Nagpur: Moved by the condition of a tribal village in
Melghat
, Dr Ashish
Satav
started the
NGO MAHAN
(M-Meditation, A-AIDS, Health, A-De-Addiction, N-Nutrition) in 1997. Since then the organization has gone a long way in making the region ‘a happier one’. He was speaking during a programme ‘Amhi bighadlo, tumhi bhi ghada na’ organized as a part of Alag Raah programme at Chitnavis Centre on Sunday, which is organized every month by Prayas-Sevankur. His wife, Dr Kavita was also present.
Dr Ashish said, "People had to travel around 30 kilometres for the most basic medical assistance. The lives of pregnant women were at stake. The children were malnourished. Facilities were scarce while mortality rates were twice that of the national average. "
Dr Satav spoke about how he was inspired by Gandhian philosophy. "We used our savings, a mere amount of 1 lakh for running a hospital in Melghat. A few months later, Dr Sushila Nair provided financial support and since then, MAHAN is running this project with the partnership Kasturba Health Society, Sevagram,” he said.
Dr Ashish further said, “The condition is better now and we have even helped encourage people in home gardening and for water conservation using the Doh Model.
(Reporting by Anjali Mishra)