Sewa Canada International Aid Inc has been supporting tribal communities all over India, since its inception. This Tribal Health Project in the remote hill area of Attapady, Kerala, India is one among them. It is run by our partners on the ground Swami Vivekananda Medical Mission, (SVMM).
The Place : Attappady is a mountainous region of Kerala, features a mosaic of different microclimates and topologies. This also means the region is quite biodiverse, with the rainforests and scrublands home to elephants, leopards, tigers, monkeys, bears and many other recognizable Indian fauna.
The Problem : The area is also known for having a low HDI when compared to the rest of Kerala, with many of the inhabitants living in poverty. Cholera, sickle cell anemia, chronic alcoholism, rampant mental illness and various other disorders plague the tribal populations. Providing them with timely and accessible health care is critical. SVMM ensures this care is provided to these underprivileged communities, free of cost. This would not be possible without support from generous donors year after year, and seeking your generous support.
Tribal & Underprivileged populations: Tribes form 44% of the population and are represented in three sects called Irula, Muduga and Kurumba. They live in hamlets in and around the hills of Attappady. There are 192 such tribal hamlets. The non-tribal population comprises of settlers from Kerala and Tamil Nadu. The historic lack of infrastructure only serves to exacerbate the problem, and as such, little progress has been made in the region while the rest of Kerala progressed.
Our Work : For patients from the tribal communities and other under privileged communities, Swami Vivekananda Medical Mission Hospital provides the following services.
With help from our generous donors, Sewa Canada International Aid Inc. for the past few years has been funding a part of the above programs at Swami Vivekananda Medical Mission hospital, to bring relief to these tribal & underprivileged communities in an under-serviced area.
Typically –
- CAD $80 – Supports the free food for the patients at SVMM hospital for a day.
- CAD $100 – Supports the purchase of medicines for tribal patients at SVMM hospital for a day.
- CAD $400 – Supports the full maternity care for a pregnant tribal woman at the SVMM hospital.
Surgeries, other procedures including dental work cost a lot more, but are offered free of cost to tribal and underprivileged communities, with help of generous donors.
For the last 4 years, Sewa Canada International has provided over CAD$ 20,000 every year to support these programs to provide healthcare for the tribal communities. This includes contributing towards building a new NICU & MICU to enhance Neo Natal care and maternity care for tribal communities in Attapady. The new facilities was inaugurated on May 12th 2023.
Below are some of the statistics at Swami Vivekananda Medical Mission hospital for the last 8 years –
The hospital offers the following services.The Hospital Management Information System is fully computerized. All patients are given free food daily at the hospital.
The Story of SVMM
The latest Addition – NICU & MICU facilities at SVMM
Your generous donations to this cause will help us reach more of these communities and provided them these health services. 100% of your donations are transferred to the cause on the ground.
We also encourage our donors to visit scenic Attapady, while in India, and check out our work on the ground. CONTACT US if you would like to schedule a visit to Attapady.
SVMM also carries out various projects in the following areas, to provided all round development in the Attapady region. These are –
Please DONATE generously. 100% of your donations will be transferred to the work on the ground. Donations are tax deductible in Canada.
Donations may also be made via cheque payable to “Sewa Canada International” and mailed to the address below. Please mention “SVMM Attapady”
Address: P.O. Box 76621, 1661 Denison Street
Markham – ON, L3R 0N5
For more information CONTACT US
Sewa Canada International Aid Inc is a registered Canadian charitable organization with over three decades of serving the world, including Disaster Relief projects.