In July 2019, SSIO Australia celebrated the festival of Guru Poornima.  Sathya Sai Baba Centres hosted many programmes, including a Guru Poornima journal on spiritual discipline, study circles, musical programmes, and a beautiful play. In Victoria Region, Young Adults presented a beautiful play titled “The Legend of the Monkey Soldier – The ultimate battle between Good and Evil”, based on Sathya Sai Baba’s teachings on values.  In New South Wales, SSE Group 3 and 4 children interacted with young adults in a musical piece titled, “Jamming with Sai”, to share their love for Sai and music. In addition to these events, numerous service initiatives were undertaken. Around 1,000 care packs consisting of necessities such as toothpaste, soap, shampoo, conditioner and more were distributed to the needy. SSE students made Christmas Cards for the families at Sydwest Multicultural Services as part of the ‘Christmas in July’ programme.

As a part of Guru Poornima celebrations, “Christmas in July” was organised on 13th July 2019 in collaboration with SydWest Multicultural Services, a not for profit organisation working with refugees and migrant families to support the self-determination and empowerment of culturally diverse communities. The day started with approximately 25 Sathya Sai Young Adults performing an interactive musical programme with the children of Sydwest, dancing and singing well-known Christmas songs. Then the families joined in an hour-long activity session for children, such as drawing, Santa limbo, and Snowman and Christmas tree making, and an introductory parenting workshop for the parents. The day ended with the attendees taking home a small Christmas gift from the SSIO in the form of activity books or novels along with personalized Christmas cards made by the SSE students.

Other service activities included blood donation drive and a book donation drive. The books collected during the drive will help primary school children in Sri Lanka experience and imagine new worlds through  novels. Around 30 boxes of books were shipped to Sri Lanka for use in 40 primary schools, for their English reading programme.