Earth Trust Provides Primary Health Care Training in Rural villages in Nilgiris

Earth Trust provides and supports a process whereby people learn to improve their personal habits and attitudes and to work responsibly for the improvement of health conditions in the family, community and nation. Every member of the health team shares responsibility in providing health education.

It aims to help people make use of their own efforts and education in improving their conditions of living, lodging, good nutrition and prevention of diseases.

It is a means of improving the health of the people by employing various methods of scientific procedures to show the most healthful ways of living.

Earth Trust teaches a 12-module programme for rural village women.  The following Modules are taught to the group of village women:

MODULE 1:   Introduction to Earth Trust & Village documentation

MODULE 2:  Skeleto-muscular System Anatomy, Physiology, Foetal process. Problems; Relaxation; Herbal plants; Basic care; massage

MODULE 3:  Nervous System Anatomy, Physiology, foetal process; breathing; basic cranio-sacral work; herbs for health; babies; adults; seniors.  Preparation of infused oils.

MODULE 4:  Heart & Circulatory System Anatomy, Physiology, foetal process; Meridians & Acupressure; herbs for health; babies; adults; seniors. Breathing

MODULE 5:  Respiratory System Anatomy, Physiology, foetal process; Herbs for health; babies; adults; seniors. Home remedies; Breathing.

MODULE 6:  Digestive System and Waterborne disease. Local issues; Anatomy, Physiology, Hygiene, stress, home remedies; herbs for health

MODULE 7:  Liver & Pancreatic System: Anatomy, Physiology, Herbs for health; Diabetes & Jaundice Prevention & management; managing stress

MODULE 8:  Reproductive System: Anatomy, Physiology, Development; Herbs for health; Adolescence; Conception & childbirth; hormonal changes etc. Hygiene; home remedies;

MODULE 9:  Nutrition: Foods and illnesses; Herbs for health; Hygiene; home remedies; Food preparation.

MODULE 10:  Urinary System & kidneys: Anatomy, Physiology, Stress & meridians; Herbs for health; Pregnancy; incontinence; hygiene.

MODULE 11:  Skin and Immune System: Anatomy, Physiology, foetal process & linkages; Herbs for health; massage; dealing with skin conditions.

MODULE 12:  Herbal gardens and herbal preparations

MODULE 13, 14, 15- more programmes related to community and personal herbal kitchen gardens for health & Herbal Medicine preparations.  Exposure & training visit to Earth Trust gardens.

Herb Medicine preparation – Teas, Legium, Chooranum, Oils and Syrups

          a) Documentation of indigenous herbs & uses

          b) Extending knowledge about indigenous plants

          c) Preparing Medicine on available plants

          c) Preparing Medicines for Primary Health Care conditions

• After completing this programme the village women are aware of Hygiene, nutrition & above said information.
• They are happy to set up a Kitchen Herbal Garden for their own nutrition & primary health care. Now the women have set up their kitchen herbal garden.
• The women are preparing their own Nutrition flour.

Success Stories of Previous village Kattery

Case no. 1

Name                     : Mrs. C

Age                       : 36 Years

Village                    : Kattery Village

Mrs. C was suffering from Skin problem (itching in her whole body) for the past 2 years. Every morning when she woke up she had an itching sensation in her whole body continuously for half an hour. This made her very upset and kept her house-bound. She did not step out of the house at all.

After attended the training she came to know about Rue hot infused oil. She applied this oil, from the first week itself she felt better.  She applied this oil continuously for 3 months; she found the itching of her skin reduced dramatically.   Now she is happy and uses the rue oil whenever needed.

Her Child M (13 years old girl) is affected by cold & cough for past 3 to 4 years.  After attended the training she came to know about Adathoda cough syrup which she gave her continuously for 15 days, and found that it is getting better. She used it for a month and the cough & cold is almost cured. Now Monisha is happy to play outside, which was earlier taboo for her because of her cold. And she suggests the treatment for other children also.

C’s sister Ms. K has many pimples on her face. C suggested to her to apply Calendula hot infused oil. In the beginning it was a slow response but after regular application the pimples slowly reduced.

Case no. 2

Name                    : Mrs. B

Age                       :  33 Years

Village                   : Kattery Village

Mrs. B  suffered from piles for the past 14 years.  Her doctor suggested surgery but she decided to bear the pain and postponed the operation.  She attended our PHCT programme, and learned about Thiribala chooranum (Siddha Supplements) which is used to cure piles problem.

Initially she took the supplement from ET and later on prepared her own Ashta chooranum, and used regularly for a period of 3 months. Now her pain is greatly reduced and the piles problem is almost cured. 

Links:

• earth trust nilgiris india

THE KATTERY VILLAGE WOMEN’s PROGRAMMES

Earth Trust (www.earthtrustnilgiris.org) has as its vision, Creating Viability and Well-Being in Rural Communities.

Our Mission is To Revitalize The Nilgiris By Giving Tools To Create Vibrant And Abundant Communities.

In keeping with our mission, our programs are tailored to support holistic empowering of the Nilgiris communities, targeted particularly at empowering the women. We aim to support an ongoing self-sustainability and well-being for the communities.

To this end, to date, The Earth Trust has conducted, completed, and has ongoing programs in twenty villages in the Nilgiris.

We give here an example of Kattery Village.

Approximate population:  2000

No of Houses: 400

Primary Health Care Center: Yes

Income:  From Tea Estates, Agriculture

School:  Kattery Village Primary School

The following programs were set up at Kattery:

THE INCOME GENERATION PROGRAM

Conducted over a period of 90 days

Number of participants:  15 women

The women learnt knitting, embroidery, crochet, stitching, dress making.

Through this program, the women learnt basic skills to keep their families warm, the children clothed appropriately for school and for day-to-day living. In addition, it also gave them the skills and opportunity to start small tailoring units of their own, if they so desired.

The women of Kattery Village are a very vibrant group. After completion of the Income Generation Program, they opted to enrol themselves in The Health Program conducted by The Earth Trust.

THE HEALTH PROGRAM

The Health Program was conducted at Kattery from March 2013 through August 2013.

 Number of participants: 11 women.

The Health Program is aimed at imparting basic knowledge of the human body along with its various systems, empowering the women with knowledge to be able to handle simple ailments prevalent in villages. At the end of each system they are given traditional herbal plants which are known cures for the treatment of everyday problems pertaining to that particular system.

These plants are grown in a community garden, which by the end of the Health Program gives the community a start-up herbal garden.

The women of Kattery were also taught reflexology, massage, Reiki, preparation of homemade remedies for internal and external use, as well as preparation of some basic Siddha supplements.

At the end of the Health Program, Earth Trust’s farming personnel conducted a one-day seminar on the setting up of organic herbal as well as kitchen gardens, imparting knowledge so that each family could be self sufficient in growing their own basic vegetables and herbs for medicinal use.

From the knowledge and empowerment the women of Kattery received, they have formed a group, rented a room, and have started their own Income Generation Program. They are open to taking in commercial stitching, knitting orders etc. They are also preparing, marketing, and selling traditional snacks, in their small way working towards self sustainability for themselves, their families and their community.

The Earth Trust acknowledges them and feels proud to be associated with the Kattery village women.