DHARWAD: A village that is so poor that its houses have no doors and windows in Dharwad district has been adopted by Vittal Institute of Child Health, led by Dr Rajan Deshpande, to cater to overall development of the village and its residents. The tiny village, Madakikoppa, is located 33 km from the district headquarters and has only 14-15 houses with a population of around 100. As dairy is the main occupation, there are more cattle than people in this hamlet.
Dr Deshpande, senior pediatrician and founder of Vittal Institute, told TNIE that in 2010, he was invited for a health check-up camp at the village. He faced a lot of hardships because of lack of connectivity and other issues. He always wanted to do something for the village, and the occasion came as his institution is celebrating its silver jubilee this year.
“This project, taglined Sunshine, aims for holistic development, sustainable growth, economic upliftment, access for quality education, health, social transformation and others. Recently, I camped at the village and learnt about the villagers’ needs and studied their lifestyle.”
“We have started with healthcare, and we treat women and children. We are stepping into the next stage, like providing them proper housing that does not disturb their attachment to nature and education.”
Glad someone came to ask our issues: Villagers
“There are three major Zore, Bichugle and Garade family lineages,” he added. A villager, Raju Zore, said they are happy that someone has come to ask their problems and provide solutions. Though the village has a school, it only seems like a namesake. Zore said, “We are looking forward to the facilities the institution will provide us.
Key points of the project
Preserve and enhance traditional hut aesthetics
Divert hillock seepage water through trenching
Construction of toilets and bathrooms for each house, located externally
Provision of water tanks with connections to sanitation facilities
Distribution of smokeless burners
Solar lighting systems with 4-5 bulbs and mobile charging units per house
Outer walls of houses to be artistically painted by artists