AVAG prioritises the well-being of the communities and collaboration with other medical institutions becomes imperative to achieve this task. Our partnership with Arvind Eye Hospital and PIMS provides essential eye and general health care to marginalised communities. We have established a robust system of monthly and weekly health camps, tailored to the specific needs of women, elders, and children.
The weekly camps, in two villages neighbouring Auroville - Kottakkarai and Bommayapalayam, offer various services, including free consultations, medicines, and referrals for further tests. Each monthly camp benefits 130–200 beneficiaries, with 5 doctors providing free consultations, treatments, and reference letters for x-rays, scan tests, and hospitalisation at PIMS. Our weekly camps, on the other hand, serve 55 -70 patients per week, including up to 10 referrals.
It's essential to maintain a keen understanding of the political and social landscape of the villages to ensure the success of these initiatives. This requires constant interaction with all sections of the community. By engaging panchayat leaders, women's groups, and other stakeholders to organize the logistics for the camps, we have established a robust foundation for community involvement.
AVAG sees this kind of participatory initiative as a tool for empowering the voiceless, particularly women. It encourages women to think beyond credit and savings and get involved in welfare activities. This will enable the communities to change their stereotyped mindset that women are only good in the kitchen and that the women’s groups are meant only for taking loans for their families. In short, the camps are not just about healthcare, but also fostering a sense of community responsibility and well-being.
Anbu & Nadia