PRASAD : Home : About PRASAD : Milestones

NGO in Special Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations

History

PRASAD began its philanthropic journey in the 1960s in the remote Tansa Valley, in Maharashtra, India, by rebuilding the dilapidated homes of nearly 1,000 under-privileged families. It continued building houses for those in need well into the 1970s.

In the 1970s, PRASAD volunteers began health care programs through a mobile health clinic. Till then, the nearly 200,000-strong population living in the Tansa Valley, about two-hours drive from Mumbai, had no access to basic medical care.

Today, PRASAD runs a full-fledged hospital, an eye care clinic, AIDS programs and community health programs. Over the years, PRASAD has gone beyond providing basic health care and has sought to bring about a more holistic transformation in the region. PRASAD's current initiatives include programs in the areas of sustainable community development and education, and nutrition among children.

Milestones

2009: PRASAD Children’s Dental Health Program – U.S.
PRASAD CDHP earned the ‘Give Kids a Smile’ Award from the New York State Dental Health Foundation.

2009: PRASAD Children’s Dental Health Program – U.S.
PRASAD CDHP garnered a Sullivan Pride Award from the Chamber of Commerce of Sullivan County, N.Y.

2009: The PRASAD Project
The PRASAD Project organized the first international meeting which representatives of all the licensees attended.

2009: Community Health – India
PRASAD Chikitsa expanded the Family Health Center with donor support and a grant from Abbot Laboratories in partnership with Direct Relief International.

2009: PRASAD Chikitsa HIV Program
The Family Health Center was formally recognized by the Indian government as an HIV/AIDS Integrated Counseling and Testing Center (ICTC) under Public Private Partnership. This ICTC status means that reports from the Family Health Center will receive international acceptance. The Center was also awarded status as a Linked Anti-Retroviral Therapy Center (LAC.) As a LAC, the Center will receive free public educational materials, rapid HIV test kits, protective kits, Anti Retro-Viral (ART) medicine (in six-month increments for each patient) and free staff training through India’s National AIDS Control.

2008: HIV Program – India
PRASAD Chikitsa HIV/AIDS program was awarded a one-year grant by the William J. Clinton Foundation to expand the treatment program for HIV-positive children in the Tansa Valley.

2008: PRASAD Children’s Dental Health Program – U.S.
PRASAD CDHP launched a website and Newsletter.

2008: PRASAD Children’s Dental Health Program – U.S.
PRASAD CDHP’s Mobile Dental Clinic celebrated its 10th anniversary.

2008: Community Development – India
Leaders of the Self-Help Groups formed the first SHG Clusters to support the more than 3,000 women who participate in this PRASAD Chikitsa Community Development Program. 

2008: Community Development – India
PRASAD Chikitsa started two new initiatives to support agricultural development in the Tansa Valley: the Farmer Club and the Orchard initiative. 

2008: Community Health – India
The Shree Muktananda Mobile Hospital celebrated its 30th anniversary.

2007: The PRASAD Project
The PRASAD Project was granted Special Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations.

2006: Eye Project: Cataract Eradication from Tansa Valley – India
Since 1990, PRASAD Chikitsa has conducted a relentless drive against curable blindness, significantly reducing cataract-related blindness in the Tansa Valley.  PRASAD has expanded the scope of the Eye Project to now include the most remote areas, where staff and volunteers promote awareness, initiate preventive measures and motivate people to seek timely and appropriate treatment for all eye ailments.

2006 Community Development – India
PRASAD Chikitsa has helped set up more than 250 Self–Help Groups (SHGs) in the Tansa Valley under its Community Development Program. These SHGs are bringing about a dramatic, social transformation through activities such as micro-banking, micro-financing, health, hygiene and nutrition programs and networking support. The SHGs have inspired local communities to become more self-reliant and involved in creating and sustaining workable development models.

2005: Disaster Relief – India
PRASAD helped the people of 200 tsunami-affected villages to regain their self-reliance by distributing over 15 tons of fishing nets and accessories, repairing or replacing 155 fishing boat engines, and providing 86 new and repaired boats. 

2005: HIV Program – India
PRASAD Chikitsa commenced a collaborative project with two local public health centers to detect HIV among pregnant women and help save their unborn children. The program administers free, prenatal blood tests, including HB, blood group, VDRL and HIV, to all pregnant women who give informed consent.

2004: PRASAD Children’s Dental Health Program – U.S.
PRASAD CDHP expanded its service area to provide dental services and dental health education to children in Ulster County, N.Y.

2004: HIV Program – India
PRASAD Chikitsa began its HIV program in the Tansa Valley.

2003: Gurudev Siddha Peeth Netra Chikitsa Eye Hospital – India
Inaugurated in Ganeshpuri, The Eye Hospital performs over 2,000 sight-restoring operations each year and treats more than 35,000 patients. As of 2009, PRASAD volunteers have visited some 206,800 houses and reached about 973,000 people. They have held 236 screening camps involving about 50,375 patients.

2003: PRASAD España
PRASAD España was incorporated. Today, PRASAD España raises funds, mainly for PRASAD Chikitsa programs in India.

2002: PRASAD Australia
PRASAD Australia was incorporated in order to raise funds for PRASAD programs in India.

2002: Maternal Child Health Program – India
The main goal of this program was to ensure safe delivery and post-partum recovery for mothers and their babies. PRASAD conducts prenatal, postpartum and neonatal clinics for villagers in the Tansa Valley. This program continues as the Reproductive and Child Health program.

2002: Midwife Training Program – India
PRASAD Chikitsa conducted its first training program for midwives –– known as ‘dais’ –– in the Tansa Valley.

2002: Disaster Relief – India
During the monsoon in June, the Tansa River flooded the valley. Despite damage to its own facilities, PRASAD Chikitsa provided medical treatment, food, potable water and other assistance to villagers affected by the floods.

2001: Disaster Relief – India
PRASAD Chikitsa organized disaster relief support for those hit by the devastating earthquake in Gujarat. It provided medical assistance and also helped build a new medical center in Anjar.

2001: Diagnostic Center – India
PRASAD Chikitsa opened a new diagnostic center in Akloli, offering X-rays and lab tests to those living in the Tansa Valley.

2001: PRASAD Italia
PRASAD Italia was incorporated and helps to raise funds for PRASAD programs in India.

2001: Community Development – India
PRASAD Chikitsa’s Community Development Program was expanded to include Self-Help Groups, micro-banking, agricultural training and networking support. These initiatives increase self-reliance and foster greater community involvement in implementing sustainable solutions.

2000: CA Children's Dental Health Program – US
The CA Children's Dental Health Program was launched in the Alum Rock School District in San Jose, California, where it served the community through 2004.

2000: Netraprakash Eye Clinic – India 
The Netraprakash Eye Clinic was opened in the village of Akloli, in Maharashtra. In 2001, the clinic began sponsoring small-scale eye camps several times a year. Approximately 100 patients are treated at each camp.

1999: Eye Camp for Children – Mexico
PRASAD de México held the first camp for children suffering from strabismus (cross eyes). More than 100 children and young adults had corrective surgery to improve their vision. 

1999: School for Girls – India
To educate girls from economically disadvantaged families, PRASAD Chikitsa expanded the School for Girls in Vajreshwari (Maharashtra) by building additional classrooms and offices.

1998: Disaster Relief – India
When the Tansa Valley was hit by the worst flooding in 50 years, PRASAD Chikitsa volunteers supplied food, clean drinking water, household items and other supplies to hundreds of displaced people.

1998: Cultural Arts Program – India
The Kalakendra Arts and Crafts Program was introduced to preserve the rich cultural heritage of the Tansa Valley, while also providing opportunities for self-expression and increasing employment options.

1997: Rehabilitation Program – India
PRASAD, in partnership with an Indian government agency, launched a rehabilitation program for people with physical disabilities. PRASAD provided treatment and aids such as wheelchairs and crutches to increase their self-reliance.

1997: Eye Camps – Mexico
PRASAD de México conducted its first eye camps to perform operations for cataracts and to treat strabismus (cross eyes) in adults.

1996: PRASAD Bhojan Meals Program – India
PRASAD Chikitsa began the Bhojan Meals Program in response to the widespread malnutrition among patients seen by doctors at the mobile hospital. Now called the Nutrition Program, it is run by several women’s Self-Help Groups, whose members serve as many as 9,000 meals, mainly to children, each month.

1996: PRASAD de México
PRASAD de México was founded to provide humanitarian assistance to the poor people of Mexico, and to give them opportunities to become self-sufficient.

1996: PRASAD France
PRASAD France was incorporated to enable Europeans to support and participate in PRASAD’s programs throughout the world.

1996: PRASAD Children's Dental Health Program – US
The Children's Dental Health Program was launched in Sullivan County, New York. It provides on-the-spot treatment for children through a mobile dental clinic and education and prevention programs in schools. By 2009, the program had provided more than 55,000 children with dental health care treatment and education.

1994: PRASAD Chikitsa Charitable Trust – India
PRASAD formally established the PRASAD Chikitsa Charitable Trust to expand and continue its health care and community initiatives in the Tansa Valley.

1994: Disaster Relief – India
In 1994, PRASAD Chikitsa, in partnership with the local government, distributed 11,700 kg of rice to 2,327 families suffering from monsoon-related diseases and malnutrition.

1993: Disaster Relief – India
In September, 1993, the Latur District in Maharashtra suffered the worst earthquake to have hit the Indian subcontinent in 50 years. Thousands lost their lives and many more, their homes. PRASAD volunteers provided meals to 1,500 people daily and set up temporary housing for 360 families.

1992: The PRASAD Project – United States
The PRASAD Project was incorporated in the United States as an international not-for-profit organization to make PRASAD’s work available to communities around the world.

1991: Scholarship Program – India
The Scholarship and Academic Awards Program provides academic and vocational scholarships for promising elementary and secondary school students in the Tansa Valley.

1991: Mobile Dental Clinic – India
Since most families in the Tansa Valley had inadequate access to dental care, PRASAD launched a mobile dental clinic that treated approximately 2,000 patients a year. In 2003, the program moved to the Anukampaa Health Center where it served 3,500 each year.  In 2009, the program added new services, including dentures, and expects to treat 4,500 individuals each year.

1990s: Eye Camps – India
PRASAD began conducting eye camps throughout the Tansa valley to restore the sight of villagers suffering from cataracts.

1984: Milk for Children Project – India
PRASAD started a program to supply enriched milk to children in the Tansa Valley to help them get a healthy start in life. For many children, this milk is their main source of protein and nutrition, and is an incentive to attend school.

1984: Tuberculosis Program – India
PRASAD opened a tuberculosis clinic in response to an alarming rise in the number of people affected by the disease in the Tansa Valley. Unchecked and untreated, TB can destroy entire families. PRASAD’s TB program has helped many people to rebuild their lives. By 2008, Anukampaa doctors had achieved a cure rate of 96 percent.

1980s: Community Development – India
PRASAD began its community development work when it helped 200 families in Usgaon, Maharashtra, to resurface the road, plant trees, rebuild a school and restock a pond with fish. PRASAD also educated families about how they can take responsibility to improve their own lives.

1978: Muktananda Mobile Hospital – India
This clinic-on-wheels brought medical care and treatment within the reach of villagers in the Tansa Valley, who used to have great difficulty in accessing such care. As of 2009, the clinic is treating 500–700 patients a month.

1960s: Housing for Villagers in Tansa
PRASAD rebuilt the dilapidated homes of nearly 1,000 poor families, and provided them with food, clothing and blankets. We continued building homes for under-privileged families into the 1970s.

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