Comprehensive Rural Health Project, Jamkhed, India

In October 2010, Marie participated in the activities of CRHP in Jamkhed, India. CRHP was founded by the late Dr. Raj and his wife Dr. Mabelle Arole, who committed themselves to serving and uplifting India’s rural poor and marginalized population using a community-based primary health care approach to health and development to enable and empower people and communities to take health in their own hands. In her time at Jamkhed, Marie was fortunate to be taught by the late Dr Raj Arole and hear his stories from which to learn about the principles of community-based health and development, focusing on environmental and sanitation strategies used in villages to prevent illnesses, particularly those borne from water and air. Marie also participated in practical activities such as a mapping survey of houses and services within a local slum and mobile health team outreach visits to rural villages. She also spent time with Dr Shoba Arole in the CRHP hospital and with Dr Smisha Agarwal in the adolescent girls program which encompasses health, social and cultural education, self-defence and vocational skills training. A keen gardener, Marie enjoyed learning about CRHPs agricultural programs, including the watershed development program which has substantially improved the conservation, availability and use of above and below-ground water.

For more information about the history, vision and success of CRHP, how to contribute or participate in training programs offered by CRHP, visit: http://www.jamkhed.org/

From left: Village health worker workshop at CRHP training facility; mobile health team visit to rural village; Marie having her BP taken.

From left: mobile health team diabetes diagnostic test; handover between village health worker and CRHP team; eye test.

CRHP hospital

From left: result of watershed development program; helping out; mapping survey of houses and services within a local slum.

Adolescent Girls Program (AGP), Jamkhed, India

Among the many CRHP practical programs, is the Adolescent Girls Program (AGP) where the extreme gender inequity and the low status of women in Indian society, particularly in the rural areas health and development is addressed. The AGP has helped organize adolescent girls groups in 54 villages with an average of 25 girls/village participating. In the villages, Village Health Workers (VHWs) and women’s group members organize groups of girls, which meet weekly or biweekly. During these meetings the girls participate in health education classes as well as being given the rare opportunity to socialize. Organized groups are given some books for a library and provided with high-protein and nutritious food for their meal as a nutrition demonstration. The health of these girls is consistently monitored by the respective VHWs and mobile health team, addressing problems as needed.

Practicing traditional dance.

Funds from the Msafiri In Action charity market were used to supply exercise books to the AGP.

We also sourced hand-made cards made with recycled saree fabric and coasters made from recycled bangles from their Helping Hands Program for our charity market .

For more information: http://www.jamkhed.org/approach/community_groups/adolescent_program/adolescent_program

Joyful Learning Preschool, Jamkhed, India

Learning nursery rhymes.

Bubble fun.

Also by CRHP, the preschool program known as Joyful Learning for poor and disadvantaged children is designed to build their self-esteem, improve their health, and help them develop so they can enter the mainstream of society. Led by teacher Meena, activities include learning through play and creativity, nutritious meals, building healthy relationships, and eliminating negative cultural influences such as caste barriers and the poor status of women. Children attend the free on-site preschool staffed by a full time teacher. The child-to-child program focuses on sharing health knowledge with and among children and improving their self-esteem in creative ways.

Msafiri In Action provided a financial donation to the Joyful Learning Preschool through dedicated donations from Marianne and Marie for nutritious meals. Marie saw first-hand the joy and pride in these littlies, learning using alphabet and number counting toys and hope to gather a collection of educational toys to send shortly.

For more information: http://www.jamkhed.org/other_programs/other_programs