Diabetes and TB awareness

These awareness programs may save lives. TB and diabetes are both serious problems in our area--often left untreated until too late, with devastating results. We have held awareness programs in several villages to cover these topics.

Assistance for Two More Anganwadis (Nursery Schools)

We are expanding our assistance to village nursery schools, and recently we were able to provide educational supplies and games to two more village schools. If you would like to assist with this program, please visit the needs page of our website for ideas on items that you can order.

Diabetes awareness

"India is facing an epidemic of diabetes. At present, confirmed diabetes patients in India are 67 million, with another 30 million in prediabetes group. By 2030, India will have the largest number of patients in the world. Diabetes is not only a blood sugar problem, but brings along other complications as well," warns Dr Arun Bal, diabetic foot surgeon. In our intervention area we found many people affected by diabetes. So this month we started  diabetes awareness programs, and conducted the program for self-help group members   and tuition students on 17.9.14 and 27.9.14.
In these programs the reason and cause of diabetes, diagnose, treatment, diet, exercise and prevention was explained.

More Mother's Meetings

We continue to hold mothers' meetings in different villages, to address problems that are very common, such as low birth weight, anemia, hygiene and sanitation, nutrition etc.

Discussing 'I am that Change'

During one of our awareness programmes with students from our evening study centres, we showed the short but powerful video 'I am that Change'.  After viewing the video, students discuss it and how they can apply it. They all pledged to 'be the change!'

"I Am That Change" Short Film

We have been showing the following short film in our youth awareness programs. It addresses problems that are very relevant and commonplace.

Independence Day Celebration for our Tuition Students

We held an Independence Day Celebration at our property. The history of Indian Independance was covered and Independence and responsibility of each citizen was explained to the participants. Essays, speeches and drawings  based on the independence were presented by the students. Many students participated in the dance program and enjoyed the celebration. Sweets were distributed to all!

More Parents Meetings

This week we held a parent's meeting at one of the tribal villages. These meetings are very important to encourage the parents to support and assist their children's education, and also to get them behind the points we cover in the awareness programs with their teen-age children.

HIV Awareness

Tamil Nadu is one of the mostly HIV AIDS affected states in India. Being the 7th populous Indian state, the place has got high rate of HIV incidence.This has  led to the setting up of an anti-AIDS society and a safe-sex campaign focusing on prevention of HIV by the government. To help tackle the AIDS problem in our local villages, RPI has started HIV awareness programs, which have been well-attended. 

Stationery Supplies for the Tuition Students

Thank you to Lincpen for sending needs stationery supplies to the students of our evening study centres. The were very much needed and greatly appreciated.

Work in a New Anganwadi

We have started work in  one more anganwadi. The children in all of the anganwadis where we are working are making good progress. It's lovely to see them 'come to life' with all of the new input and activities. We have also provided mats for the children so they don't sit on the bare floor.

Free Eye Camp in Conjunction with Aravind Eye Hospital

The Aravind Eye Hospital in Madurai is world-renowned for its social entrepreneurship and for providing quality eye-care to the poor. They frequently conduct free eye camps in rural villages, but need a partner organisation to work out the logistics--finding a suitable venue, providing tables and chairs, food for the medical staff, advertising in the villages etc. We partner with the hospital once a year to provide eye screening for 30 villages in our area. This year, over 150 people attended, and 27 were bussed off the the hospital the same day to receive free cataract operations--that's 27 people saved from blindness! Many others received spectacles for only $5.00 (Rs.300) a pair. The lenses for these were ground on site.

More Summer Camp Photos

The summer camp successfully came to end on 24.5.14. Drawing and elocution competitions were conducted and prizes given to the winners. Children also participated in a dance program. All the children received Certificates.

Summer Camp for Village Children

The children from our evening study centres are presently enjoying a summer camp at the SHE centre, as it is now summer school holidays. We are placing emphasis on helping their English skills, but making sure they have fun also.

Assistance for Another Anganwadi

We were able to provide assistance to another anganwadi this week, and arrange for a volunteer to assist there one or twice a week. Everyone was very grateful for the educational supplies we provided. Twin boys at this anganwadi are very underweight and not thriving as they should, so we have arranged for their very poor family to receive milk each for the boys.

Meena Stories

Our Tamil translations of the Meena Stories are proving to be a valuable tool for our ongoing awareness programs.

More Parents' Meetings

We are continuing meetings with parents of the students from our study-centres in different villages. The response has been very positive.

Mats for Anganwadi Children

We distributed these mats to the anganwadi that we assist. Now the children don't have to take their nap on the bare floor.

Support for Village Nursery Schools

RPI is providing assistance to local  village nursery schools, donating educational supplies, and sending in volunteers once or twice a week to work with the children, ensure proper usage of supplies, and to train the regular staff.

Parents' Meetings

This month, we are holding meetings with the parents of students attending the evening study centres. The  meetings cover the same awareness points that were shared with their children--this month on health and hygiene and hand washing, and encourage the parents to help and support their children, both in their studies and hygiene. 

Dictionaries for the Evening Study Centres

At our last teacher's meeting, the tuition teachers requested English/Tamil dictionaries, which we purchased for them this month.

New Evening Study Group in a Very Poor Village

This week we opened another evening study group to assist desperately poor, marginalised children continue with their schooling and obtain better grades.  We were also able to distribute some of the items donated by Lincpen to these children.

We now have seven tuition centres, assisting about 350 students. We have been getting very positive feedback from both their teachers and parents, and their exam marks are improving as a result of having homework assistance. 

More Awareness Programs

We have been continuing our awareness programs in different villages. Colourful charts and stories teach the children the importance of hygiene and hand-washing.

Awareness Programs for Older Children in the Villages

We have started awareness programs in the villages where we have tuition centres. The first topics we covered are health and hygiene, and importance of education. For these meetings we have undertaken to translate into Tamil the Meena comic books produced by UNICEF. Meena is a fictional character who educates the children of South Asia on issues of gender, health, and social inequality through her stories in comic books.