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Dear friends,

My stay at Gram Seva this year as always has been very meaningful and encouraging thanks to the partnership of all our generous donors. Our very dedicated and efficient Health and Education Team, under the leadership of Dr. Sharmishtha Patil contributes a great deal towards our success. Since Children are any Country’s most valuable natural resource, we continue to concentrate on their entire spectrum from Conception through Adolescence with special attention given to those under 3 years, pregnant women and lactating mothers.

In the year 2007 with the help of your donations our services included:

* Under 5 years Old: 3073 children were checked and followed. Of these, 99 were migrants and the rate of severe malnutrition in these children was 10.10%. In rest of the children the severe malnutrition rate ranged from 0.7% to 3.13% depending on the condition of the communities concerned. Our biggest draw back is the scourge of alcoholism in many of our communities in addition to Preterm Deliveries, IUGR (Intra-Uterine Growth Retardation), Cerebral Palsy, Adolescent Pregnancies, Tuberculosis and Congenital Heart Disease. Though the process is slow and sometimes frustrating, it is certainly very worthwhile and extremely gratifying. I cannot say enough about the joy one feels in seeing these sad, malnourished and frightened children transform into happy, healthy and enthusiastic ones, ready to face and dream about their future tomorrows.

*Adolescent Girls and Boys: Health Education and counseling of 248 girls and 53 boys in our established groups were undertaken with Complete Health Check up including Hemoglobin, Sickle cell Disease survey, Blood Groups and Immunization. Similar services were provided in 3 area high schools. One girl has been detected to have Rheumatic Heart Disease and is being treated and followed up for future surgery. In addition, under the sponsorship of Larson & Toubro Charitable Trust, India, we were able to care for 7706 8th, 9th & 10th graders who were given a complete health check up including follow up and treatment as needed. Of these, 53 children were followed up for heart murmurs, 186 were provided with eye glasses and 496 were positive for Sickle Cell (483 carriers & 13 Disease). ECHO studies for heart were done in 24 children. Rheumatic Heart Disease was diagnosed in 4 and Congenital Heart Disease in 5 of these children.

* Heart Disease Project: Under the expertise of Dr. Ratna Magotra and Dr. Khushroo E. Patel, to date we have diagnosed and investigated 98 Children for possible Heart Disease. Of these ECHO studies were done in 92 Children, some at Gram Seva Trust Hospital by Dr. Snehal Kulkarni, Pediatric Cardiologist of Wockhardt Hospital in Mumbai and some at Surat cardiac Hospital. Congenital Heart Disease was detected in 40 and Rheumatic Heart Disease in 19 Children. Of these, 37 were advised surgery & 3 are being followed up for future surgery. Surgery was facilitated at Cardiac Centers of Surat and Mumbai for 16 children. Ten children have refused any investigations or surgery and one is inoperable. We have lost 8 children to follow up and 7 have expired.

* Hospitalization and Treatments: 536 children were hospitalized for medical and surgical treatments with 528 X-Rays, 92 Consults, about 850 Laboratory investigations, 122 General Surgeries at GST and 2 at Surat Hospital for Imperforate Anus. Vaccines: 875 MMR vaccines and 946 Hepatitis B vaccines were administered. Other required vaccines are provided by the Government. Tuberculosis: 72 children under 5 years received treatment. Thallasemia: Three children come for multiple transfusions every 2 months for their disease. Pre-Natal Clinic: 791 women were cared for. 710 delivered and of these, 577 delivered in the hospital. 14 newborns needed care in the NICU.

* Health Education programs: Night programs in selected villages – 81; sessions in hospital wards – 306; during children’s check up – 12; during Eye camps – 5; afternoon sessions in the villages – 51; for the staff members - 3.

New Developments: * Fulwadis - Crèche: Two units have been established, each unit caring for 5 to 6 children 6 months to 2.5 years of age. We need about 20 more such units. * Tuition Classes: Six New Classes have been started totaling 16 classes comprising of 421 students. We need to expand on the number of these units as we need at least 50 more such units. * Our most successful addition is the introduction of forty locally trained Community Health Workers (CHWs) in their respective village areas. * In addition, it is our cherished dream to have a Children’s Home for our destitute little ones to Nourish, Nurture and Educate them. We are working very hard to fulfill that dream.

I sincerely hope this gives you a feeling of satisfaction about your hard earned money being utilized for a noble cause. It gives me tremendous joy to be of service to these children and I feel blessed and extremely grateful for this privilege and opportunity offered to me through your generosity. We need about $3.00 per child per month. Please check out our links regarding Annual Report and Art Images for Donation.

With Blessings from our Gram Seva children and the very best wishes to you and yours for Peace, Harmony, Laughter, Love always,

Very affectionately,

Roda K. Patel President, Gram Seva Foundation, USA; Honorary Director, Child Health, Gram Seva Trust, India.

Ps: Please rest assured that all your hard earned money goes totally toward the welfare of our Gram Seva children. Thanks!

”Every Child comes with the message that God is not yet   discouraged of man!”

   Tagore.

 2030 Post Road, Northbrook, IL 60062. * Tel: (847)564-2030. Email: rodak@aol.com

www.gramseva.org