Day 4 of our Making More Health Insights Week in India – Experiencing Sustainable Impact and Understanding Vulnerable Communities

Today we continued our journey to explore social impact, sustainability, and innovation in some of India’s most vulnerable communities. We had the incredible opportunity to visit the Todas tribe, an indigenous community with a rich cultural heritage and unique way of life. Learning about their traditions, challenges, and sustainable practices gave us a new perspective…

Bamboo products and women empowerment

Today, we visited a recently opened center in Mankarai ( close to Coimbatore) where tribal women are trained in Bamboo products and note book making – just to mention those income generating ideas among many others. The products are sold to schools and local tourists who come here especially during the weekend to spend some…

Distributing rice, lentils and soap among vulnerable communities during COVID-19

Although the strictest lockdown conditions were eased in Southern India, people in tribal areas are still facing impaired access to food supply. Where limited transportation facilities and shortened opening hours of grocery shops restrict people’s possibilities, it adds onto job loss in the formal and informal sector and a third wave of COVID-19 infections. Access…

Raising awareness in a worsening mental health crisis in India

How an Indian psychiatrist engages to break the stigma COVID-19 has forced people all over the world to stand still, to stay at home, to distance themselves from stabilizing social environments, to lose job opportunities and to let go of dreams. Some have lost their loved ones, others are on the brink of financial ruin,…

Soap making day to protect tribal communities

The COVID-19 virus is a huge risk to all, and even more for ethnic minorities. Tribals comprise a substantial minority population of India, making up 8.6% of India‘s population, or 104.2 million people, according to the 2011 census. One of the most impactful activities to combat infections is soap and hygiene practices. But soap is…