Most people can't imagine what it's like to lose a limb… Imagine being bitten by a snake in the middle of the Indian jungle, miles away from anybody who can help. The poison spreads quickly and before you know it, the only way to save your life is to amputate a leg.
This is the scary reality that many people face in the Indian jungle where The Tulsi Trust operates. During the medical camps that we organise every two weeks we meet many people who not only have lost a leg but, because of Indian culture and tradition, have also lost their dignity, their ability to work and sustain their families; they become poor, homeless, unwanted, outcastes.
This is the scary reality that many people face in the Indian jungle where The Tulsi Trust operates. During the medical camps that we organise every two weeks we meet many people who not only have lost a leg but, because of Indian culture and tradition, have also lost their dignity, their ability to work and sustain their families; they become poor, homeless, unwanted, outcastes.
In April 2014 one of our Project Managers in India, Uttam, met Mansing Madavi, and Adivasi man from the remote village of Nagida who had unfortunately suffered such a fate.
As you can see from this photograph taken during the outreach medical camp, Mansing was using a wooden peg to help him get around.
As you can see from this photograph taken during the outreach medical camp, Mansing was using a wooden peg to help him get around.
As if the social consequences of this traumatic event weren't enough, Uttam and Dr Rattan Das found that Mansing was in constant pain due to the ulcers and infected wounds caused by his makeshift wooden peg. Mansing was in desperate need of medical help so he came to us, and Uttam wasted no time in telling the Trustees in the UK. It was then that we asked for a little help from our friends.
One of our Trustees asked her friends for donations to set up a 'pop-up' charity shop during a weekend to raise enough funds to help Mansing. After an overwhelming number of donations a local perfume studio in Glastonbury was turned into a charity shop for a weekend, and soon after the funds raised during the weekend were sent to India.
One of our Trustees asked her friends for donations to set up a 'pop-up' charity shop during a weekend to raise enough funds to help Mansing. After an overwhelming number of donations a local perfume studio in Glastonbury was turned into a charity shop for a weekend, and soon after the funds raised during the weekend were sent to India.
As soon as the funds arrived Uttam contacted Mansing, who is here seen at the ashram waiting for the ambulance to take him to Raipur for a few days, where he will be fitted with a prosthetic leg which will put an end to much of his pain and emotional turmoil. The photos below were taken four days later, after Mansing returned home able to walk properly with his new prosthetic leg.
So there you have it...a little story about how much we can achieve with just a little help from our friends.
So there you have it...a little story about how much we can achieve with just a little help from our friends.
Thank you so much for your generosity and constant support.
The Tulsi Trust
The Tulsi Trust