Imagine mostly inaccessible water, tainted with toxic chemicals. Then imagine being forced to travel long distances to drink that harmful water, because it is your only choice for survival. In the United States and other developed countries, access to clean water is something we…
98 teddy bears – looking back, that’s what marks the beginning of my longtime commitment to volunteering. As a child (and with the help of an obliging mother), I volunteered several hours of my time to collect donations of teddy bears to be sent…
The U.N. Volunteers program defines volunteerism as an action that an individual willingly undertakes, that is not financially compensated, and that generally contributes to the common good. The act or employ of volunteers essentially serves to elevate the wellbeing of individuals, communities, and the…
Although there is sometimes legislation to prevent it, caste systems are still in place in the 21st century. In some regions of India, such concepts have become ingrained in cultures. The most discriminatory practices victimize manual scavengers, who experience lifestyles that are hard to…
A natural medicine (Ayurveda) workshop was held at the Profugo Center of Development on September 1, 2015, with grand success! 34 ladies from the community attended the workshop. The preparation for the workshop started on the previous day with the participants collecting various ingredients…
Monsoon season in Wayanad is quickly approaching but even though the torrential rains will bring large volumes of much needed moisture, Wayanad and the entire state of Kerala continue to endure severe drought outside of the rainy months. The lush greenery of the Wayanad…
After travelling dozens of hours and thousands of miles we arrived in Bangalore to the hustle and bustle of early morning rush hour; we witnessed families starting their days as Sabhir, our driver, weaved in and out of traffic on our way to Wayanad….
In the development world, there are tons of metrics by which to assess growth – ways to quantify a program’s progress in promoting health and wellness in a community. And who doesn’t love to see these numbers? Numbers that can easily be translated into…
I have been a supporter of Profugo for many years, but have recently made a decision to become more active in my support. I am a physician assistant by profession, but my true passion is social justice and public health. This led me to…
The month of January here in Prashanthagiri started off not only in celebration of the new year, but also in celebration of the completion of Phase I of the Profugo Biogas Program, resulting in the construction of 3 digesters for three families. Through the…