Montfort Community Development Society (MCDS) is an Integrated
Community Development Program reaching out to thousands of families in urban
slums, coastal slum and in Tamilnadu Slum Clearance Tenements in Chennai, Kannaginagar and Chemmencherry.

MCDS runs with the main objective of empowering women, promoting better
health conditions and child rights in these communities. MCDS follows an Integrated Community
Development approach.

As part of its initiative on health MCDS approached REACH for monthly awareness programs on TB for their women Self-help-group members

They chalked out a well planned annual schedule for programs to be held every month at different areas where they work.

The following are the details of the program:

Date                    Time                       Area
17/04/12         3 P.M to 4 P.M       Kakkan Colony
15/05/12         3 P.M to 4 P.M       Thousand lights
19/06/12         3 P.M to 4 P.M       Kannagi nagar
17/07/12         3 P.M to 4 P.M       Srinivasapuram
21/08/12         3 P.M to 4 P.M       Ice House
18/09/12         3 P.M to 4 P.M       Anna Colony
16/10/12         3 P.M to 4 P.M       Ranganathapuram
20/11/12         3 P.M to 4 P.M       Vadapalani
18/12/12         3 P.M to 4 P.M       Kuilthotam

This is a perfect example of excellent outcomes resulting from NGO’s networking with each other. NGO’s in this instance are supporting each other for the common good of community without any monetary stratagem behind the scenes.

People interested in attending the programs can contact Ms. Nazareth at 9840395943 from MCDS or Ms. Sheela Augustine at 9841591361 from REACH.

We at REACH honor the efforts of MCDS and look forward to working with many more such NGO’s.

REACH Blog Team

From lying in the corner of a room to sitting up and now briskly walking Rathnam has come a long way.

During our initial meeting 75 year old Rathnam was too ill to even figure out who I was. She uttered her problems about her illness with dismay. I then counseled her about the treatment and encouraged her to adhere to treatment to get well soon.

During my second visit, she looked much better and had regained the strength to sit. She complained about how tough the tablets were on her and that she would not take them anymore. I explained that she had to continue with the tablets to fight the TB bacilli lodged in her body. She asked me if that meant that they were worms in her body. To make her comply with treatment I told her it was something similar. Alarmed she said she would continue her tablets.

During my following visits to her house Rathnam often wanted to express her appreciation by giving me some cash, a cool drink or food. However I always managed to resist this in a pleasant manner.

Rathnam was regular with her treatment and was cured. Before my final visit her daughter called me to confirm the time that I would be visiting them.  However on my final visit Rathnam had gone to her son’s house and her granddaughter was at work. Her daughter greeted me with a warm smile but was unhappy about Rathnams absence and her daughters too.

As I left she came up to me hurriedly and handed over a pretty pink carry bag packed with sweets and savories. I refused to receive it, but she pleaded and said that this was specially packed by Rathnam and her daughter for me. Not wanting to upset her I received the bag. The bag read “Thank YOU Best Wishes”.

I left with a pleasant feeling that filled my heart with joy.

Vidhya

REACH Blog Team