To improve the quality of hygiene and better health awareness of the poor households RTU started a Community Health Programme from the year 1982. It covers 26 villages of Periyakulam and Batlagundu Blocks. Mother and Child Care, HIV/AIDS awareness, are the main focus. These programmes are implemented through 'Village Health Workers' (VHW). In addition to this we prepare and supply nutritious flour to malnourished children of our community, Economic Sanitary Napkin for rural ladies, herbal medicine for villagers. To prevent HIV/AIDS among the youth "Adolescent Health Education" to high school children is also conducted.

Mala 23 years old and her husband Raju died with AIDS 1 ½ years ago leaving her in a helpless condition. After his death Mala was suffering from fever and diarrhea. On hearing about her condition the VHWs of RTU referred her to Jeevan Jyothi Hospital. She stayed in the hospital for 15 days and recovered from diarrhea. Her husband's relatives ousted her she is living now with her parents at Bomminaickenpatti. She is getting a monitory assistance from RTU every month and is managing her food and other needs with this amount. She is now hale and healthy and is going for work as an agricultural labourer.

	Panju was married to Velu. They had 2 children one boy and a girl. Vellu Kali died 8 years ago on account of tuberculosis. Panju also was a TB patient. Her condition became very had and she completely bedridden. RTU's VHWs referred her to Arulagam Hospice. She stayed 6 months and under went treatment under DOTS system. Her response to the treatment was very positive and she was completely cured from TB. Now she is going for work and is earning her livelihood.
Kannamma W/o. Pandi is from Bomminaickenpatti village. She is from poor family. She has given birth to 3 children: out of them 2 are alive. When she was pregnant for the 4th time she was suffering from swelling of feet and hands and backache. She had iron deficiency anaemia. She had never attended ANC care before. The VHWs of RTU identified her and brought her under its ANC programme. Her urine and blood were tested. She was referred to Leonard Hospital Bathalagundu for treatment. After the treatment she has recovered. Two months ago she
was referred to the government hospital where she safety delivered her 4th child, a boy. Both the mother and the child are healthy.

My name is Asha, 16 years old daughter of Pitchi and Saradha. My father is a daily wage labourer in a textile shop. My mother is bedridden. My father had to spend all his income for the treatment of my mother for the past 5 years. We were living in utter poverty. We had only one meal a day. When I was studying in 8th class against my wish my father stopped sending me to school. The responsibility of taking care of my sickly mother was given to me. I did this work for more that a year. During this period I came to know from a neighboursthat RTU is giving

financial support to the pathetic story they promised my family a monthly support of Rs -750 per month under its Home Sponsorship Programme on condition that I go to school. Now once again I got an opportunity to go to school. I had to do all the house chores before 8'o clock and then to leave for school. In the evening after running from school I worked till 10 pm in the house and after that till 12 pm my studies. In class X, I scored highest mark in our school in the Government Examination (441/500). This year I am studying in XI class. Biology and maths are my main subjects. I would like to become a teacher. Without the support of RTU I would have remained a drop-out working all the time in the kitchen.

I am Mayil wife of Irulappan of Kanavaipatti. I gave birth to my first-born son Parameswaran just one year after our marriage, we all in our family were very happy to have a boy as my first child. He was so precious to us. We were living happily with him. But to our great disappointment he was found with a serious, life threatening heart defect. A heart surgery was the only means to save his life. The cost of heart surgery was beyond our means. Due to prolonged drought we were already living an impoverished life.I went to RTU

with my four month old boy and told my sad story to Brother "thatha" (grandfather). After patiently listening to me he referred us to one of the best hospitals in Bangalore 360 Kms away; with instructions that all bill must come to RTU. The doctors of Saibhaba Hospital did the heart surgery. The child was taken care of well during the surgery and the convalescing period.

After 15 days the child was discharged from the hospital. The cost of the operation came around Rs.100,000. RTU kindly met the considerable expenses of my son's treatment. After returning home the child was in need of good care and nutritious food. To meet this need once again RTU came in with a monitory support of Rs.300 per month. With the generous support of RTU the boy is now hale and healthy and we are very happy too. I have no words to express my gratitude to RTU for this timely help.


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I am Kannan from G. Kallupatti. I am 35 years old. I have a wife and two daughters. I was earning my livelihood by engaging in digging wells. 4 years ago while I was working in the well a large piece of stone fell on my right leg. The sharp edge of the stone made a deep wound under my knee cutting a sizable portion of flesh. On hearing about this RTU staff rushed to the spot and took me to hospital. I had to stay many days in the hospital and to undergo two operations. All the hospital expenses were met by RTU. After discharging from the hospital I was in extreme difficulty to maintain my family. RTU's support continued in many ways. It has constructed a new house for me and supported my children with Rs.500 per month for their education. I am perfectly alright now and am working as a agriculture labourer. I value very much the support given by the clinical department of RTU during my misfortune and after that.