Tulsi Chanrai Foundation

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TCF – T Y Danjuma Water Project.

Tulsi Chanrai Foundation (TCF) embarked upon Village Level Operation and Maintenance (VLOM) project in partnership with T Y Danjuma Foundation in 2009. It was the first time that the VLOM project was executed in Taraba State. The project was implemented in three local government areas (LGAs) of Lau, Bali and Takum, focusing on the rehabilitation of 50 hand pumps. A significant issue in the project was to encourage the community to take responsibility for the hand-pump after the rehabilitation process got completed. This project was successfully implemented with rehabilitation of 53 defunct hand pumps located across 3 Local Government Areas of Taraba State. The rehabilitated hand pumps were handed over to General T Y Danjuma in March 2010 at a function in Jalingo.(4) This was followed by a visit to the hand pump sites. (1, 2, 3) Apart from General T Y Danujama, the handing-over function were attended by the Honorable Governor of Taraba State, Ms Thelma Ekiyor – CEO T Y Danjuma Foundation, Trustees of T Y Danjuma Foundation, Emir and traditional elders of Taraba State, Mr J M Chanrai – Chairman, TCF , Dr Prakash Mirchandani – Executive Director, TCF, Mr Naser Khan – Dy. Director, Mission for Water Project and Col. Akhil Gupta.

Mr J M Chanrai visits the Honorable Governor of Adamawa State

Mr. J. M. Chanrai paid a courtesy visit to the Honorable Governor of Adamawa State His Excellency Murtala Nyako. They discussed at length the TCF Primary Healthcare program and Eye care program.

His Excellency Murtala Nyako assured the Government’s total support and commitment to the TCF projects in the State. He also presented Mr. J. M. Chanrai with the guinea brocade “the Nigerian traditional dress".

EVALUATION REPORT FORTY DANJUMA FOUNDATION

In January 2010, TY Danjuma Foundation requested LaRen Consulting to conduct a summative evaluation of four community projects, which the Foundation had sponsored in 2009. These are :

Free Health Care Project (Pro Health)
Free Eye Care Project (Cavsi)
Village Level Operation And Maintenance (Tulsi Chanrai)
Control And Elimination Of Neglected Tropical Diseases (Mitosath)

The purpose of the evaluation was to assess the overall performance of the organizations in implementing the projects. The evaluation process, which was carried out within a two-week period, began with a preliminary briefing by the Executive Director of the Foundation. The documents submitted to the Foundation (proposals or MOU, midterm and annual reports) were reviewed and meetings were held with the four grantees prior to the field visits, with the aim of establishing a clear understanding of the projects.

Report on Tulsi Chanrai Foundation Project.

This project focused on the rehabilitation of hand pumps in three local government areas in Taraba State. The findings show that the project was fairly well conceived with a well-established project theory, and implemented in line with community health best practices. More importantly, the project was appropriate for the beneficiary-communities. The organization conducted a base line survey, which formed the basis for selecting the pumps to be repaired. The organization worked in close collaboration with the communities and the local government officials in charge of water and sanitation in implementing the project. The project was implemented according to design and about ninety percent (90%) of the activities have been completed. The project team was efficient in many regards. There was evidence to support the achievement of the expected objectives of the project. The project appeared to have improved the communities’ access to water; increase opportunities to increase livestock and health practices.

Evaluation dimension	Rating	Score Village Level Operation and Maintenance ( TULSI CHANRAI )	Score Control / Elimination of NTDs ( MITOSATH )	Score Free Eye Care ( CAVSI )	Score Free Health Care ( PRO HEALTH )
Programme design	20	10	8	8	6
Programme Implementation and collaboration with other stakeholders	20	15	14	10	10
Objectives achieved	30	27	24	26	21
Outcomes/Impact	15	10	11	11	12
Quality of reporting and supporting evidence	15	14	10	10	7
Total	100	76	67	65	56

Primary Eye Care Training at Otunba Tunwase National Pediatrics Centre (OTNPC)

TCF conducted a primary eye care training program at OTNPC campus in Ogun State for 20 Volunteers comprising of midwifes and health technicians. The 2 days classroom session and 3 day practical training was conducted by Mr Senthilraj - Programme Manager, TCF Eye Centre,(21) Yola and Mr.Christoper Osso, Chief Ophthalmic Nurse, TCF Eye Centre, Yola. At the 2 days Classroom session the volunteers were taught about preliminary vision examination and to identify major eye diseases.(22) They were also taught how to create awareness and to prepare IEC aids like posters, flash cards and flip charts. In the 3 day practical training session the volunteers were taken to schools in the forenoon session & to the community in the afternoon session for preliminary vision testing and to identify the eye disorders.

It was the insight and vision that had propelled Otunba Subomi Balogun, the founder of Otunba Tunwase National Paediatrics Centre (OTNPC), Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State to establish this centre for the upliftment of the community.

Rural Outreach Cataract Screening Programme in Adamawa State

TCF eye centre at Yola has embarked on a rural outreach cataract screening program to provide high quality eye care to all the remote and the rural areas of Adamawa State without any financial burden to the needy people. 22 camps will be organized in 2010.

FCMB partners TCF in Priceless Gift of Sight

First City Monument Bank PLc (FCMB), one of the leading financial institutions in Nigeria joined hands with TCF to provide the “Priceless Gift of Sight” to the under-privileged people of rural Nigeria.

This program was conducted simultaneously in the 4 TCF eye centres viz. Calabar, Yola, Owerri and Kebbi in the month of December.
Free eye surgeries were performed on 600 people in these 4 centres.

TCF 5th Eye Centre in Nigeria

A Memorandum of Understanding has been signed by the Ministry of Health, Government of Katsina and TCF for setting up the TCF eye care program in the State. This centre is expected to be operational by middle of 2010 and when completely operational will perform 3000 free eye surgeries every year.

Olu Akinkugbe Child Nutrition Centre (OACNC) Partnership program with TCF

Olu Akinkugbe Child Nutrition Centre (OACNC), the corporate social responsibility program of Friesland Campina partnered with TCF to propagate the Nutrition Initiatives -awareness campaigns, education and advocacy to a population of nearly 200,000 in Kachia, Yola, Isu Eniosa and Adana through the Primary Health care program of TCF.

Ms Amaka from OACNC educated the community (with local language translation and visual aids) about the importance of adequate nutrition in general and the sources, importance and deficiency states of Vitamin A in particular. This was followed by a Q & A session in which the community took an active participation. Ms Amaka also had an interactive session with the TCF staff about adequate nutrition and reiterated the importance of Vitamin A in the diet. Features of nutritional deficiency states in brief, method of growth monitoring and the use of the Gomez’s classification in grading malnutrition were used during the interaction. Snellen’s test chart use was demonstrated with emphasis on immediate referral of children with visual acuity worse than 6/12 to the Primary Health center.

G. D. Chanrai Memorial Hospital Inauguration

The 17 bed G.D.Chanrai Memorial Hospital was formally inaugurated by His Excellency, The Executive Governor of Adamawa state, Admiral Murtala Nyako. At the opening ceremony on 7th Dec 2009, he commended Kewalram Foundation for its philanthropic work and paid rich tribute to its founder, Late Mr G.D.Chanrai. The function was also attended by the Deputy Governor, Chief of Staff and the Honourable Minister for Health in Adamawa state, Directors & representatives from several state ministries and from Yola South Local Government.

This Primary Health Care program supported by the Kewalram Foundation started functioning in January 2006, with the aim of providing primary health care services to the people of Namtari district, under the jurisdiction of Yola South Local Government.

Support from State Government

The State Government of Cross River State donated a 30- seat bus to the TCF eye care program. This will be used by the team to conduct out-reach screening camps and transportation of the poorest of the poor to the Calabar eye centes for surgery

Visit of Mr. J. M. Chnarai to Owerri Eye Centre

Mr. J. M. Chanrai, Chairman, Tulsi Chanrai Foundation visited Owerri Eye Centre and interacted with the patients and staff to appraise himself of the functioning of the Eye Centre.

Cross River State and TCF partnership in Primary Health

TCF has signed a MOU with Cross River State Government (CRSG) for implementing the Primary Health Care Program in 18 Local Government Areas to benefit 3 million populations.

TCF together with the CRS, will identify in the first year of the MOU 4 LGA’s where the above program will be implemented. In the second year 6 more LGA’s will be selected for implementation and in the 3rd year of this MOU, the remaining 8 LGA’s shall be covered.
TCF shall design an action plan for the program and outline implementation strategy that will ensure the success of the program.

Dr.Paul Kandasamy, Director of Primary Health Care, TCF signed the MOU on behalf of TCF (20) and also acknowledged His Excellency Senator Liyel Imoke, Executive Governor of Cross River State for his initiative in providing health care to the people of Cross River State.

Partnership program between T Y Danjuma Foundation and TCF for Handpump rehabilitation in Taraba State

T. Y Danjuma Foundation and Tulsi Chanrai Foundation partnering on a Village Level Operation and Management of Hand-pumps Project in three Local Governments of Taraba State: Lau, Bali and Takum.

The Project aims to cover three LGAs of Taraba State to instill a replicable model of Village Level Operation and Maintenance (VLOM) of rural hand-pumps.

Project is at present passing through the community sensitization, water users’ committee (WESCOMs) formation, training and rehabilitation of non-functional hand-pumps to create a replicable model for the entire State.

Training of Private Local Area Mechanics is one of the major components of the Project for capacity building at local government and community. Privatization of routine repair and maintenance of rural hand-pumps has been stressed by many studies in developing countries. It not only helps in reducing the downtime of the hand-pump by utilizing services of private local area mechanics (LAMs), it also reduces the repair-maintenance and administrative cost on part of the Government institutions. Presently, 34 Private Local Area Mechanics and 6 Local Government Water Supply Officials have been trained from 16 LGAs of Taraba State.

Rehabilitation of 50 non-functional hand-pumps has been targeted in the project in the three focused LGAs and the project is likely to be completed by early 2010.

World Congress of Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus

Dr Tulika Kar, Consultant Ophthalmologist, Yola Eye Centre attended the World Congress of Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus at Barcelona in September 2009 and presented a paper titled “Outcome of pediatric temporal tunnel cataract surgery using Peribulbar anesthesia in a primary eye care center in sub- Saharan Nigeria.”

Second Pediatric camp in Abuja

The second pediatric camp was organized in Abuja in June 2009. Kewalram Chanrai Foundation and Sunseed Nigeria Plc sponsored the camp.

104 surgeries were performed on 66 children from Zaria, Kebbi, Yola, Calabar and Owerri.

The camp was inaugurated on 19th June by the Health Secretary – FCT Ms Precious Angowa on representing the Honorable Minister for FCT- Senator Muhammad Adamu Aliero.

The surgeries were performed by Dr Ravishankar,( a senior pediatric ophthalmologist from India and the medical director of Mission for Vision), Dr Ashok Rangarajan(Director Eye care, Tulsi Chanrai Foundation, Nigeria) and Dr Tulika Kar – Senior Consultant ophthalmic surgeon, Tulsi Chanrai Foundation Eye Centre Yola. Dr Nayana Kulkarni and Dr Shirish Deo, senior anesthetists from our hospital in India were responsible for the general anesthesia. Mr Senthiraj and Mr Fardin Khan, program managers in the TCF eye centres in Yola and Kebbi respectively managed the logistics of the entire camp.

The special visitors who visited the camp included Prof Dora Akunyili – Honourable Minister for Information, Federal Government of Nigeria and Dr Paul Orhi – Director General, National Agency for Food, Drugs, Administration and Control (NAFDAC).


Agewise Distribution

< 5 yrs	21

6 - 10 yrs	32

> 10 yrs	13

Total	66


Sexwise distribution

F	35

M	31

Total	66

Location

Total Surgeries

(no of eyes)

Zaria

Calabar

Kebbi

Owerri

Yola

Abuja

Total

104

Land for eye Hospital in Abuja

The Federal Government of Nigeria has generously given a land in Abuja for building a super speciality eye hospital. The construction of this 100-bed hospital is scheduled to start in end 2009 and should be operational be early 2011.
Mr J M Chanrai visited Mr Honorable Minister for FCT, Senator Muhammad Adamu Aliero to thank him for the kind gesture and reiterate Tulsi Chanrai Foundation’s commitment to complete the hospital as soon as possible.

ISU PRIMARY HEALTH CARE PROJECT - Training of new Health Attendants

In order to strengthen the current activities and expand the Isu Primary Health Care program, 15 new Health Attendants were trained by TCF at the Imo State School of Health Technology in June 2009.

This 12-week training will include practical demonstration at the school of Health Technology & 4 weeks at St Damian’s Hospital for training in a hospital environment.

At the end of this training, the new health attendants will be posted for one month at various existing health facilities of the project for orientation in our project objectives and then they will be appointed at their own Health Posts.

Visit of Mr J M Chanrai to Yola

Mr J.M.Chanrai visited the Yola Primary Health Care Project in May 2009 and interacted with the staff and patients. He also visited the G.D.Chanrai Memorial Hospital, which is under construction at Ngurore. This facility, built by the Kewalram Chanrai Foundation, will be completed by September 2009.

The G D Chanrai Memorial hospital will function as the apex Primary Health Care referral facility in the project area.

Mr J M Chanrai also visited the Yola Eye Centre and interacted with the operated patients and distributed food packets.

Sightsavers International team consisting of Mrs. Elizabeth Kurien , Dy. Regional Director , Sightsavers International India and Dr. ( Mrs. ) Elizabeth Elhassan , Country Representative , Sightsavers International, Nigeria visited an outreach camp conducted by Calabar eye hospital at Ikom on February 21, 2007. 265 patients were screened at this camp , out of which 44 patients were referred to the base hospital for treatment.

The Sightsavers team visited the TCF eye hospital at Calabar to see the functioning of the hospital.

Preliminary discussions on the modalities of a partnership between TCF and Sightsavers International were held at Abuja between the TCF team and Sightsavers team which also included Mrs. Faal , the West African in Charge.

Yola Eye hospital celebrated its First Anniversary on 20th January 2007. In this one year, the hospital has screened 4493 patients and operated on 2949 patients.

TCF received an Award for its contribution to Health Services in Nigeria from Federal Govt of Nigeria. The award was given in the Golden Jubilee celebration of the National Council on Health on 11th January 2007. The credit for this award goes to the efforts of the entire TCF team in Nigeria , our donors and stakeholders

Get-together: All the managers of TCF took off for 3 days in December 2006 along with their families to relax at the scenic and quiet surroundings at Ibadan.

Micheal Hansmann is the Program Officer of Christoffel Blindenmission visit the Owerri Eye Hospital in December 2006.

MFV and TCF participated in the Annual Foundation day of British Airways in December 2006. A stall was set up displaying activities in India and Nigeria. Employees of British Airways showed a keen interest in the activities and also offered to volunteer in the projects.

Mr. Hirman of Norfish and his friend Mr. AGTIR of NOAA, Iceland visited our Calabar Eye Care Project on 27th and 28th November 2006

Mr Christian Hickel of Julius Berger visited the Yola Eye hospital in November 2006.

Honorable President of Nigeria, Mr Obasanjo with Mr J M Chanrai, Dr Prakash Mirchandani , donors to the Foundations and other Government officials at the meeting of 3rd October 2006 in Abuja

New TCF office at Abuja was formally operational from 2nd October 2006. The puja was performed by Mr J M Chanrai in the presence Dr Prakash Mirchandani , Mr S Ranganathan and other functionaries of TCF and FMCL.

Ms Rebecca Peltenburg, Manager , Savitri Waney Charitable Trust visited most of the TCF projects in Nigeria in September 2006 to get a first hand update on the status of the projects.

UNICEF VISIT

The UNICEF team led by their local water Chief Mr. Mohamed El Fatih visited the TCF water program in Calabar and saw a presentation of the TCF model of rehabilitation of bore wells. The UNICEF team were impressed with the process adopted by TCF especially the community involvement in management of the water program.

A workshop was organized on March 2007 at Abuja by UNICEF where all the water officials from the Federal/ State Governments were invited to the presentation on the TCF model of bore well rehabilitation.

Mr. Naser, the program Manager made the presentation and explained the nuances of the TCF methodology and its emphasis on community participation and ownership.

UNICEF and the Federal Government have principally agreed to use the TCF model to cover 40 LGAs per State in all the 36 States and the FCT

Visit of Mr J M Chanrai to TCF projects

Mr and Mrs. Chanrai visited the Yola PHC, Yola Eye hospital , Kebbi Eye hospital, Kebbi water program, Owerri PHC and Owerri Eye hospital in March 2007 to get a first hand experience of the programs. They had extensive discussions with the program managers, doctors, various functionaries of the programs and the beneficiaries to understand the changing needs and methodologies required to improve the effectiveness of the program.

During their visit to Yola, the TCF film was shown to all the interested students at ABTI University and an open house was held fielding questions on how they could help the TCF program and get involved. They decided to form : “Friends of TCF” : a forum of like minded people who were keen to get involved with the TCF programs.

Second anniversary of TCF’s Eye hospital at Yola.

A function commemorating the second anniversary of TCF Yola Eye hospital at Yola was conducted on January 21st 2008. His Excellency the Governor of Adamawa, represented by Chief of Staff attended the function as Chief guest. Other dignitaries who attended the celebrations were Dr.Zainab Kwonchi, Honorable Commissioner of Health, Bello Tukur Chief of Staff, Alhaji Ahmed Joda Chairman Executive Committee Eye Care Yola, Dr. Michael Smith, President, Dr. James Garofalo, Vice President - Academics, American University of Nigeria and Dr. Prakash Mirchandani.

Alh Goni Namtari, the first ever patient operated in the hospital , Dangana,16/m, the first patient to be operated in the second operation theatre, and Mrs Evelyn Dirasso- a specialist hospital nurse operated few months back offered their testimonials during the function.

Completion Of 10000th Surgery at Calabar Eye Hospital

Dr. Sreedhar completed his 10000th Free Eye Surgery at Calabar on 23rd January, 2008. The Free Eye Care project at General Hospital, Calabar was started in March 2003

The Governor of Kebbi State, Usman N. Said Dakingari, visited Hafsat Eye Center. He was accompanied by the commissioner, permanent secretary, and other officials of the Ministry of Health.He saw all the facilities and visited the wards, interacted with the patients and the staff as well and were forth coming in his praise and appreciation for the work being done. We discussed with him the future plans for the hospital like extension of wards, OT, patient sheds (he himself saw the patients waiting in the sun outside) among other things. He has in principal agreed for all that we were requesting for. He was told of the Foundation's plans of having an additional surgeon to cope with the overload of patients and the need for additional 2 houses

Ms. Katrin, Managing Director of Norfish Ltd visited Calabar Eye Hospital along with Sigurdur Hreinsson, Bryndis Gudmundsdattir of UDE and Lilja Bjerk Reynisdottir of Norfish Ltd.

Visit of Prof. Andrew Rooney, ABTI University

Prof. Andrew Rooney Dean of Arts and writing, ABTI University visited Yola Eye Hospital. He commented -
"Great work, great people. Lots of reward for helping people who need it. Good system too, all the way through.”

Visit of Dr. Korie Handwerger, American University of Nigeria

Dr. Korie Handwerger, Asst Professor of Biology, American University of Nigeria also visited Yola Eye hospital. She has initiated an internship program at the eye hospital for her biology students. They will be getting exposure of clinics and will be involved in escorting the patients. Dr Korie also volunteered with the hospital’s new microbiology lab.
She commented- "It is my absolute pleasure to work with all members of this organization, and staff in this important project. Thank you for providing this valuable experience to me and my independent study/ internship students at the American University of Nigeria

Women’s Empowerment – High on TCF’s agenda

One of the important aims of the TCF is to empower the woman in the community. TCF trains 15 to 20 young women to be health attendants every year in Primary health care projects across the country. Young women who have completed their secondary schooling and are unable to continue their education for various reasons get an opportunity of a career as health attendants. Selected by the community, they go through a basic health care training organized by TCF in a School of Health Technology and then in a hospital setting for a period of three months. Subsequently, they then undergo a period of apprenticeship in one of the existing health posts. Once the training is complete they are posted at a health post in a village where they take care of the basic health care needs of yhe people. All of them are grateful for this opportunity given to them by TCF. Their work reflects their sense of satisfaction and usefulness to society. Whether they are with TCF or elsewhere, we know that they will carry the message of giving their best with a caring attitude. They are now empowered to care for their families and communities.

Newly trained Health Attendants (batch of 2007 – Isu PHC Project in Imo State of Nigeria) in the Amaigbo College of Health Sciences and Technology. Out of almost 100 applicants, 18 were selected and completed the course from June to August 2007. They are now in their apprenticeship training.

Tomi Folarin (batch of 1998 – Eniosa Health Care Project in Ibadan) Sponsored by TCF for CHEW training and is currently supervising the HIV/AIDS (Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission PMTCT) work of TCF in Ibadan. She is now married with 2 children. Tomi says “TCF gave me a career and they also gave me further education and a responsible position. TCF is doing very good for us”.