Health Care

Tulsi Trust initially supported various eye hospitals to eradicate blindness in India. The focus of  the NGO was to reach out to the community at the village level and urban slums. Mission for Vision was given a focus when it was established in 2002.The first was Tulsi Eye Hospital in Nashik, Maharastra, a top-of-the-line eye care provider with qualified and experienced ophthalmologists. This hospital has various verticals that look into the treatment for glaucoma, retina cornea and low vision. It also has a contact lens clinic along with General Ophthalmology and Community Ophthalmology. This hospital can treat neonates having Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP). Ever since, eye care hospitals have mushroomed all over the country and ‘Mission for Vision’ is today a ‘big’ name. For reference visit: https://www.missionforvision.org.in

When Mr. Jagdish Chanrai’s elderly mother was ailing, he felt a strong need to help the elderly in more ways than one: physically, mentally and emotionally. Graceful Living, under the wing of Tulsi Trust, was established in 2019 and came from a social need for elderly care.  Active for four years, GL is involved in taking care of the elderly by raising awareness through its activities and talks for senior citizens while also having a presence on social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. It provides holistic, medical as well as social services for the elderly. For reference visit: https//www.gracefulliving.org

This was set up in order to work in the rural parts of India. The Trust is involved with feeding the poor of Tamil Nadu, providing scholarships for higher studies to the economically weaker sections of society, cultivation of vegetables and food grains in surrounding areas to keep the local people involved. This includes a project to feed leprosy-affected people at the Tirumani Leprosy Centre near Chennai (in 2011) and also provides support for the repair of toilets, dormitories and bathrooms damaged due to a cyclone.

Tulsi Trust supports some activities of Mother Teresa’s foundation at Shanti Daan, Borivali and Prerna Bhavan, Wakad (led by Mary Joseph Michael). The land was released by the Government of Maharashtra in Borivali and the construction was financed by Tulsi Trust. Provision of beds, blankets, and other such amenities were also financed by the Trust. Prerna Bhavan, Wakad was set up on ten acres of land in 2004 and its construction costs were provided by the Chanrai family.

Tulsi Trust is now supporting 7 projects:
1. Shanti Daan
2. Wakad
3. Pimpri
4. Tadiwala
5. Vile Parle
6. Santacruz
7. Byculla

Tulsi Trust provides financial support to treat the sick (deprived) at this hospital in south Mumbai; patients include Adivasis and the orphaned, the homeless and the economically challenged. Ailments like cancer, TB, kidney problems are given priority and patients without documents are aided monetarily. This hospital is run by Angela Rodrigues, Managing Director.

Tulsi Trust pays OPD charges, doctors and medical dues for the very poor and for those who have no documents. Tulsi Trust also partly supports the poor for major surgeries, about Rs 20,000 per person. The Trust reaches out to 1500 patients including those coming in from the villages.

Tulsi Trust created a project started in 1995 to create an awareness and initiate social development in certain rural areas. What started off as seven villages now covers 12, located south-west of Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, between Perur and Siruvani. Healthcare and health education is being taught with local women being trained by the Trust; 20,000 outpatients are treated every year while healthcare for the under-five children and solutions for the elderly (for diabetes/hypertension) is given priority. With government support, Tulsi Trust has helped villages like Vadivelampalayam and Sennanur and it acted like a catalyst, making potable water available. Building and maintaining of group toilets with guaranteed water supply, environment sanitation, health, hygiene, education and skills training are part of its program.

Tulsi Trust provides the poorer sections of Ulhas Nagar, Maharashtra with free monthly ration through this foundation. It’s a Sindhi dominated area known for the influx of Sindhis after Partition.

A list of the poorer sections of Sindhis has been made and these people have been provided with ‘cards’ (like ration cards), in which Tulsi Trust has given donations in the form of kits of ration, enough for a family of 4, every month on an annual basis Tulsi Trust has also supported financial aid to girls for better education.

This foundation, supported by Tulsi Trust, is based in Kalyan, Maharashtra at the base of Malang Gad. The centre is a three-storey building. On Thursdays, the poor and needy from here and the surrounding areas are provided with freshly cooked meals while a doctor also visits the place regularly (it has been provided with a dispensary), helping 200-250 people with basic healthcare facilities. They are referred to a nearby hospital for further treatment, if required. Indian Relief Foundation (IREF)’s work was initiated by Baba Gursahani who was very moved by the conditions of the local population and in fact, his main focus was on lepers and blind people and he also carried out a large number of free medical camps and cataract surgeries.

Since the last four years it has established a multi-facility centre including an OPD section for generic medications, pathology laboratory, vision centre, ECG and more. The reach is about 1000 patients a month.

Tulsi Trust provides fresh, hot food to the poor sitting outside Hajji Ali Dargah, Mumbai. Every Thursday and Saturday evenings feeding around 150-200 people including children is the norm. This activity is supported by Mr. Jagdish Chanrai and Mr. Subodh Chanrai.

The idea is to feed people fresh, hot food which gives a sated feeling of eating well. Children are seen joyfully gobbling the food and the happiness on the faces of the parents can be well imagined. It’s the regularity of the event that is fulfilling.