Our Mission
Our Mission Statement
Project RISHI (Rural India Social and Health Improvement) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to develop and transform rural India villages into progressive and modern communities. In order to achieve this overarching vision, our organization aims to start with a village in Southern India, Vadamanappakkam, a village located 100 miles from Chennai. We plan to build a medical clinic to act as the main source of primary health care for the community. This clinic will be manned and staffed by local healthcare professionals but needs support of sponsors for funding and infrastructure. Our organization could use this as the launch pad for transforming this village into a progressive modern community. Other future projects include development of nutritional programs, children’s recreational facilities, water purification systems, and modern sewer systems.
The Conditions
From a bird's eye view of an Indian village, we see thatched huts lining streets, dotted here and there with brick homes, women carrying pots of water on their heads, men toiling tirelessly, patches of green fields and other pastoral images of harmony. A closer, more revealing look, however, suggests a far from harmonious scenario. Those thatched huts lack basic amenities such as electricity and private restrooms, which are found mostly in those brick homes. Most Indian villagers use public restrooms, which are major sources of infection, just like the water that fills the pots on those women's heads. This is because Indian villages usually have common water tanks that supply all of their inhabitants allowing for infection to spread like a ripple effect. Additionally, the food from those agricultural fields are seldom enough to satisfy the nutritional needs of the villagers. Such is the situation in most of India's villages; a vicious cycle of poverty, and a strong need for providing life's basic necessities exist. It is our goal to interrupt this cycle and provide for the aforementioned needs, one village at a time. This effort can have an impression on other organizations and villagers, themselves, to improve the life of other surrounding villages. Our mission is a significant movement in the right direction towards providing the people in Indian villages with the basic necessities of life; it is directly aligned with their fundamental needs. We urge you to join us in this worthy effort through generous donations and sponsorship. The time is now, and we must act!
The Plan
PHASE I ("The Enclosure" -- Completed, Summer 2004)
The Vadamanappakkam village has an elementary school with 400 students and a high school with 600 students. The schools have a common playground in a rural setting with dimensions of 200 yards X 400 yards. This playground was not protected with a compound and thus became public property, vulnerable to trespassers and the grazing of animals. Phase I of Project RISHI directly addressed this concern. A 4-1/2 ft high concrete wall covering the entire play ground was constructed and needed an investment of $10,000. Dr. Srivatsan was instrumental in the involvement of Phase I. The enclosure, complete in early 2004, that now surrounds the playground has protected the property for safe use by children. See pictures!
PHASE II ("The Clinic" -- Completed, Summer 2008)
The village is situated in Southern India in the State of Tamil Nadu. The village is located 20 miles south of the temple town Kancheepuram and 35 miles north of the famous hospital in the town of Vellore. The village has a population of 3200 leading a harmonious life. This village is predominantly agrarian with rice being the staple food. Irrigation and drinking water is primarily available from the water from wells and ponds filled in the rainy season from October to January. The village is connected to other villages and towns through the state highways. Villagers are served through the government clinical program with a doctor visiting a clinic many miles outside the village once a week. Medications have to be bought by the villagers from the towns of Arcot, which is 20 miles away or from Vellore. There is a need to create a medical facility for regular healthcare and an better system of accessing medications. Phase II of Project RISHI is to create a medical clinic in the Vadamanappakkam to act as the main source of primary health care for the community. Donations to the successful completion of these programs are appreciated. See Blueprints of the Clinic!
PHASE III ("Restrooms" - Completed, Summer 2009)
Sanitation facilities are a key component to the prevention of disease, the orderly disposal of waste, and the development of good hygiene, all of which lead to health and safety in the village. We are pleased to announce that with a generous $10,000 grant from the Jevan Dhara Foundation, we have been able to construct 5 restrooms at the elementary school, 5 restrooms at the high school, and renovate and refurbish 3 of the existing restrooms. More details on our restrooms project.
PHASE IV ("Water Purification" - In Progress)
Water is essential to the lifeblood of any community. Installation of a water purification system would greatly help the health, wellbeing, and livelihood of Vadamanappakkam. Our development of Vadamanappakkam will hopefully lead to its recognition as a “model village” for others to emulate.
Donations toward the successful completion of these programs are appreciated. To donate, please contact Ravi.