Welcome to ~Pankhudi Foundation - Pune Chapter

Pune chapter’s last health camp in its series of 3 was plagued by volunteer crunch but the courage, confidence and the strong will of the ~Pankhudians saw it through.

The day was 20th April, a very hot and humid Sunday when the volunteers turned up to do their bit for the kids of Wakdewadi slums. The camp was held at the RPI office in lane number 1 of the slum. The camp started at around 10.30 AM and went on till 5 in the evening.

The inflow of the kids was a bit low as most of them had already left for enjoying their vacations with their relatives. For the kids who did attend the camp, the doctors attended them with glee. The prevailing diseases in slums were found to be

• Common cold & cough
• Worms
• Dysentery
• Malaria
• Skin infections
• Epilepsy
• Dental problems.

Medicines were distributed to the kids as prescribed by the doctor. The kids were happy to receive the complimentary toothpaste which has in a sense become the ~Pankhudi trademark in healthcamps. We took a pit stop at 2 PM while resuming at 3 PM with renewed energy and more importantly with a full belly.

Dr. Amit, Dr. Balchandra and Dr. Bhagyesh were the heroes of the day with the ~Pankhudians playing the roles of the best supporting actors. We thank the doctors for their work and deeply appreciate their desire to do a bit for the underprivileged kids. We also thank and applaud the efforts put in by our cheerful volunteer Jyoti and her friends. All our efforts are nothing but a small step in making the lives of the kids a bit better, a little healthier.

On the morning of Sunday, 24th February 2008 when everyone else would love to take a few hours of extra sleep, ~Pankhudi Pune team was already up and running for its first ever health camp for kids. The volunteers reached the venue at 8.30 AM and started the last minute preparations. Eleventh hour hiccups common to all events affected the health camp too but the preparations were done by 9.30 AM in the morning.

Shailesh, member of the “Jagruti” team from Infosys Technologies, Pune inaugurated the event by watering a sapling. Infosys’ Jagruti team has been working with ~Pankhudi for quite sometime and has been a very good helping hand in their quest to build a better future for the kids.
The initial couple of hours of the camp were smooth as the number of kids being attended by the doctors was low. But as time passed by the number of kids waiting to be attended grew beyond expectations. The volunteers’ mettle was tested by the number of kids to control, and the hot scorching sun. Regardless of the hurdles, the volunteers left no space for complacency and kept on doing their assigned tasks.

A lunch break was taken by the doctors and the volunteers after a tiresome three hours of work. Lunch break was nothing but a breather as a long queue of kids awaited them. The doctors and the volunteers picked up from where they left off and continued the good work for couple of more hours. The camp was finally ended at 4.30 PM after the final kid in the queue was attended.

A quick feedback session was followed by the distribution of mementos to the doctors along with “Thank You” cards specially made by the kids for the event. The Jagruti team was also presented by a “Thank You” card for their part in the entire exercise. A photo session followed the distribution of mementos. Regardless of the hurdles faced the volunteers eventually came out victorious and made the lives of around 330 kids a little healthier.

~Pankhudi thanks the doctors whose efforts were the most important for the transformation of the idea of the health camp into a reality. ~ Pankhudi thanks ‘Jagruti’ without whose support the camp wouldn’t have been possible and who have been the supporting pillar in our activities. With similar zeal we look forward to many such camps for the kids who are the future of this great country.

Gradually increasing it’s number of volunteers and the strength of it’s activities the Pune team is all set to add another feather to its cap. Planning for the much needed ‘Heath-Camp’ for the kids is done. Once again thanks to the ‘Jagruti’ team from Infosys Technologies, Pune who agreed to fund the event soon after hearing of it.

The plan is to conduct the camp for 400 kids in the age group of 1-14. The kids are registered and have been asked to come at an alloted time to avoid rush at any particular moment. The parents / family of the kids have been convinced to bring the child and avail the service.

Priti Dargad, a BDS student and a very enthusiastic ~Pankhudian has arranged for the team of doctors who will conduct the camp. Some of the medicines needed for the camp are sponsored by the Jagruti team from Infosys while the others are being managed by the doctors who will be conducting the camp. We plan to tell the kids and their families the importance of being healthy and fit and give them a few tips to practice hygiene.

The camp will be conducted on Sunday, 24th February 2008 and will last for about 6 hours. It will give the Pune chapter an insight into the intricacies of conducting a health camp. We all hope everything goes as planned and we pull off a successful event.