This project commenced in the year 2000-2001 and is still an on-going project.
We supported academically bright, but economically backward, children and helped them with scholarship funds for their graduate studies. We provided scholarships in the field of Medicine, Engineering, Biology and over a period of time we confined our funding to children pursuing para medical courses like Nursing, Optometry, Bachelors in Hospital and Healthcare Management and MLT since the employment opportunities are very good. We supported during the last 20 years, 104 students from Sankara Eye Foundation, Coimbatore, 25 students from The Sankara Nethralaya Academy(TSNA), 3 Optometry students, 49 B.E students, 20 B.Sc students, 18 B.Com students, 3 M.B.B.S Students, 6 Nursing students, 13 diploma in Engineering students and 26 students pursued other fields of study. Most of the para medical students trained by Sankar Eye Fundation and Sankara Nethralaya were absorbed by the respective institutions. Almost 95% of the scholars got jobs, 5% went for higher studies.
The TRDT ws invited by Sankara Nethralaya to join hands with them to eradicate curable blindness in the villages by conducting eye screening camps.
The project includes free eye surgery , free transport up and down to the hospital, food in the hospital during stay, free medicines, free Post operation review. With the partnership of Sankara Nethralaya (SN), TRDT Conducted eye screening camps through its qualified social workers.
This was started in the year 1992 in Sriperambadur Taluk with a target of 500 surgery numbers per annum.
The screening camps were later extended to other rural areas of the following districts:
A. Tiruvallur- Tamilnadu
B. Kanchipuram – Tamilnadu
C. Chengalpet- Tamilnadu
D. Chittoor- Andhra Pradesh
Our partner Sankara Nethralaya in the field of eye care is a tertiary hospital attracting patients from not only in India but from neighbouring countries.
Our office reserved a guest room exclusively for visiting patients from other state for treatment. Our office assistant rendered adequate physical support during the stay of the patient by arrangement of food and transport.
On an average about 5000 cataract surgeries were performed per year in SN for the people selected by TRDT eye screening camps in rural areas from the above-mentioned districts. The eye-care service is comprehensive, covering cataract, glaucoma, cornea, retina, pediatric surgeries and cornea transplants. The project was taken over by our funding agency Mission For Vision which is currently doing eradication of curable blindness project Pan India.
This project commenced in the year 2011 and is still an on-going project. This project was started to provide nutritious food for the Leprosy Afflicted Patients at Government Leprosy Center, Tirumani, Chengalpet.
We support this project by providing provisions and vegetables to cook nutritious food for the Leprosy patients. We also provide special food for the patients on special occasions and festivals. We support 50 patients a day. According to the doctor, the HB level improved by taking the nutritious food provided by TRDT everyday. We conducted eye screening camp in the campus and 12 patients were taken to Sankara Nethralaya and operated for Cataract surgery. We also give new spectacles to the patients whenever the existing spectacles are not suitable for further use. Apart from this, TRDT has improved the living conditions of the people in the campus. The toilets in the campus were not functioning well. We renovated the toilets by fixing new toilets. Some of the rooms were not in good condition and the patients suffered during rains. We repaired those rooms and the patients are happy. The trust also provided one TV to the campus patients for their pastime and mental relaxation and one R.O water purifier machine to get hygienic water for drinking. In the year 2013, the trust arranged dresses, slipper and umbrella to all the patients.
During the year 2013,
We donated funds to Arunimal Illam attached to St.Anthony School at Egmore to furnish its dormitory where children of prisoners orphaned, due to absence of parental support, are accommodated and educated. We supplied 36 steel beds and 36 wooden desks and chairs.
This was conducted within the radius of 25 km from Sunguvanchatram, located at Chennai – Bangalore express way.
The project had one doctor from Kanchipuram visiting health centres by turn every day. There are 8 health centers and 12 qualified health workers(HW). The total population of the area is 28000. Mother and child health care was primary task The doctor will go to the health centers and examine the people who visited the centers. HW’s was given instructions by the doctor to give the prescribed medicines from the center and follow up by going to their houses during their house visit for observing the progress. Pediatric cases and adults were also examined by the doctors and treatment was given. All services were free of cost. Comprehensive cases were referred to Government hospitals in Chennai.
Sankara Nethralaya was conducting Glaucoma screening camps and Diabetic Retinopathy screening camps in TRDT project areas like Tiruvallur, Kanchipuram, Chengalpet and Chittoor districts.
The MHC health workers used to mobilize the patients near the health centers and also do the follow up for the review patients.
Glaucoma camps were conducted for 3 years from 2001 to 2004. Diabetic Retinopathy camps were conducted for a year in 2003. The patients identified with Glaucoma and Diabetic Retinopathy were taken to SN by their bus for treatment. After the treatment, the patients were happy and they are permitted to come to SN if there is any problem, which can be treated free of cost.
This was our direct observatory project. TB camps were conducted by National Institute for Research in Tuberculosis.
The institute approached TRDT to conduct TB camps in TRDT project areas. They came with a van which contained lab equipments and X-ray machines. Out of more than 200 people mobilized and screened by the camp, 17 people were identified with Tuberculosis. The Institute gave tablets to be taken for 6 months by the patients. As the patients were not taking the tablets regularly everyday, the HW’s keep the medicine in the health center and take the medicine personally to the patients house and make sure the patients take the medicine in front of the health workers. The health workers covered the all the 17 patients for 6 months medication. After 6 months the patients were taken to the Government hospital for testing. All the patients were found completely cured from TB. The patients, entire community and the TB institute were very happy and appreciated the TRDT for their care and compassion.
India encountered tsunami on 26th Dec 2004 and suffered heavy loss of lives and properties in the southern penisnsula along the coastal districts of Tamil Nadu and southern Kerala.
Our trustee travelled to the UK and contacted various donors to mobilise funds at the beginning of the year 2005. We also got in touch with charities in the far east to join hands with us in the relief measures. One H.N.I from Hongkong donated $ 2,85,000 to enable us to fund 475 fisherman families who had lost their livelihood due to the loss of the equipment in the Cuddalore district.We provided 95 motorized fiberglass boats. One boat will serve 5 families. Ramakrishna Mutt Chengalpet helped us to identify deserving Fishermans. TRDT did the complete documentation and disbursement of boats.
In the UK we collected Rs.27 lakhs for the Tsunami project. We invested the fund immediately in 2005 and allowed the fund to grow to 30 lakhs over a period of time. We joined hands with Loyola College and Santhome church to educate school children with supplementary education in the evening. Loyola college provided the teachers for conducting classes for the Tsunami affected families Santhome Church provided space for conducting classes without charge for electricity and this helped the trust to achieve maximum mileage for the rupee spent. The trust paid an honorarium to Loyola College teachers and engaged a full-time social worker to monitor the program. All the students underwent periodical medical check-ups and enjoyed free treatment throughout the period. During the period 2005 to 2011 we helped 413 children from Srinivasapuram to finish their 12th standard education, of which 85% children secured jobs and balance 15% children went for higher studies. Loyola college issued a Momento to our trust for an active role in the program.
KHT project (Prevention of kidney failure). Kidney help trust approached TRDT to start the prevention of kidney failure project in TRDT project areas.
It started in 1997 and was completed in 2007. TRDT was providing all help. The HW’s offered all help and the people were getting the best service. Selected patients were taken to Apollo hospital for an intensive check-up. TRDT health workers were with a medical team of KHT in helping the patients and doctors. The program was reviewed by a group of American medical staff in the year 2007 and acclaimed the project as the most effective and cost-efficient project and made recommendations to the Government authorities that the project should be replicated in other parts of the country.