Kandithankulam
Projects Update
August 2013

Kandithankulam Update  

           

Dear Friends:  
 
I am happy to report that though we now live in California, the Village Development work sponsored and supported by our Faith Church and its caring congregation is proceeding well.  We sent our last report towards the end of January this year.  We thought that it is time to send our mid-year report.


Medical Camp (Free Clinic) 
  
 
A very successful Medical Camp (free clinic) was conducted on April 21 this year.  Though the Light Eternal Medical Clinic is being used as a Computer Center, it has all the facilities to provide medical treatment by a team of doctors and nurses to hundreds of patients during the Free Clinic.  As usual, 7 doctors (1 Gynecologist, 1 Pediatrician, 1 Ophthalmologist, 2 Dentists and 2 Family Practice specialists) along with three Dental Interns and two Optometrists donated their services.  Our capable representative there, Sam, provided them with lunch and mementos in appreciation of their generous services.

An unexpected tragic event seemed to have foreshadowed the event, and caused some complications.  Just a couple of days before the Medical Camp, after all the arrangements had been completed, a murder took place in a village that is very close to Kandithankulam.  As the Police were investigating this serious crime, Sam had to seek permission from the concerned Police Officials to conduct the camp.  When they heard about the philanthropic nature of the camp, the Police officials in charge of the investigation not only gave the permission, but also provided Police protection for the patients and doctors attending the Camp.  You can see a Police Officer in one of the photographs.  About 300 patients from about seven nearly villages attended the camp and received medical treatment and medicines.  As has been our custom, transportation was arranged for most of the patients to reach our Clinic.
 
    
Apr 21, 2013 Medical Clinic with Police Image
Police provide extra security for doctors and patients at the Medical Clinic held on April 21, 2013, after a murder took place in a village very close to Kandithankulam.
       
 In rural Indian villages, poor people do not use toothbrushes and paste.  Most of them just break a small twig from a neem tree and use it to clean their teeth.  The neem tree (Azadirachta Indica) is supposed to have originated in India.  One informative website calls this tree India's "village pharmacy" because of its many medicinal effects.  In the U.S.,  Neem toothpaste is available on Amazon.com.  When we built our house in India in 1968, we first planted two neem trees in our front yard!  For many villagers, these trees are not easily accessible; hence, the village children grow up with very poor dental hygiene.  Dental diseases are very common in these villages and many villagers may lose their teeth before they get old.  Qualified dentists rarely practice in small villages. 
  
We have been very fortunate that a husband and wife team of dentists has been helping our camps for many years.  Both of them have advanced degrees in dentistry and many interns get practical training in their private clinic. They usually bring three of these interns with them for our Medical Camp.  Over the past few years we have been arranging for students from the nearby village schools to come to our Free Clinic and receive a dental check-up and learn about oral hygiene.  We also provide free toothbrushes and pastes for these children.  The efforts put in by this cheerful and generous dentist couple will have a lasting influence on improving the health of those who attend our camps.
  
  
Apr 21, 2013 Medical Clinic Image 4

Children are given toothbrushes and toothpaste to help them maintain healthy teeth.

  
Medical Clinic Image 13
One of the dentists uses educational pamphlets to help explain to this boy how to prevent losing his teeth before he gets old. 

 

                    

Apr 21, 2013 Medical Clinic - getting off truck image 31
Transportation is arranged for most of the patients to reach the Free Clinic.

  

 

Apr 21, 2013 Medical Clinic waiting in line image 30
       Patients queue up to receive free medical and dental care at the
       April 21st Clinic.
                                                     
Medical Camp Image 8
At the Medical Clinic on April 21, 2013.

 

 

  Apr 21, 2013 Medical Clinic image 17  

 

  

   

  

  

  

  

 

  

  Apr 21, 2013 Medical Clinic Image 21

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

Our New Project

 

As we mentioned in our last report, we are now building toilets with septic tanks for deserving single women.  We first completed two toilets and now there is a big demand for such toilets.  In consultation with us, Sam chose three more single women who deserve such assistance.  Two of them are in Kandithankulam and the third one is in A.M. Kulam, where we have earlier helped many families to build small houses.  These three toilets have just been completed.  One of them was fully funded by a generous member of our congregation.  She and her late husband have been long-time supporters of our social services in rural South India.  We have included some photographs. As we mentioned in our last report, each of these projects costs $750.00.

        
   
The new toilet being built.
One of the toilets being built.
  
2013 Family in front of their toilet
           One of the families proudly stands in front of their            newly constructed toilet facility.  
  
The need for providing toilet facilities for the village women is a very timely project because we saw in The Indian Express, a national newspaper, a few months ago that the Indian government, also, is planning to build toilets in villages.  A top official of the Federal Government has said in this article that it is a shame that 60% of the village women in India do not have toilet facilities in their villages.  He said that, "providing toilets will instill a sense of confidence, self-respect and security among these women."  It is a laudable goal, but, it is going to take ages to provide such self-respect and security to about 200 million village women in India.  More philanthropies like ours need to step in.  
  
This project has recently received support from another church in Monmouth.  The First Lutheran Church has contributed the full cost of building two toilets.  Earlier, at the request of their Endowment Committee, we sent them a short account of our development work in and around Kandithakulam including our recent project on building toilets for single women and their families.  Their Endowment Advisor and another member of this Lutheran church have supported the Kandithankulam projects earlier.
  
Computer Center
  
Sam has informed us that all those who earned their computer diplomas at our Computer Center are gainfully employed in nearby towns.  A second batch of students are now studying in our Computer Center to earn their diplomas or certificates.  In addition, there are also some school students who come to the Computer Center in the evenings and weekends to improve their computer skills.  Unlike the city schools, village schools do not have facilities to provide computer education for their students.  These students need to learn some basic computer skills before they can continue their education in High Schools and Colleges. The Computer Center is being kept open on weekends to accommodate these students.
  
In conclusion, I would like to add that we are helping a young woman whose husband has deserted her and she had to return to her parents' home.  She joined eight people living in a very small house.  At her request, we are building an additional room for this woman.  As she can meet part of the expenses, we will spend only $300 to help this young woman.
  
We are very grateful to all of you for continuing to support the Kandithankulam projects.  Your compassion and generosity are changing the lives of hundreds of people for the better.  As always, 100% of your contribution is spent on these projects. 

May God bless you. 
 
Raj & Saro Ambrose