Sabina

From the recent blog, you will know about Sabina, a young girl at our Mettupalayam School. She was diagnosed as suffering from acute tonsillitis which had been affecting her for some years. Incredibly underweight, the hospital doctor said that she was too ill to have the operation, so we have been providing her with liquid food supplements to build up her weight and strength. She went into hospital on the 21st December and has had her tonsils removed. When we were in India two weeks ago, she had just restarted school. Pictured with her grateful father, it is thanks to Laura and Emily that she was diagnosed, thanks to IRDT and Venkat for the food supplements and not least, thanks to the Government Hospital doctors for the free operation.

Self Help Groups

One of the most important activities organised by IRDT in both project areas is the foundation and support for self help groups or Sanghams. Gomathi now works with over 185 groups, in excess of 3500 people, mainly women but with some male farmers clubs. All but two of these are being run successfully, repaying their Indian Bank loans and developing their small enterprises. Whilst at the project we attended a meeting with the only group having real problems where the leader and deputy had taken funds from the other members and used them for personal expenditure. To see Gomathi and Venkat, with the support of the majority of the group, taking these women to task was an awesome sight! Having changed leaders, we were told that the money would be repaid to the group over the coming month.

These groups are effective, not just in improving the local economy but also helping their members effect real social change.

Happy New Year

One of the highlights for the children at Mettupalayam School has been the increasing ability to arrange school trips this year. The most recent trip pictured was for the older children to visit the famous sea temples of Mamallapuram, close to our Nambikki project. Until recently, many children hadn't seen the sea, so this is a real treat for them! A big thank you to Ashfield Infants School, Workington who recently raised funds for us which paid for these school trips.

This post also gives everyone here in the UK the chance to wish all our Friends where ever you may be, a very Happy New Year.

Hurray for the rain!

Venkat is busy planting crops at our small farm in Mettupalayam following the monsoon rains. He says that we have had around 80% of a normal monsoon, a big improvement on recent, very droughty years. So far he has planted around 13 acres, mostly rice with some ground nuts (peanuts). He also plans to plant over 2 acres of trees, both mango and teak- these are partly for cropping purposes, but also to help offset the project's small but still significant carbon footprint. In our area, over recent years, the Indian Government, with help from Japan, have planted over 200 acres of trees.

Pictured is Patchyamman, one of the former bonded slaves, who now works full time on our farm- a big improvement on breaking rocks for a living!

Well done, Jon! A magnificent marathon effort.

Update on my recent blog- Jon ran the Riviera Marathon and raised a magnificent sum in excess of £1300! Thank you Jon and also a big thank you to all your friends, colleagues and family for their support.
Jon has asked if we will spend this money on helping to buy equipment and resources for our new Crakehall School. I have just sent another bank draft to Venkat which includes this money and will hopefully feature the opening of the school in our next newsletter.

Sabina

Laura and Emily, two trainee doctors who spent their elective in Mettupalayam in July, held a general health camp in the village. During the camp they saw that Sabina, a 9 year old girl at Mettupalayam School, was suffering from malnutrition. This had been caused by long term tonsilitis, confirmed at the Government hospital. Sadly, at only 10kgs weight, she was far too underweight to have an operation, so we have been providing her parents with money each month to buy liquid food supplements. Venkat has now confirmed that Sabina has put on enough weight to have the operation which is now scheduled for the 21st December. This will be life changing for her, as we will be providing a good balanced diet at the school. This is just one of the local people who have been helped by Laura and Emily- thank you girls.

Doctor in charge

Many local people now help Venkat and IRDT. This is our very good Friend Dr Paramasivam who runs a weekly clinic at Mettupalayam on Friday afternoons. This clinic is open to all local people and whilst there is a small charge for any prescriptions, the consultation is free.

Not only do local people benefit, but Rosie was diagnosed with high blood pressure there last year- thank you my friend.