Recently i was a part of a noble activity called "Kolhapur Medical and Health Camp 2016" organised by Aniruddha Rehabilitation Center & Dilasa Medical Trust. This is held every year in the month of February. Hats off to Dr. Aniruddha Dhairyadhar Joshi who initiated this project 10 years ago. This project stands an excellent example of #management, #coordination and #resource optimisation.
Am so glad I got to experience this amazing activity. Sharing some interesting facts about the camp.
- Kolhapur is the richest district in Maharshtra but few kilometers inside n poverty and lack of development hits you.
- The camp is held at Pendakhale around 50 kms from Kolhapur and covers 100s of villages around.
- Day 2 involves volunteers going around the villages distributing Hygiene material like Water Purifying liquid. Anti scabies and lice lotions, Dental Powders, washing powders, combs, nail cutters, old but wearable clothes, new 9 yard sarees for Grannies, sweaters and toys
- Day 3 involved students from 137 schools coming to Pendakhale Camp for medical check up including eye n dental. They are provided with two sets of uniforms made from yarn spun by Aniruddha followers, a pair of foot wear, note books, candles, general tonic, class wise sports kit to name a few. Students are provided transportation for coming and going from the Camp.
- Couple of accompanying teachers I enquirer with gave this feedback-
- School dropout rate has gone down.
- Hygiene levels have gone up. Infact kids are now teaching their parents about cleanliness.
- Girl students post puberty who used to drop out due to lack of proper cloths n girls toilets has been stopped.
- Students are aspiring to grow. One of the earlier camp student last year participated as Doctor in last year's camp.
- Hemoglobin levels have gone up over the years.
- Apart from Students the camp is open to all and has extensive OPDs and a Surgical Room as well as Pathology n Pharmacy. Dental and Opthalmalogy OPDs work beyond the scheduled hours.
- Serious and major ailment afflicted villagers are referred to hospitals and followed by local volunteers.
- Everyone coming to the camp is offered a simple but nutritious full meal of rice, daal, sabji n halwa. Many of the villagers walk tens of kms just to eat this meal. Everyone is served in stainless steel thalis to make them feel valued.
- Whilst the direct beneficiaries are the villagers and students the camp serves to bring up the volunteers in sensitivity levels, awareness of what actually lies beyond the cities as well as giving an opportunity to serve for the cause.
- Whilst the local volunteers work around the year for this camp in terms of replenishment of hygiene material, census data etc, volunteers from all over India come once a year for 3 days. This year we saw around 40 volunteers coming from middle-east for this.
- The best feedback was given by women in one of the villages I visited for distribution. They said alcoholism is on decline, treatment given by men to their women folk has improved, infighting amongst brothers and families has reduced.
