IHI 2005

In December of 2004, the world saw South and Southeast Asia swamped by the impact of the tsunami.  One of the most severely impacted nations was Sri Lanka, India’s southern neighbour. 

IHI was able to collect donations of various medical supplies from Canada, including catheters, syringes, saline, and other products in order to send to Sri Lanka. 

IHI also donated 30% of the proceeds from their first annual fundraiser, the “Evening in India” cultural concert to home-rebuilding efforts in India.  This project was undertaken by Handicare International, a Canadian-based charity dedicated to improving the social, health, and economic lives of the underprivileged in India.  The home rebuilding project allows countless villages to begin living their lives as they were before the devastation.

IHI 2005 Team

The IHI 2005 team consisted of 1 nursing, 1 occupational therapy and 2 medical students.
Left to Right: Mark Boyko (Medicine 2), Janna Maclachlan (OT 2), Alanna DesRochers (Nursing 4), Vikram Tangri (Medicine 1)

IHI 2005 Activities

~ Tsunami Fundraising & Equipment Collection ~

In December of 2004, the world saw South and Southeast Asia swamped by the impact of the tsunami.  One of the most severely impacted nations was Sri Lanka, India’s southern neighbour. 

IHI was able to collect donations of various medical supplies from Canada, including catheters, syringes, saline, and other products in order to send to Sri Lanka. 

IHI also donated 30% of the proceeds from their first annual fundraiser, the “Evening in India” cultural concert to home-rebuilding efforts in India. This project was undertaken by Handicare International, a Canadian-based charity dedicated to improving the social, health, and economic lives of the underprivileged in India. The home rebuilding project allows countless villages to begin living their lives as they were before the devastation.

~ Evening in India ~
~ Concert & Culture Show ~

Humour, glamour, talent, and culture. On April 1, 2005, the India Health Initiative organized an Indian culture show entitled “An Evening in India” at Brescia College in London.

The event included performances from local doctors, Western students, medical students, and the HCC youth. The audience of over 200 people enjoyed hindi songs, ghazals, classical dances and bollywood dances.  In addition, a silent auction of artwork among other items was especially successful. IHI would like to sincerely thank all those who assisted – performers, volunteers, and those who attended.

The show provided IHI members with the opportunity to present its mandate to the community while accomplishing a cultural service to London. Besides being enthralled by the great talent of performers, community members were pleased to be introduced to some of the work done by IHI.

~ Working With Persons With Disabilities ~

Throughout the trip, IHI works with many people living with many different disabilities. We met people living with the effects of polio, mental illness, club foot, developmental delay, autism, cerebral palsy, Down’s syndrome and many others. We had the opportunity to observe the treatments and education programs, which they receive from physicians, physiotherapists and teachers.

IHI looks for opportunities within these established programs where we can offer assistance. In 2005, we held an educational session for fieldworkers on function-based techniques for working with children with cerebral palsy, safe body mechanics for transferring patients, and how to identify epilepsy.

Amar Seva Sangaam (ASSA) asked us to help them develop a research tool with which they could evaluate the effectiveness of their Community Based Rehabilitation (CBR) program. Through this program, ASSA is able to treat people in approximately 100 of the villages surrounding their complex. The CBR program is very focused on helping people accomplish the daily activities that they need and want to do within their homes and communities. Therefore, we designed a research tool that reflects this goal. ASSA will use the tool throughout the year and IHI 2006 will put all the data together and provide some preliminary results. This long-term project is one which ASSA would like IHI to continue to help with year after year.

We also brought many donations with us in 2005, which we donated to ASSA and Teddy Trust. These included text books, research articles, therapy balls, Theraband, and toys to promote hand-eye coordination. During the time we spent with these organizations, we identified materials, which IHI 2006 could donate to these NGO’s. Some items identified were a corner chair, communication switch for children, sippy cups, and a few textbooks and standardized assessments.

~ HIV/AIDS Awareness ~

IHI is dedicated to bringing a culturally-sensitive, up-to-date HIV awareness program to areas of Tamil Nadu, the province in India most affected by this deadly disease. There are currently 40 million people infected with HIV in the world today, and 5 million of them are found in India, putting this country second only to South Africa as carrying the world’s largest population of HIV infected individuals. IHI believes that the best way to combat HIV is through awareness and education, and we remain dedicated to this concept.

In the summer of 2005, partnered with the Teddy Trust Organization, the IHI set out on a 3-week mission in the surrounding area of Madurai to educate high school and college students about HIV/AIDS. Our unique 3-4 hour program consisted of

1) an introductory Tamil video concerning the stigma associated with the disease,

2) basic HIV/AIDS facts,

3) male/female anatomy education,

4) small groups discussion on sexuality, proper condom usage,

5) an HIV quiz game

6) question & answer period.

Surveys were done before and after the program to be included in an ongoing research study on the educational benefits of our program in this area of India. In total, IHI gave presentations to 8 schools and over 1200 students in the area around Madurai. After our time with Teddy Trust, the IHI included more HIV presentations to school children and community members in the small village of Mudalodu, about 2 hours north of Bangalore, and at Amar Seva Sangam, a home for disabled youth near Tenkasi.

The reception of our HIV Awareness Program was more positive than we could have imagined. Aside from principals’ and teachers’ encouraging feedback, students from a variety of backgrounds personally thanked us after each session for what they described as ‘a style of teaching than have never received before’. They thoroughly enjoyed the program and were very pleased to have us come to their school to speak to them. For the most part, Indian students have a very good understanding of basic HIV facts, but lack in the practical application of such in their lives. There are important areas of teaching that their current curriculum does not address. These ‘hidden areas’ are where positive change is needed most, and these areas are where IHI seeks to educate. By discussing sexuality openly with students, demonstrating how to properly use male and female condoms, and answering all the questions they are normally too shy to ask about HIV and other STI’s, we feel we accomplished great goals in Tamil Nadu this summer, and are eager to target a new group of students in next year’s program. We have been asked to come back to each school at which we taught…. and we view that as a great sign for the future.

Support IHI

For donations please contact indiahealth@gmail.com If donating by cheque please make cheques payable to "UWO Global Health IHI". Cheques can be mailed to

India Health Initiative

16 Essex Street, Unit 2

London, ON

N6G 1B2

[Printer Friendly Donation Form]

Tax receipts will be issued to donations of $40 or more, and will be sent out as soon as possible.

IHI 2005 Budget

Contact IHI

India Health Initiative

16 Essex Street, Unit 2

London, ON

N6G 1B2

indiahealth@gmail.com