Hope Clinic

Hope Clinic currently serves approximately 530 families: 2,300 individuals providing outpatient Medical care including physician visits, free of charge medications and diagnostic testing, rehabilitation services and referral and financial assistance when specialty care or hospital admission is required.

Patient overview from Hope Clinic, Kurumbanadom.(1/1/06-12/31/06):

Primary acute condition diagnosis included: (a) URI/allergic cough; (b) acute LRI; and (c) viral fever.  Primary chronic condition diagnosis included: (a) diabetes mellitus; (b) hypertension; (c) Peptic Ulcer Disease; (d) Asthma/COP

Women’s Empowerment:

Vatsala Shenoy Women’s Vocational Center: 70% of the Hope Clinic’s Client’s are women and children and over 72% of the clinic visits are by the same group. To empower and serve this group better The Vatsala Shenoy Woman’s Vocational Center was added to our facilities in 2005 with a generous grant from Mr. and Mrs. Sunil and Sadhana Shenoy.

A full time Vocational Training Teacher teaches sewing and crafts. The first class of 15 women completed their one-year training at the center in 5/2007.  A new group will start in September 2007.  We are now in the process of setting up small-scale community sewing projects where graduates can put their skills to work and earn some income for the first time in their lives.

Educational Scholarships:

Hope Clinic over the last 3 years has sought out students in the Hope community for scholarships and placement in better quality schools. We are also determined to provide vocational or professional loans or grants to students who qualify from the Hope Community.

From 2004 to current Hope Clinic has granted a total of 22 K-12 scholarships, placing students in better schools, providing financial resources for tuition, books, tutoring, and transportation.  The clinic conducts yearly award ceremonies celebrating the student’s achievements. We plan to see many of these students through college and or vocational training. We are also trying to collaborate with a local bank to make  low interest loans available for larger amounts needed for vocational training. Our hope is to continue to award yearly scholarships to deserving students.

Library and Tutoring

A special connection with Riverdale High School in Portland, Oregon has developed into an annual trip by a number of high school seniors to implement service projects, including the initial development of the ESL library.

A part time Librarian staffs the Library and tutors children for 2-3 hours after school.

Community Projects and Collaborations

Hope Charities has worked hard to access additional resources through collaborations and partnerships.  A special connection with Riverdale High School in Portland, Oregon has developed into an annual trip by a number of high school seniors to implement service projects, including the initial development of the ESL library and the promotion of fuel-efficient stoves whose utilization would decrease the incidence of smoke-induced respiratory illnesses such as asthma.

Another group of Riverdale High school students will spend two weeks in November 2007 at Hope Clinic. They will raise funds and help build two community wells and further enrich the ESL library by adding books and interacting with children at the library.

Physician volunteers, from the USA - including Internists and Family Practitioners, have visited to provide medical assistance.

General screening, ENT, and ophthalmology clinics have been conducted in collaboration with the local Kottayam Medical College, India. The ophthalmology clinic alone resulted in the distribution of 230 screening exams and distribution of 230 refurbished eyeglasses and 16 cataract surgeries done at the Kottayam Medical College.