Florence Home Foundation
HEALTH ACTIONS
TB AWARNESS
Florence Home Foundation organizes meetings in villages of the Cuddalore district to raise people's awareness about tuberculosis (TB). Today too many people all over India suffer from this illness. During the meetings in the villages, FHF shows how little things can prevent big problems.
FHF is involved in the AXSHYA - Reach Project, in association with seven other NGOs. Its main goal is to launch health prevention campaigns addressed to the poor. Three times a month, the NGOs visit schools and villages to teach basic hygiene rules. Here is an example of what FHF does. On June 22, FHF and two french volunteers from La Rochelle Business School visited C. Kallippatu in order to warn the students and staff members about the dangers of TB. Usha Rani, the president of FHF gave a speech and some tips to prevent the transmission of the illness.
Thanks to FHF, Manthoppu is becoming a TB free village. That is why it is important for the association to keep on organizing these prevention campaigns.
WATER PROGRAM
FHF realized that there were few water facilities for school children, and these poor facilities were damaged by “Thane cyclone”. The school teachers warned us about the health problem they were facing. The association decided to visit the schools in order to identify the water issue and then the measures to be taken.
FHF decided to focus at first on three schools in the Cuddalore District: the Government Higher Secondary School at Semakottai, St. Mary’s Middle School in Pudupalayam, and the Killai Primary School. So far, FHF has started the project in the last two schools.
The program has two phases:
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The construction of water facilities
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Tree planting.
In the first phase, the construction of water tanks and gutters has enabled rain water management and has provided drinking water facilities for students. Raising students and teachers’ awareness is an important aspect of the project. For that matter, FHF organized a meeting with the students and the student body.
Also, it is necessary to retain the water that is collected and to maintain the ground water level, since the ground is very dry. That is why FHF thought of tree planting. Indeed, trees improve the soil quality by stabilizing the soil hydrology and the ground water level.
Therefore, in the second phase, FHF has worked towards the reforestation of the school campuses. FHF gave a tree to each student of St. Mary’s Middle School. On June 6, 2012, for the International Environment Day, the FHF staff members went to the school to plant the first tree.
Local newspapers were present on that day to communicate on the event. S. Usha Rani, President of FHF, S. Alexander, Secretary of FHF and Father Alphonso raised children’s awareness by giving anecdotes on how important trees are for communities and their wellbeing.
This was a successful event because FHF has managed to catch the children’s attention. The students are now empowered to be environmentally conscious. It is up to them to keep the project going and spread the word. FHF is here to guide them, with follow-ups: they have sown the first seed and the children have the responsibility to grow it.