Society for Action in Community Health

The Holistic Rural Development Project (HRDP) endeavours to enhance the livelihoods of rural populations equitably and sustainably. It primarily focuses on alleviating poverty, which has worsened due to declining agricultural productivity and vulnerability to economic uncertainties. The HRD project aims to assist village communities by fulfilling their credit requirements to enhance their means of livelihood. This involves establishing revolving funds for women, farmers, and youth groups. Additionally, the initiative reinforces other project components such as promoting integrated farming, alternative cropping, horticulture, and the adoption of advanced techniques. Moreover, it facilitates watershed development and enhances community and school infrastructure.

Despite governmental efforts, primary healthcare remains inaccessible to many in rural areas, particularly children, women, and the elderly. Medical Health Units (MHUs) serve as crucial mechanisms to bridge this gap, especially in remote villages lacking public health facilities. SACH collaborated with Stop Hunger Now (SHN) and Kraft Heinz to operate MHUs in Bihar's Banka district and Andhra Pradesh's Prakasam district, respectively, aiming to provide approximately 25,000 treatments annually. During the November 2015 floods in Cuddalore, Tamil Nadu, SACH's MHU provided medical aid to around 2,000 affected individuals across 11 villages over nine days, comprising a doctor, physiotherapist, pharmacist, lab assistant, and paramedic volunteers.