ExcellenceIn Tribal Rural Healthcare.

In 1973, when Lok Biradari Prakalp was established at Hemalkasa, where modern medicine and health care was unknown. When ill the tribals took to local witchcraft, which of course often proved fatal. The forests were plagued with deadly diseases like cerebral malaria, malaria, TB, ascites, cancer and sickle cell anaemia. The tribals were also victims of bear bites, burns, snake bites, scabies and severe malnutrition. The madia-gonds an extremely remarkable race , were utterly ignorant and ages and centuries behind time. Barely clad in clothes, they were unaware of India – The glorious independence and the progress it promised. For them a man in clothes was evil and intimidating. Exploitation by the few government officials was extreme, for the Madias it was just a change from the exploitation by the Gora-sahab to the desi-sahab.

The Madia-Gond

The Madia Gond are a primitive tribe in the Central/Eastern part of Maharashtra. A phenomenal race, the tribes have been in existence for centuries completely cut-off from civilization, knowing no clothing, education or health care until Lok Biradari Prakalp.

VOICE OF UNHEARDExemplary Tribal Healthcare

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Media -Gong tribal language- Madia is one of the many Indian tribal languages with no script and limited set of words. In spite of being inhabitants of Maharashtra, the madia language has no connection to Marathi or Hindi. They do not follow any of India’s major religions, but continue worshipping their local deities and forces of nature. The Madia culture is unique amongst our Indian traditions and cultures, infrastructure development and exposure to the outside world, the tribes have begun to adopt the customs and ways of people living in other more developed regions. The tribe is known for their unique preparation of a mixture of live ants and salt that they eat. Being very closely associated with nature these tribes eat “anything that moves” ranging from squirrels to snakes and crocodiles. They even brew their own liquor. Their existence is completely dependent on the forests they live in. Post-Independence, the forest officials have routinely exploited these tribes, denying them any rights and claims to their own forest land. However, with a greater number of Madia Gond tribes being educated at the school, their strength and resistance towards such injustice is increasing day-by-day.

OUR Programs

Hospital
Lok Biradari Hospital has now won wide acceptance from the initially suspicious tribals. Today, the hospital caters to around 45,000 patients a year from 1,000 villages in a 250 km radius, including people from Chattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh. The hospital has 50 beds and is equipped with all essential facilities like ultra sonography, X-ray, pathology lab, delivery room and operation theatres. The hospital also provides its patients and their relatives with two meals. It provides 24 hour care to patients who may land up at any time of the day. Even though the hospital boasts of many modern facilities and equipment the cases that visit the hospital continue to be as unusual and challenging as ever.
Lok Biradari School
The school has grown to serve nearly 650 Madia children from Nursery to Class 12. The children are provided with all essentials like food, accommodation, medical care, uniforms, stationery, comb, soap, oil etc. The 1976 batch produced the tribe’s first doctor- Kanna Madavi. In fact, Dr. Digant Amte and Mr. Aniket Amte were schooled here, who are now doctor and engineer respectively. The school has also produced many advocates, teachers, doctors, engineers, policemen and forest guards.
Sadhana Vidyalaya
The sincere efforts of everyone who dreamt about starting this school in one of most sensitive naxalite region bore fruits on the 3rd of August 2015. With a dream to provide best the of education to remotest parts of the country, our new school ‘Sadhana Vidyalaya’ has started its challenging journey. Currently the school will cater to the needs of 52 children between play-group to 2nd standard. The classes will be held under an open-shed and trees for now. Love, confidence and dreams of all the tribal people is with us.
Bamboo Handicraft Workshop
Bamboo Handicraft Workshop helps the students achieve expertise in this particular skilled work along with the academic curriculum. The handicrafts prepared by the students and also the populous of the nearby villages are displayed at various exhibitions organised in different cities. These handicrafts are put on sale during these exhibitions, and students/villagers receive a royalty of the items sold at these exhibitions, thus marking the first step towards self-sustenance.