IDF Salutes Schoolteams

St. Gregorios High School, Chembur, Mumbai

Ms. Nilima, social service Co-ordinator is seen along with the team of Gregorians extending support to IDF's humanitarian programmes.

Mrs. Ranjini Krishnaswami, Principal is a great supporter of leprosy eradication programme.
New Horizon Public School, Airoli, Navi Mumbai

Mrs. Bulbul Sengupta, Principal - Dr. Jyoti Nair, Vice Principal and Mrs. Lakshmi Ramachandran, Co-ordinator of NHPS extended continued support to IDF's national programmes. NHPS students and their families have been a constant supporter of IDF for several years now.

DAV Public School, Thane

Mrs. Rajesh Tanwar, Principal of DAV Thane is a great supporter of social programmes. The students from DAV-Thane have lent their continued support to IDF's health, education and rural development programmes.

IDF SALUTES SCHOOLTEAMS

for all their benevolent support.

TB awareness at Don Bosco School

Indian Development Foundation organised a Tuberculosis awareness programme at Don Bosco High School, Borivali (W), Mumbai on 1st July 2009.

Dr. Narayan B. Iyer from IDF addressed the students on scientific facts about tuberculosis and sensitized them on the need to stop TB. The students took active part in the awareness programme and volunteered to support the cause.

Rev. Fr. George Carlos sdb, Principal of Don Bosco congratulated IDF for the wonderful work carried out by the Foundation in health, education and rural development. Mrs. Anjana Mehta, Co-ordinator of the school extended all support for organising the event.

Mr. Raymond D'souza and Mr. Jayaraja Acharya from IDF were present during the event.

IDF committed to StopTB

IDF's nation-wide TB programme has been recognised by the StopTB Partnership.

A 13-page June 2009 newsletter of StopTB Partnership highlights the work of IDF in TB awareness programme in India.

Click the newsletter link given below. Please see page No.6.

http://www.stoptb.org/resource_center/assets/documents/STBNEWSJune09.pdf

Extract of news is given below.

Join hands with IDF and Let's StopTB.

IDF is a proud partner of StopTB Partnership.

www.stoptb.org

IDF's TB related news :

http://indiandevelopmentfoundation.blogspot.com/search/label/Stop%20TB

Tackling a stigma

The reopened Acworth Leprosy Museum is worth a visit, just to see how history and society have changed attitudes towards patients

In the quiet lanes of Wadala is hidden a little-visited institution that’s almost a mirror to the attitude Indian society has had to leprosy, through the ages, the Acworth Leprosy Museum housed in one of the wards of the Acworth Municipal Hospital for Leprosy.

A joint venture of the Acworth Municipal Hospital and the Acworth Leprosy Hospital Research Society, substantially supported by The Sasakawa Memorial Health Foundation and The Nippon Foundation, Japan, the museum offers a thought-provoking display of photographs and documents. Prathiba Kathe, the project coordinator at the museum, says: “Our aim is to inform the public about a disease that is still a serious problem in our country.” The museum is open for public viewing on weekdays between 9 in the morning and 3.30 pm.

read complete story

courtesy : The Indian Express - 29-06-09
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/tackling-a-stigma/482585/0

Podar students gear-up social responsibility programmes

The IB (International Baccalareaute) students of Podar International School, Santacruz under their CAS programme (Creativity, Action and Service) are in absolute partnership with Indian Development Foundation (IDF) for their social service activities.

CAS Co-ordinator Mrs. Sarala Gavane led a batch of 41 students to Vimala Dermatological Centre, a leprosy/ TB project of IDF in North Mumbai in the early hours of Saturday (June 27). The IB Diploma Programme students have to undergo about 150 hours of social work in a year as per their curriculum and it is our privilege to have continued patronage of IDF for CAS programme. The students were curious to know about leprosy and it was a new experience for them to visit a leprosy home for the first time, Mrs. Sarala Gavane added.

Dr. Narayan B. Iyer, National Co-ordinator of IDF inaugurated the programme by giving brief details of the workings of the Foundation followed by a scientific presentation on leprosy. A film on leprosy helped the students to clear their doubts on the disease. Leprosy is not hereditary, as a child borne to a leprosy patient may not have leprosy at the time of birth, Dr. Iyer said. To a query raised by one of the student whether leprosy is contagious, Dr. Iyer clarified by citing the example of the dedicated sisters and doctors treating the patients and a host of NGOs working for leprosy patients who are free from the disease. Dr. Iyer said leprosy is completely curable and treatment is given free of cost across the country. He also said that India has achieved leprosy elimination status and NGOs are now working on rehabilitation of patients.

The students made two groups and went round the male, female and children wards of Vimala Centre and they also had an insight of the out-patient-department where scores of people visit regularly and get treated. The students felt happy as they went around each ward interacting freely with the patients and greeted them with a smile.

"We could see the glimpse of happiness on the faces of each patient as we enquired about their well-being", Podar students, Ahmed, Sourabh and Harmit Singh, expressed. "It is a day of fulfillment for all of us and we feel proud to be a part of IDF. Through CAS programmes we will do our best to bring smile among the underprivileged" said Zeba, Anishka and Riddhi.

Dr. Sharad Nayampally and Mr. Sanjay S. Waghmare from IDF made arrangements for the programme.

Indelible Impressions

We use the word hospitality, service and charity several times in our talks. But we realised the actual depth and colour of these words the moment we visited Vimala Centre located in North Mumbai. The Sisters care for the leprosy patients cannot be simply explained in words. It's remarkable indeed to witness the depth of compassion. The feeeling for the inmates is immeasurable and the love is seen all around. The maintenance and upkeep of the centre is awesome. The atmosphere of the hospital is very serene, calm and blessed. One would guess if such a place exists in Mumbai. We were welcomed by a sister and were explained about the various activities. The recreation hall, the living rooms of the inmates are maintained so well that the patients feel at home. We were really moved by the stories of a few children and also that of a couple of inmates. The tailoring unit in the centre is an excellent inhouse rehabilitation activity which helps them towards self-reliance. We have no apt words to describe the services and the charity which Vimala Center is offering to the society. We are indeed happy and also feel proud to be part of Indian Development Foundation which networks with similar projects across India.

Rakhul V. and Aalok Shinde, students of ICFAI Business School, Mumbai.

Rakul & Aalok have been inducted as Student Social Ambassadors of IDF

Bengaluru pages

Mr. Sai Prem kumar, IDF Ambassador presenting IDF Performance Report to Rev. Sr. Louis of Mariam Nivas Higher Primary School, Bangalore. Rev. Sr. Louis taught him 30 years back in the same school. Rejoicing reminiscences.

Dr. S. Franklin presenting a tailoring machine to Ms. Ranganayagi as part of IDF rehabilitation programme.

Dr. S. Franklin presenting dress materials to Dr. Sadanand, Medical Officer of Karunashraya in Bangalore.

IDF Karnataka Team presenting a memento to Rev. Fr. Joseph Thoompanal of Sumanahalli Leprosy Project, Bangalore.

IDF Karnataka Team presenting Joint Action magazine to Rev. Fr. George Kannanthanum, Director, Summanahalli Leprosy Project, Bangalore.

Asian Trading Corporation (Book Stall) patronizes IDF by placing a donation box. Mr. L.E. Denises, Sales Co-ordinator joins Mr. Samuel Vincent, Development Executive of IDF for a group photo.

TB more likely to strike diabetics, says experts

The Times of India of 15th June reports............
TB more likely to strike diabetics

"According to recent data from the World Health Organisation, diabetes accounts for 14.8% of pulmonary tuberculosis and 20.2% of smear positive tuberculosis. If this continues, diabetes could replace HIV-AIDS as the main reason for TB coming back into society. It could prove highly infectious, as is the case with swine flu today," said Dr Vijay Viswanathan, Managing Director, M V Hospital for Diabetes and Diabetes Research Centre. Patients with active TB and type II diabetes mellitus are likely to have multi-drug resistant TB, he added.

Read complete report : -
courtesy - The Times of India - http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Chennai/TB-more-likely-to-strike-diabetics-says-experts-/articleshow/4656337.cms

Raval International School, Mira Road

Mr. Rajendra Pandit, Director, Raval International School, Mira Road, Dist. Thane supports IDF's health, education and rural development programme.

IDF carried out TB awareness programme in the school. The students of Raval International School participated the health awareness programme and resource mobilisation drive.

IDF thank Raval International School team for their kind and continued support.