This was set up as a way to give empowerment in a different way. We believe that women can turn their communities around when the traditional systems of support breakdown and the broken-ness of violence & alcohol related problems arise. They just need to know they can and have the tools to change things.
In villages which are remote from doctor or hospitals- what is available for sustainable health for primary health care?
The causes of sickness & simple home treatments can be taught.
People have their hands that can be used more dynamically than they could imagine. Medicinal herbs can be re-sourced where that traditional knowledge is lost or forgotten.
The basic health programme consists of 12 modules which give information to village women about the sources of illness; about hygiene, childcare & nutrition and stress related problems.
It gives tools for nurturing- massage, reflexology, cranio-sacral therapy and other work to calm & balance the system- of a sister, a friend or the family.
There is a second level & advanced level that develop the themes of preparing herbal medicines or dealing with the sources of illness or the use of homeopathy or flower essences.
35 Organic kitchen gardens for growing vegetables & herbs have been established, enabling people to take responsibility for their own health as far as possible.
Outreach programmes for Village Health Workers enable their work to be more effective.
An HIV+ programme provides counselling, nurturing skills & home based care with local care workers. They are also being encouraged to grow herbs for rebuilding their health & immune system. 12 herbs have been identified as helpful for this. Documentation & Clinical trials are being done.
Awareness and health camps have altogether impacted over 200 villages.
In 4 schools, 250 children have benefitted from the health programme for adolescent training.
If you are interested in being part of this initiative, helping to support the work we are doing, sharing the turning of things, we are registered with FCRA (No.075901221) in India to receive funds from overseas - or if you are in UK, you can contact our funding organisation :
www.friendsofhope.org.uk