India
Thanks to our donors and The Palmer Foundation, The NEO Fund has re-opened a clinic built by our India partner, KISES. This provides a regional base to launch much needed health care initiatives and a micro-lending program to serve the poor Dalit people across 30 villages. We imagine the clinic as a thriving community center that is deeply integrated into the lives of disadvantaged locals. Loans, extended from the clinic to the poor in relationship, will lift parents and their children from extreme poverty.
Health Clinic and Community Center
- Serve the regional population with education and/or treatment.
- Treat at least 80% of patients on-site (refer the rest to hospitals).
- Increase awareness of general health and hygiene among the target group.
- Provide pre-natal care.
- Provide health awareness camps in different villages.
- Provide basic immunizations to children.
- This is an amazing opportunity for a U.S.-based practice to adopt a ‘sister’ clinic in India!
Pedapatnam Village Elder, Joji Raju Lella says, “Before the clinic my family had to travel 20-30 km to the hospital. Having the clinic open is very, very, very good for my family and for our village.” Joji, his parents and grandparents have lived in the village all their lives.
Micro-lending
In 2019 we launched our pilot micro-lending program.
- Three women’s cooperative groups are participating.
- Each woman in the three groups received a loan of $150, for a total of 30 participants.
- Our goal is to demonstrate positive effects in the lives of these borrowers and their children,
to include better nutrition, more stable household finances, and increased hope.
KISES Founder and Executive Director: Mr. Shoury Babu Rebba & Mrs. Rajani Suram
Mr. Shoury Babu Rebba is from the extremely poor Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh, India. After completing his education and securing a career in the banking sector, he and his wife Rajani founded KISES in 1999 as a way to alleviate the poverty in the region where he grew up. Rajani, a trained social worker, serves as Executive Director. In partnership with 2 Swiss organizations they built a 1.2 million dollar health clinic to benefit the 30,000 people in 30 surrounding villages. They oversaw services such as Mother/Child Health, WASH (water, sanitation, hygiene), seasonal hostels for migrants’ children, vocational and skill development, aid for the physically challenged and elder population, economic development, child welfare, eye and dental care, and rehabilitation of HIV/AIDS-affected children and youth.
