Health Programs

HIV Prevention || Snacks & health exams || Lunches || Toilets

The health of the women and children is of concern to SHAMA, Inc. In partnership with the SPRJ Kanyashala Trust, SHAMA, Inc. funds these health-related programs.

HIV and STD prevention and women's reproductive health education.

Information about HIV and STD prevention and women's reproductive health education is delivered to sex workers (prostitutes), women in the slums, and other women in high-risk groups. This information is given in the form of street plays and health kits, which include condoms and information. Street plays are a very good way to reach illiterate women. Income-generation training will help these women move to other fields of work. SHAMA, Inc. supports this program.

Scene from a street play
about HIV and other STD's

Sex worker's place
of business

Girl who had TB
and is cured now

Cooking lunches in
PN Doshi kitchen

Women's toilet
in Mhaskal

At PN Doshi College, a regular classroom interaction brought to light the need for a food and health program. A teacher found that a student in her class had been losing weight and often panted for breath. The teacher offered to take the student to a nearby clinic, but the girl refused, saying they were passing spells and would go away. However, on probing further, the girl confided that her family couldn't afford medical care, and that she suffers from tuberculosis. This 17-year-old girl had TB and instead of taking medicine and eating nutritious foods, she wanted to find a job so she could work after her college hours to help support her family!

This incident sparked discussions in the staff room, and they came up with the scheme to provide medicines and nutritious snacks to such needy and undernourished students on a regular basis. With the help of the Rotary club we have a general practitioner come once a week to the college to look into health issues of our students. Blood testing provided a list of girls who are anemic and undernourished. These girls are given iron, calcium, and vitamin supplements; SHAMA, Inc.'s funds provide nutritious snacks.

School children get healthy lunches in Mhaskal village through the ShamaKids program. At PN Doshi College, Home Science students have been provided funds through SHAMA, Inc. to use the college cafeteria to prepare nutritious lunches for the students who would otherwise go without.

SHAMA, Inc. gave funds to build 5 toilets for women in Mhaskal Village. The villagers have built more since then.

Health Programs

Students' nutritious snacks and health program.