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Monday, October 7, 2013

Summer 2013 Health Camp for Indigenous Children at Parivarthana Rural Hostel

We launched a new program: Health  Camp, as a part of Global Call to Youth (GCY). This idea was on our mind from past 2-3 years ever since we observed  common problems such as protein calorie malnutrition and lack of personal hygiene among the rural children. We chose Parivarthana Youth Hostel for indigenous children as our first site.
This place is not new for us. We have been working with these children from past 3 years. In fact they have participated in our 2012 Solar Energy Project and 2010- Adopt a Rural School program sponsored by Ashoka Youth Venture. As usual, the children were very excited and happy to see us!
We conducted a personal hygiene workshop, physical exam followed by pediatrician's  well child check up.
The most fun part was the hands on personal hygiene workshop. We taught them the importance of personal hygiene in preventing communicable diseases.  we demonstrated how simple acts such as hand washing and keeping the nails short and clean are easy and effective.
We distributed nail cutters to the children for their personal use. They were very happy to own a nail cutter! We showed them how to cut their nails.
It was soon time for their physical exam. We worked with the hostel warden. we also had enthusiastic student volunteers from the hostel!

Then it was time for the check up from the pediatrician. The students were very cooperative, and excited.
After the examination, the pediatrician had a meeting with us and the hostel warden. We were dealing with some expected health issues among the children. Two common problems: protein calorie malnutrition and skin disease scabies. In addition, some children also had anemia.
Okay, the first part was easy, finding out the problem. Now comes the hard part! What is the solution? How can we help? First, we had to analyze the problems in hand. Yes, conducting personal hygiencne workshop was important but it was not enough! Stay tuned to read our thoughts in our next blog post!
Apoorva and Adarsha

4 comments:

  1. Is this a hostel for indigenous children? As in tribal? Are they orphans? Can you please elaborate on this? Keep up the good work.
    Duke

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  2. These are the children of indigenous people called Kaadu Kurubas and Jeenu Kurubas who have lived in dense tropical forests of southern Karnataka State in India since early times. They are illiterate and traditionally did not educate their children in schools . Now the government is attempting bring them into mainstream by providing education . As they are very poor , they stay school dorms ( hostels ) frees of cost . A majority of them are malnourished

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  3. Здравствуйте! Если еще не определились, то я окрашивала волосы в этом салоне красоты. Хорошие мастера, вышла очень довольная! Девочки, рекомендую!

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