinic and an interfaith dialogue event. Zambia also included a meeting with Hakainde Hichilema, President of the Republic of Zambia.
• South Africa: A major Sikh Council of Africa conference in Johannesburg and the adoption of the Peace Charter by Geordin Hill-Lewis, the Mayor of Cape Town.

In Kericho, Kenya, volunteers delivered transformative projects, including the opening of fully equipped modern kitchen and dining facility at Kericho Women’s Prison, designed to improve nutrition and rehabilitation for women inmates and their children.

The first-ever Kericho Peace Festival at Green Stadium brought together hundreds of children from primary and Sunday schools, celebrating shared values through songs, poems, dances, and skits. The festival also marked the centenary of Kericho Wagon Works and honored the enduring legacy of Sant Baba Puran Singh Ji the Founder of GNNSJ, whose life of selfless service continues to inspire Nishkam projects across the world. With government, civic leaders, faith representatives, and families in attendance, the event blended culture, education, and spirituality, creating a shared commitment to peace and unity for future generations.

Elder Richard K. Ngeno, Chairman of the Myoot Kipsigis Council of Elders, the traditional leadership body representing the Kipsigis community, attended the ceremony as a distinguished guest. As a respected custodian of Kipsigis culture and community priorities, he praised Bhai Sahib Ji’s spiritual leadership and long-standing commitment to education, health, welfare, environmental stewardship, and community empowerment, noting investments exceeding KSh 462 million.

The Council commended GNNSJ and pledged ongoing collaboration to ensure that these initiatives continue to uplift children, youth, and vulnerable households. This historic honour reflects the century-long friendship between the Africans and the Sikh community and celebrates their shared commitment to faith-driven service, peace, and development.

Speaking of the Kericho Peace Event, Bhai Sahib Ji shared: “Peace is not just the absence of conflict. It begins in the heart of every child, within every family, and in every community. When children learn the power of forgiveness and reconciliation, they carry these values into society, shaping a more compassionate future.”

As the festival drew to a close, Bhai Sahib Ji offered a message that lingered in every heart: “If we sow peace in our children today, we will reap peace in the world tomorrow.”

The peace mission across Africa has been unforgettable,” said Mr. Singh, a volunteer from the UK. “From feeding children to supporting women in prisons and working with interfaith communities, I’ve seen the true power of selfless service. In the end, the measure of the journey was not in the miles travelled, but in the hearts touched. The communities we served were left not just with memories, but with lasting legacies of care, peace, and hope.”

On 20 August in Zambia, Bhai Sahib met with Hakainde Hichilema, President of the Republic of Zambia, who remarked:

“We received a courtesy call from Bhai Sahib (Prof.) Mohinder Singh Ahluwalia, Chairman of Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha (GNNSJ), and his delegation at State House this afternoon. His discussion with us centred on the organisation’s noble objectives in promoting world peace, economic development, education, school feeding programs for the underprivileged children, and the enduring values of Religious Faith.

We were particularly pleased to learn that from 1969 to 1989, Prof. Ahluwalia lived in Zambia, where he served as Technical Manager at the National Housing Authority, making valuable contributions to our nation’s development.

We extend our heartfelt appreciation to Prof. Ahluwalia and his delegation for their continued commitment to advancing human dignity and social progress. Zambia values its long-standing tradition of openness and inclusivity, and we look forward to working closely with GNNSJ in fostering peace, unity, and shared prosperity for our people.”

The peace mission extended to South Africa, culminating in the historic signing and adoption of the prestigious Peace Charter by Geordin Hill-Lewis, the Mayor of Cape Town. This landmark moment not only underscored the city’s commitment to fostering unity and reconciliation but also positioned Cape Town as a beacon of hope and collaboration in the global pursuit of peace.  The meeting was coordinated by the Consulate General of India in Cape Town.

Johannesburg hosted a landmark gathering where more than 300 religious and community leaders joined South African political figures to highlight the crucial role of faith leaders in addressing conflicts and challenges across the continent.

Under the theme ‘Bridging Beliefs: Advancing Peace Through Interfaith Harmony in Africa,’ organisers described the event, the first of its kind, as a cornerstone for fostering peace and collaborative spirituality throughout Africa. Delivering the keynote address,   South Africa’s Deputy Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Dr. N. D. Masemola, reminded participants that the country’s 1996 Constitution recognises all religions and faiths.

“Religious leaders play a vital role in peace-building by sending a trusted voice as mediators and mentors and role models to mobilise communities for peace. They should also foster social cohesion through interfaith dialogue and collaboration,” Masemola said.

At the event Bhai Sahib Ji shared his lifetime of commitment to global peace, inspired by Nelson Mandela. He shared how the Peace Charter had been embraced by some global leaders in Germany in 2019, but not implemented by all. “If humanity had embraced the Peace Charter, we would have seen the end of many wars, genocides and atrocities. Perhaps it is time to revisit this document to remind ourselves that with rights comes responsibilities and with responsibilities come peace,” said Bhai Sahib Ji.

Bhai Sahib Ji was honoured to receive the prestigious African Royal Award.

Please see digital timeline of the Peace Initiative here.

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Notes for Editors

• Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha (GNNSJ) is a UK-headquartered Sikh faith-inspired charitable organisation that promotes selfless service (sewa), education, health, and interfaith harmony globally. Inspired by the teachings of Guru Nanak Dev Ji (Founder of the Sikh faith), GNNSJ’s mission is to serve with humility, foster unity, and build a compassionate society grounded in universal spiritual values.

• Bhai Sahib Professor Mohinder Singh is the Chairman of Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha (GNNSJ), a faith-based charitable organisation headquartered in Birmingham, UK, with global outreach across education, health, civic engagement and interfaith work. In recognition of his tireless efforts to promote peace, reconciliation and interreligious harmony, Bhai Sahib Ji was awarded the Pontifical Order of Knighthood of St Gregory the Great (KSG) by His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI in 2012 – becoming the first Sikh in history to receive this honour. Bhai Sahib Ji received the Papal knighthood with humility, dedicating it to the Guru’s message of selfless service and unity among all humanity.
  
  
• The Kericho Peace Festival was held for the first time in 2025, with a focus on children aged 6–14 years. The event combined creative expression, moral education, and cultural heritage, making it a pioneering community festival in Kenya.

• The Peace Charter for Forgiveness & Reconciliation: Inclusive in its mission and development, the Charter has been globally co-created since its conception in 2011 and has travelled across the globe and received significant contribution, consultation, and endorsement from over 100 world religious leaders and humanitarians. It has been shared, discussed and noted by esteemed leaders including the UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, Pope Francis, Desmond Tutu, Uhuru Kenyatta (former President of Kenya) and The Rt Hon Theresa May MP, amongst many others.
  
  
• Kericho Wagon Workshop, founded in 1925 by Sant Baba Puran Singh Ji, the workshop originally produced wooden wagons to transport freshly picked tea leaves from farms to processing factories. It quickly became an industrial hub and a source of skilled employment for the local community.
  
  

In a landmark step towards transforming correctional facilities into centres of dignity and rehabilitation, Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha (GNNSJ), through its Nishkam Projects Kericho initiative, has funded and delivered a fully equipped modern kitchen and dining facility at Kericho Women’s Prison, Kenya. The facility was officially opened by Mr. Patrick Aranduh, CBS, Commissioner General of Prisons, during his working tour of Kericho Command.

It was befitting to have Mata Baldev Kaur Ahluwalia, wife of Bhai Sahib Ji, cut the ribbon for the new facility.  Mata ji has always demonstrated her compassion, love and deep sense of connection to the other. A retired nurse who lived her early years in Kenya and Tanzania before coming to the UK in 1964 to be trained as a nurse at Lord Mayor Treloar Orthopaedic and Ashford General hospitals. On moving to live in Zambia with Bhai Sahib Ji, Mata Baldev Kaur served at Zambia Medical Aid Hospital and later went on to become a Senior Registered General Nurse at the Anglo-American clinic in Lusaka.

This humanitarian project, initiated by Bhai Sahib Prof. Mohinder Singh Ahluwalia OBE KSG MGH, Chairman of GNNSJ and Nishkam Projects Kericho, reflects the organisation’s commitment to ‘nishkamta’ (selfless service) and its mission to restore dignity, wellbeing, and opportunity to underserved communities wherever they may be in the world. Bhai Sahib Ji commented, “When we restore dignity, we sow the seeds of transformation. Our work in Kenya is not charity, it is shared humanity in action.”

While Bhai Sahib Ji works vigorously to serve humanity globally, Mata Ji is never too far away. Her service to humanity and community over the years has been phenomenal. She regularly participates and accompanies Bhai Sahib Ji on local, regional and international commitments. Reflecting on the opening of the new facility, Mata Ji commented, “It is an honour and privilege to be here in Kericho, Kenya, the work of Bhai Sahib Ji and the congregation on helping society is uplifting and inspiring. The women here deserve the best, we all want and need a safe, clean places to prepare food and eat. This facility will hopefully now be a benchmark for other institutions around the country”.    

The new kitchen and dining hall are designed to improve nutrition, hygiene, and overall welfare for women inmates, creating a more rehabilitative environment. During the opening, Mr. Aranduh commended GNNSJ’s contribution and urged inmates to embrace government rehabilitation programs, register for the ongoing national ID issuance, and use it to access health services. The modern kitchen is more than bricks and equipment; it is a testament to what partnerships can achieve for dignity and reformation.

The Prison kitchen is part of a wider vision for transformation in Kenya, this initiative complements a suite of GNNSJ-led projects in Kenya, spearheaded by Bhai Sahib Prof. Mohinder Singh’s vision of holistic empowerment:

• Nishkam Saint Puran Singh Institute (NSPSI), Kericho – Providing vocational and technical training for youth, rooted in values and ethics, with a campus that blends education, spirituality, and heritage preservation.

• Living with Hope Centre Vocational Training & Health Camps – Delivering free medical outreach, including dental, eye, and general care to thousands of local residents.

• Community Regeneration & Heritage Preservation – Protecting historical Sikh sites in Kenya and restoring them as places of learning, unity, and service.

Bhai Sahib Prof. Mohinder Singh is internationally recognised for his interfaith leadership, having received both the Order of the British Empire (OBE) and the Papal Knighthood of St. Gregory the Great (KSG). His work aligns spiritual devotion with practical service, bridging continents to share resources, knowledge, and hope.  In Kenya, his projects embody GNNSJ’s core principle that dignity, education, and wellbeing are the foundations of true rehabilitation and community resilience. This earned him the prestigious Order of the Golden Heart of the Republic of Kenya, the highest award in Kenya.

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Notes for Editors

About GNNSJ: A faith-inspired charitable organisation headquartered in Birmingham, UK, with global projects in education, healthcare, heritage, and interfaith dialogue.

About Nishkam Projects Kericho: GNNSJ’s Kenyan arm, delivering long-term sustainable community development programs including NSPSI, vocational training, healthcare, and heritage preservation.

During a landmark trip to the UK to strengthen trade and investment links with the Kenyan diaspora and in particular with Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha (GNNSJ) and the Nishkam Campus, His Excellency Iasaac Ruto, the Governor of the County Government of Bomet, Kenya came to the Gurudwara. He had one prayer – to improve the lives of those in his county with assistance from the Sikhs.

The visit saw the Governor come to visit Birmingham’s Sikh community for the first time having heard and seen the great work that GNNSJ had already done in the neighbouring county of Kericho. GNNSJ has worked very closely with the Kericho county governor and local assembly to improve the lives of many Kenyans. Working with Prof Paul Chepkwony, GNNSJ and the Nishkam Campus have undertaken many projects in Kericho County. The projects have included the building of an educational institution Nishkam Sant Puran Singh Institute (NSPSI), running medical camps, building a vocational training centre, building a HIV clinic, supporting an orphanage, working with the women’s prison to provide educational facilities, and play facilities  for young children with their mothers in prison. We have also seen inward investment from Accenture and Aston Villa Football Club to build sports facilities for the youth across several towns.

Bomet County is a multi-racial, multi-ethnic place with citizens of diverse socio-economic, religious and cultural backgrounds co-existing

with the collective will of making things better for future generations. Bomet County Government has the major towns namely: Bomet Town, Sotik Town, and Longisa, Mulot.

Governor Ruto’s visit started with a visit to the Darbar Sahib (Guru’s Court / Main Prayer Hall) were the Governor offered a bouquet of flowers to Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, the eternal Guru of the Sikhs. The tour then involved a visit to the Gumbad Darbar (Dome prayer hall), where the visitors were left speechless by the sheer beauty and tranquillity of the sacred space. The distinguished delegation then learnt about the Nishkam Community Cooperative, Nishkam Health Centre, Nishkam School Trust, and the Nishkam Civic Association. The message that the governor clearly got was one of self-reliance self-sufficiency, self-help and the ‘welfare of all’. He also comprehended the power of Nishkam volunteering and strong visionary leadership.

The delegation was honoured to meet with Bhai Sahib Bhai Mohinder Singh, Spiritual Successor of GNNSJ and Chairman of the Nishkam Civic Association (NCA). Bhai Sahib Ji reminded the Governor and guests about the contribution that his predecessors and founder of GNNSJ had made to Kericho.  There then followed a conversation about the importance of education, particularly the provision of good values based education for nursery and primary school ages. The Governor informed all present that he was working on a project to create greater transparency in Kenya by reviewing the constitution and looking at greater devolution. It was a memorable moment when it was revealed that the main driver behind the devolution thinking and design was actually a school colleague of Bhai Sahib Mohinder Singh.

Bhai Sahib Ji explained, “Kericho is a very dear place to us Sikhs, it is where Sant Baba Puran Singh Ji spent much of his life and made a difference to the lives of so many – my Kenyan friends here today will know Baba Ji affectionately as the ‘Holy Man of Kericho’. As a result we have Kericho running through our blood – we want to reach-out and make a difference too.”  He went on to say, “Let’s not just talk about it; let’s do something about it. GNNSJ is not about rhetoric but action; over the last 30 years the organisation has invested in Kericho on infrastructure, education, social action, regeneration, youth engagement, sport, corporate sponsorship / investment and capacity building. We are willing partners and want to work with you Governor to ensure that the good work continues. Values based education is vital and we need to educate the youth to become better adults tomorrow.”

His Excellency then thanked Bhai Sahib Ji, for sharing his wisdom with the guests. He recognised that heritage, culture and traditional values were the cornerstone of everything he and his team had seen at the Gurudwara. He said, “The contribution of the Sikhs in Kericho is phenomenal and I am proud to work very closely with Prof Paul Chepkwony.” He went on to say,”Bomet and Kericho are twin sisters as they used to be one county until they were split. I have seen what your organisation has done in Kericho and today I have seen what you do here. Your compassion, humility sense of duty help me to understand why you do what you do. I wonder why the governors in Kenya cannot apply what you are doing here? There is plenty to go around and share for everybody we need to overcome the greed and serve people”.

Bhai Sahib then shared a story from Nelson Mandela’s funeral, “The leader of Malawi said you must love your people and your people will love you. This was such a powerful message about leadership that we can all learn from”.

“We need to focus on how we are going to make a difference and help those in Bomet. We must, as spiritual beings, reach out to them and empower them; we must enable them to be self-sufficient. We, the diaspora, must give back and make a difference to the lives of others.”

The governor shared some personal details about cancer affecting his family. As a result, supporting those with cancer had become a personal passion. In general, he welcomed health and well-being programs and also outlined what his county was already doing to help people. “We offer health insurance, support the elderly with payments, provide medical facilities, provide parental training and classes and also helped young females into education”, he said.

Bhai Sahib outlined his vision to have a world-class university in Kericho. Details and discussion was left to Prof Pal Singh, who is the Pro-Vice Chancellor of Portsmouth University clearly understood the challenges of establishing the University. He articulated to the guests that the University should be able to offer degrees from established universities anywhere in the world without the students having to leave their families or their homeland. He said one of the biggest costs and burdens on most families to get their children educated was the cost of relocation, travel, and living away from home. If we reduced these costs we could reduce the burden on families and provide the highest level of education.

It was also explained to the guests that the Vice Chairman of the Nishkam Civic Association, Prof Upkar Pardesi OBE, was currently in

Ethiopia working on the development of an international world-class business school. This would provide further expertise and knowledge to the Nishkam team when developing a university with esteemed partners around the world. The governor welcomed the discussion and said he would love to be partners in such an undertaking and ideas were exchanged on how this program could be started. The consensus was to start small and to develop the degree programs over a period of time.

Overall the meeting was very positive and productive. The governor and his team were under no illusion of GNNSJ’s capacity to be a valuable partner that could mobilise similar projects to those undertaken with success in Kericho County. The GNNSJ team were keen to iterate that the success in Kericho County was down to collaboration between various partners including commitments from the County Governor.

Dr Moses Langat, who is part of Prof Chepkwony’s team, was instrumental in brokering the meeting with the Bomet County delegation. After the meeting Dr Langat said,”The meeting today has helped pave the way for future collaboration. I’m excited that my Sikh brothers have welcomed the Bomet county team with open arms, just as we expected, and are keen to support humanitarian developmental projects in the county. I will work with bother Amrick to outline some of the programs that we might be able to start with and also liaise to see how we can visit Bomet next time Baba Ji are in Kenya.” 

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Notes to Editors:

For more information:

• Nishkam Media Centre – nishkammediacentre.co.uk
• Nishkam Sant Puran Singh Institute (NSPSI) – http://www.gnnsjkenya.org/nspsi/about.htm
• Bomet County – http://www.bomet.go.ke
• Kericho County – http://www.kericho.go.ke

Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha (GNNSJ) mourned the loss of Nelson Mandela with the rest of the world. The former South African President and peace advocate passed away on 5^th December 2013 at the age of 95 whilst mourning we also celebrate his life and enduring legacy.

Nelson Mandela was a great leader who never wavered in his devotion to democracy, equality and learning. Despite terrible provocation, he never answered racism with racism. His life has been an inspiration to all who are oppressed and de­prived, to all who are opposed to oppression and deprivation.  He promoted forgiveness and denounced revenge.

GNNSJ has passionate links with the continent of Africa – the world’s second largest and second-most-populous continent with an estimated population of 1.033 billion (2011). The links include the founder of GNNSJ, Sant Baba Puran Singh Ji, spending 53 years of his life in Kenya – 49 of which were in Kericho Kenya; the establishment of the Gurudwara, Nishkam Sant Puran Singh Institute (college) and the support of medical / community services in Kenya; Bhai Sahib Bhai Mohinder Singh, Chairman of GNNSJ and Nishkam Civic Association (NCA) spent most of his professional career in Zambia working with the Government of Zambia and also built a Gurudwara there; the supporting of the building and opening of a Gurudwara in Botswana in 2012 and last but not least, a spiritual trip to South Africa.

In December 2012 GNNSJ congregation members went to South Africa at the time when former President Nelson Mandela was admitted to a Pretoria military hospital for medical tests and prayed for his wellbeing. He was being treated for the recurrence of a lung infection. Despite his condition, it was reported by the current President Jacob Zuma that the 94 year old remained in good spirit and was inspired that the whole of South Africa and the world was thinking and praying for him. During the spiritually charged and inspired visit to South Africa, the congregation visited the former Robben Island prison where he had spent 18 of his 27 years in prison.

Nelson Mandela once commented, “It is said that no one truly knows a nation until one has been inside its jails. A nation should not be judged by how it treats its highest citizens, but its lowest ones.” This poignantly depicts the character of the man and freedom fighter who fought for democracy even in the face of adversity

Bhai Sahib Bhai Mohinder Singh, commented at the time, “December is a month of reconciliation and remembrance for South Africans. I am person­ally working on a charter for forgiveness. There exists a charter for compassion by Karen Armstrong; I have felt the need for forgive­ness all my life”. Quoting from Guru Granth Sahib Ji, “KabirJi: where there is wisdom and knowledge there is Dharam or Religion; Where there are lies and deceit there is sin; Where there is greed, there is famine death and destruction; Where there is forgiveness there is God himself. That to me is what was practiced in South Africa at state level”.

Bhai Sahib Mohinder Singh felt compelled and duty bound to attend the funeral of the great man. Hearing the news whilst on a trip to India, he embarked on a marathon journey to South Africa to pay his last respects.

He commented on hearing about Madiba, “Service to humanity comes in many disguises and in many forms. I salute the great son of Africa, Nelson Mandela for the service he provided to humanity”.

Madiba died at his home in Johannesburg on 5 December 2013 at the age of 95. He will be missed by many people all around the world. The service was a great accolade to him and a fantastic send-off. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and the world at large – which was his family.

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