SAMAG is a registered, Non-Profit support group which is relentlessly working for the cause of “Ataxia” and “Muscular Dystrophies”- a set of Neuro Muscular degenerative disorders resulting in body imbalance and heart problems which gradually worsens until the victim becomes totally incapacitated. At present, there is no known cure in this world for this disorder.

SAMAG was founded by Chandu George in 2006 in Hyderabad, India with a vision to spread awareness about Ataxia and to provide information and counseling to families coping with Ataxia. Journey has been difficult for this budding organization but thanks to the positive efforts of volunteers led by Chandu, SAMAG has slowly and steadily created awareness on Ataxia and has successfully paved the way to create a forum for Ataxians thus bringing in hope and voice for Ataxians in India.

Chandu George, belonging to a middle class family in Hyderabad, has grown from being a shy and introvert guy into a confident personality leading the way for better life for Ataxians. Diagnosed with Friedreich’s ataxia from the tender age of 14, Chandu realized very early that living with Ataxia was a part of his life and a reality. Over the years he has accepted this hard bitter truth in life and maintaining an ever optimistic attitude, he has strived relentlessly in building SAMAG, an effort to better the lives of families coping with this rare condition.

Completing 4 years of operation, SAMAG has been successful in getting attention from local organizations and volunteers who have come forward to help in its efforts by tree plantations, donation of wheelchairs, organizing fundraising activities etc. SAMAG has also been featured in local channels like Saakshi TV and TV9 along with getting published in local newspapers. It continues to act as an advocacy and lobby group for Ataxians and continues to prepare volunteers who can contribute their time and energy for the welfare of Ataxia patients and help them in obtaining essential commodities like wheelchairs, walkers, medicine etc.

However, despite all its achievements, SAMAG is still in need of funds as well as volunteers to realize many of the pending projects. One such project is SAMAG Rehabilitation Center. SAMAG aspires to build a disabled friendly rehabilitation centre where it can bring the Ataxian families together along with care givers and volunteers. Chandu truly believes that spending a weeks time in a direct interactive environment , Ataxian families can share their concerns, reduce their worries and also develop a feeling of ” togetherness” which can bring them new hope in life.

This project is yet to be realized due to the lack of funds and resources.

Another project is to open a branch of SAMAG in Bangalore which is again not been realized because of lack of volunteers and like-minded people.

I take this opportunity to remind The Better India readers that SAMAG is a registered non-profit support group which entirely depends upon donation, charity, grants and fund raising events. It needs helping hands to support the cause and funds to implement projects. Even a little help can make a huge difference.

So, please feel free to contact Chandu at sam_ataxiaindia[at]yahoo[dot]com in order to find out ways of help, how to become a volunteer, how to conduct fund-raising activities, sponsor a victim or make a donation.

Please visit www.samataxiagroup.org to know more.

Read more about Ataxis here: Ataxia on Wikipedia

A cooking stove that not only cooks faster, saves fuel but also reduces harmful emissions by 80%. This is the promise of the stoves manufactured by Envirofit India Pvt. Ltd, part of the Shell Group. And they have already found 50,000 takers in the southern states of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala.

Eliminating the dependence of poor people on gas and electricity, both of which are expensive and hard to come by in rural areas, the Envirofit stoves work on wood which is easier to collect. By working on a fuller combustion model and using heat insulating material, they reduce cooking time by as much as 40% as compared to traditional three stone stoves. However, at a retail price of a minimum of Rs.700 for a single pot burner, they might still be a little unaffordable for the large population living below poverty line. Envirofit aims to bring down this price to Rs. 500 in order to cater to this segment as well.

Poornima Mohandas reports in Mint:

The retail channel in south India sure seems ready. Sadathulla, a home appliances retailer in Gundalpet, says he sells more Envirofit stoves in a month than kerosene, electric or gas stoves.

With a reported 1.6 million deaths globally due to the use of solid biomass fuels, 400,000 of which are in India itself, it appears that the Envirofit stove could not have arrived sooner.

Read the complete article here.

Photo Courtesy: www.livemint.com

A non-profit and secular organization currently working in Andhra Pradesh, Synergy India Foundation or SIF has impacted the lives of more than 8500 people in the areas of Health, Environment, Safety and Education. Their main aims include:

1. Making available basic and emergency medical facilities to the poor
2. Disseminating information on clean and green environment
3. Bringing about a social change in Education and Healthcare
4. Ensuring compulsory primary education for children

With these objectives in mind, SIF has launched a number of projects in each of its area of focus. These include:

Healthcare:

With their main intention of spreading greater awareness among people about diseases and their cures, SIF undertakes several informative programs in a year. One of these was “Unite for Diabetes”, a Diabetes awareness walk organized in Hyderabad in November 2008. Another ongoing project of theirs is the “ESI Project” in which they sensitize the beneficiaries on available corporate health services of ESI and to increase efficiency of the ESI program by setting up Helpdesks, Helplines, Blood Donation Camps and Medical Camps.

Environment:

By developing pollution-free and healthy colonies in select areas, SIF aims to create “model colonies” that can be replicated in other parts of the nation and help sensitize the population about environmental ills. This is achieved by engaging the local populace in tree planting activities, assessing the pollution levels and educating the residents on pollution hazards and healthy practices of sanitation, etc.

Safety:

With the help of NCC cadets, Bharat Scouts and Guides, NSS, Institutions, Schools and Government support, SIF has initiated the “Safer Society” Project for implementing road safety, school safety and environmental safety in a model zone. With this initiative, they have undertaken several awareness drives to promote greater safety standards among the general public.

Education:

In collaboration with the Government of AP on the Sarva Siksha Abhiyan program, SIF has undertaken the construction of two model schools in Tirumalagiri. Serving as an example of Public-Private Partnership with the government contributing 80% financially and SIF the other 20%, these 2 schools (one for girls and the other for boys) will actively seek people’s participation in providing all facilities appropriate for the overall development of each student in Academics, Sports and Community Services.

The organization has also started a “Security Guards Training and Employment Program” to promote employment and capacity building of unemployed youth and find them jobs in the security sector.

Contact:

To know further about Synergy India Foundation, their work and ways in which you could volunteer/contribute, visit their website http://www.synergyindiafoundation.org/ or contact them at the following address:

Plot No. 30, Kalyan Nagar, Near Central Bank of India

Hyderabad – 500038

Phone: 040-64601995

Fax: 040-23811192

e-mail: info@synergyindiafoundation.org

In one year, the people of Warangal were able to raze to the ground 1,000 acres of forest land! This amazing achievement occured in the wake of the lifting of the ban on naxal groups by the Andhra Pradesh government. Tribals and non-tribals were instigated and encouraged to go on a felling spree and claim the land for agricultual purposes. However, the forest department has been on its toes to prevent the situation from getting out of hand, and reversing the damage. Gollapudi Srinivasa Rao reports in The Hindu:

Taking advantage, a majority of non-tribals engaged labour and felled vast tracts of forest in Pasra, Eturunagaram, Mulug, Tadvai and Bhupalpalli mandals of Warangal north divisions of the Forest Department.

Ever since, the department officials have been spending sleepless nights not only to prevent further damage to the forest, but also to regenerate the destroyed portions.

Lack of cooperation from the public, inadequate staff and danger from naxal groups are some of the problems facing the forest personnel.

Despite the difficult conditions the forest department officials are determined to bring back their forest land and ensure that suxh oversight will not recur in the future.

Speaking to The Hindu , the Conservator of Forests, Md. Ilyas Rizvi, has said the department had initiated a series of steps to prevent the people from entering into the forest area, registering cases against those responsible for felling of forests and plantations. “We have uprooted large trunks and have taken up planting of high yielding variety of eucalyptus saplings with the help of Vana Samrakshana Samithis,” he said.

However, to ensure that such incidents did not recur, the department now proposes to engage `informers’ in villages.

The damage has been done. But atleast there is hope for the future, as people will be better educated on their responsibilities and government officials will be better informed on their duties.

Read the complete article here.
Link Courtesy: Piyush Kheria. Thanks!

Image Courtesy: www.worldproutassemby.org

At the outset, a very happy Diwali to all our readers. Today’s post, needless to add, is related to Diwali. B. Madhu Gopal writes in this article at The Hindu about how Childline, a voluntary organization, arranged for fireworks for street children:

They were the streetchildren, runaway kids and working children who came from diverse backgrounds to the Railway Institute near the Railway Station. Their common bond was the trauma that most of them faced in their families that made them flee their homes. The very thought of playing with fireworks seemed to make them forget their sorrow at least for a while. They were all grateful to Childline for realising that they too wanted to play like other children on Deepavali day. They had no words to express themselves but the joy in their eyes and on their faces said it all.

The report also notes a very heartening fact that Childline, the voluntary organization, has been arranging Diwali celebrations for street children for the past 6 years now. The event comprised of a cultural program followed by the distribution of packets of fireworks for each child.
Some more excerpts:

One little boy asked: “Sir, can I take these home”? He was a working child who had two more siblings at home. The older boys had a gala time turning the sparklers round and round, as it resembled a ‘Vishnu chakram’. While some of the onlookers looked scared as the children could injure themselves, the boys and even most of the girls didn’t show any signs of apprehension and thoroughly enjoyed their freedom.

Diwali, the festival of lights, truly was about dispelling darkness and bringing in rays of joy and light for these children.

Read the complete article here.

Image courtesy: C.V. Subrahmanyam at The Hindu.

Amidst much hype and debate, India’s first lunar spacecraft has taken off on this morning from a hazy launch pad in Sriharikota in southern Andhra Pradesh. With the Rain Gods having given just enough respite for Chandrayaan 1 to launch on its 2 year mission, India now enters the league of a select group of nations who have successfully sent satellites to orbit the moon. This is a matter of national pride, and a feather in the cap of the nation’s premier space research laboratory – ISRO.

The goals of this mission are plenty. A special feature on Rediff News lists them as below:

The Chandrayaan-1 mission is aimed at high-resolution remote sensing of the Lunar surface in visible, near Infrared, low energy X-rays and high-energy X-ray regions.

Specific scientific goals are:
• To prepare a three-dimensional atlas (with a high spatial and altitude resolution of 5-10m) of both near and far side of the moon.

• To conduct chemical and mineralogical mapping of the entire lunar surface for distribution of elements such as Magnesium, Aluminum, Silicon, Calcium, Iron and Titanium with a spatial resolution of about 20 km and high atomic number elements such as Radon, Uranium & Thorium with a spatial resolution of about 40 km.

By simultaneous photo geological and chemical mapping we will be able to identify different geological units, which will test the hypothesis for the origin and early evolutionary history of the moon and help in determining the nature of the lunar crust.

Besides the above, there is an additional aim of exploring the possibility of harvesting Helium 3, a key fuel for nuclear fusion, which the moon is said to contain a whopping 5m tonnes.

While these are a few of the reasons for India to undertake this mission, there has been widespread debate and criticism of the Government’s decision to participate in the space race at the cost of development. A lot of critics feel that the budget of Rs.386 crores could have been better deployed in the improvement of basic living conditions. While these are valid arguments, and deserve attention, these are a few aspects of the lunar mission which might work in its favour:

1. The cost of the mission has been kept at a bare minimum. Infact, China’s lunar spacecraft which was launched last year had cost almost twice as much

2. Space programs to date in India, which largely consisted of sending communication satellites into orbit, have greatly benefited remote villages by linking them via tele-links to schools and hospitals in cities and providing education and healthcare facilities

3. The mission helps in strengthening India’s technological prowess and its reputation for research and development, thus opening up many avenues for high value trade and commerce

4. It will reduce the dependence of our nation on foreign superpowers for information, which might be critical in the future. Data collected from the moon mission could help in formulating India’s energy solutions as well as defense programs

Randeep Ramesh of The Guardian reports:

Earlier this year India was ranked by analysts at Futron, a hi-tech consultancy, as only a fraction behind China in global space competitiveness rankings, and well ahead of Japan, Israel and Canada. It is also building a low-cost, hi-tech base. China’s Chang’e I cost nearly double India’s Chandrayaan I bill of $86m.

This thriftiness was born of necessity. With an annual budget of about $1bn – less than a tenth of Nasa’s – Isro has to do a lot with little.

“The whole thrust of [India's space programme] has been to get real benefits,” said Gopal Raj, author of Reach For The Stars, a book about the country’s rocket programme. Raj pointed out that the Madras Institute of Development Studies recently calculated that for every rupee spent on the space programme, two were generated in “indirect and direct returns”.

It is obvious that there are many facets to this debate, and it is difficult for us to decide conclusively what the right path is. However, one thing easy to see is that India is on the path of scientific progress, which we hope will bear astronomical returns for its billions of citizens.

Excerpts from: The Guardian and Rediff News
Image Courtesy: Rediff News

EMRI - Ambulance on call service

Now if you are in Andhra Pradesh or Gujarat, you can dial 108 and immediately get connected to emergency medical, fire and police services. A fully equipped ambulance with technical staff can be at your doorstep in an average time of 20 minutes. And if you do not belong to these two states you should still read ahead as this service, provided by the Emergency Management Research Institute (EMRI) will soon be made available in the rest of the country.

William A. Haseltine, President of Foundation for Medical Sciences and The Arts, has written about the service in this article in The Hindu:
How it works:

EMRI dispatch centres are modern marvels. Addresses and map locations of fixed line callers are displayed on computer screens that summarise their call histories. The lines are then transferred to medical, police and fire professionals for action. By the time the call reaches the doctor, the location of nearby ambulances and local hospitals together with data describing available hospital services is on the screen. Life-saving procedures can become accessible within the golden hour, the crucial first hour following the emergency crisis.

With a fleet of 500 ambulances and 3000 technicians and drivers, it is estimated that the EMRI service helped in saving 22,000 lives in Andhra Pradesh itself last year!

Not only this, there is another service for remote medical care wherein a person can dial 104 and avail of free medical advice from health care professionals managed by Health Management and Research Institute (HMRI). Calls are prioritized and callers routed to appropriate destinations, including 108 if an ambulance is required.

The 104 workers currently operate from a call centre in Hyderabad. The target for the year is to increase the number of doctors in the call centre to about 200 and hire about 2000 paramedics, from about 50 doctors and 250 paramedics currently on staff. About one-quarter of the calls require professional medical advice and about half the calls originate from small farming villages with no permanent medical infrastructure. Shortly EMRI will field-test a mobile hospital.

The 108 and 104 services were the brainchild of three founders: Ramalinga Raju founder Chairman and CEO of Hyderabad-based Satyam Computer Services Ltd.; Dr. Ranga Rao and Dr. Balaji Utla.

Now the EMRI and HMRI models will also be used as role models for setting up similar services in other countries around the world.

On a similar note, residents of Bangalore have long been aware and benefited from an emergency ambulance service called Sanjeevini, which has rescued over 42,000 people till date. Sanjeevini is a part of Comprehensive Trauma Consortium (CTC) established as a non-profit, non-Governmental, voluntary organization by Dr. N. K Venkataramana.

The Sanjeevini helpline number is 1062, and you can visit their website here. Stay tuned to The Better India for a more comprehensive coverage of Sanjeevini.

Read the complete article in The Hindu here.

Image Courtesy: The Hindu

How many people can undergo the loss of everything they love, and then convert that tragedy into an opportunity for helping others? Not many. That’s the stuff that heroes are made of. And that is the reason why CNN has honoured Dr. Chandrasekhar Sankurathri as a CNN Hero.

After losing his wife and two children in the bomb blast aboard a flight from Ottawa to Mumbai in 1985, Dr. Chandra could not find any reason to live further. However after three years of tortuous searching, he decided to pack up his job as a biologist in Ottawa, and returned to a small village in Andhra Pradesh, India.

Excerpts from the article in CNN:

“India has so many problems,” says Sankurathri, 64. Two in particular caught his attention: a lack of school attendance and rampant blindness. With the money he had, Sankurathri created a foundation in his wife’s name, and in turn, built a school and an eye hospital in the small rural village of Kuruthu, not far from his wife’s birthplace. Today, his foundation’s efforts to empower the poor through education and health care are having significant success. Since its inception in 1992, Sarada School, named after the 4-year old daughter he lost, has grown from one to nine grades and graduated more than 1,200 children. It boasts of a zero drop-out rate as against the national average of 50%. The fees, books, uniforms, meals, even medical checkups are all provided free of cost by Dr. Chandra. All the students need to contribute is discipline and a keenness to learn.

The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) has also written this excellent article on Chandrasekhar:

The Sarada school represents a ticket out of poverty for these kids, and there’s no fooling around at morning assembly. If you show up late, you’ll stick out like a sore thumb standing there with your backpack until it’s over. The children solemnly pledge their loyalty to their country… to their teachers, to their neighbours, and to their gods. After the assembly, there is a ritual walk around the statue of the goddess who is sometimes also known as Sarada, the name of the school and of the girl who inspired it. As the school day unfolds underneath the huge mango trees, you get a sense of what education means to these kids. Ask them how many have parents who cannot read and write. Most of the hands go up. For themselves, they have bigger ambitions. What do they want to be when they grow up? They answer: English teacher, doctor, teacher, police officer.

And this is not all. The same school buses then ply to bring in the blind and half-blind to the Srikiran Institute of Ophthalmology, named after his lost 7-year old son. Since its opening, the hospital has performed more than 137,000 cataract operations, 90% of them free. The article goes on to say:

Cataract surgery is a life changing experience whatever country you’re in. But it still inspires awe to see its impact on people who couldn’t possibly pay for it and who otherwise would be condemned to darkness for the rest of their lives. The blind watchman can see. “I can work as long as I want now because I can see, two grandsons, grandchildren, so I’ll be happy to see them again,” he says. “It’s really gratifying to see that satisfaction, the feeling on their faces, the elderly people. Those who thought they’d reached the end of their life, end of the tunnel,” Sankurathri says.

And how does he manage to run all this?

It’s all funded by donations from Dr. Chandra’s network around the world, a little from the Indian government, a little from charities like Help the Aged, and a little from CIDA, the Canadian aid agency. He gets a little, too, from strangers on the other side of the world. Like school principal Theresa Crisky and her students at St. Gregory’s Catholic School in the Ottawa suburb of Nepean. The kids have been raising money through bake sales and the like every year, a total of $14,000 to date.

Find the CNN Videos of Dr. Chandra and his work at this link.

It is remarkable indeed to see the difference one man can make in the lives of many. Even more so after having suffered such pain in his life. The Better India salutes the spirit of Dr. Chandrasekhar. Read the complete CNN article here and the CBC feature here. Image Courtesy: CBC News