Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to all of you, especially to all my coworkers and Bindu.
Have wonderful holidays and don't forget whom we celebrate: Christ our Lord was born in a manger. He is the savior and redeemer for the whole world.

Thank you for making the year 2016 to a success. Thank you to all our generous donors, we appreciate their help greatly.
Happy, prosperous and blessed New Year 2017 to all of you!

Dearest greetings and God bless

Martha

Safely arrived back home in USA

We had a great time together and managed to visit all our Shoshana projects.
Thanks to my dear friend and office assistant .....I should call her "Office Manager" Bindu Katta.
Bindu's whole family is helping to our success.
Again I can confirm Bindus outstanding supervision.
Thanks also to all our sewing instructor ladies and medical center nurses for their devoted help towards the needy people in our surroundings. I am happy and proud of all our achievements.
Together we can make a big change and difference.
Greetings to all of you
Martha

Visit to Shoshana Medical Centres,Chirala

Shoshana Medical Projects in and around Chirala town.

Few pics from projects:

Shoshana Med Project, Sai nagar, Chirala.

. Raising a child with a disability is an exhausting task. Feeling of disappointment in the family members leads to hopelessness and depression. Funding the needed support services can help the family to cope up with the daily stress of seeing the child struggle.

One such case who is in need of help.

Med Project, Karamchedu village:

Med Project, Burlavaripalem village:

Distance can be a problem in some rural areas to get access to health care especially when there is no reliable transportation. Some households don't have vehicles or share one among multiple family members. For old and disabled riding a bus or an auto is a difficult task.

Shoshana started first aid help in one such areas where there is no access to proper medical care.

Visit to Shoshana sewing project, Angalakuduru

Shoshana Sewing project, Angalakuduru

The main objective of this tailoring training program is to enhance the quality of life of women
and teenage girls through enhancement of their skills and knowledge.

 Due to poverty, these teenage girls drop out of high school to get married and work as temporary farm workers, sweepers and manual scavengers.

They needed to learn newer vocational skills such as tailoring (sewing) which can help
 them earn more income and become economically self-sufficient and independent.

This will reduce poverty, help them support their family needs without being dependent on husband and parents. In order to help them, Shoshana started free tailoring ( sewing ) training centers in various locations.

In these training centers, tailoring skills are given free of cost. Students are trained by a 
qualified professional tailoring teacher. Certificates are given to those who successfully complete the course. 

These tailoring classes enable women/Girls in rural and sub-urban areas to earn on their own, making them self- confident and self-dependent. After completing of 8 months training, some women/Girls can start their own tailoring shops, while many can secure, sub-contract work from large tailoring shops.

The instructor along with the local society motivate 
the rural women to join the course and also take 
care in selecting beneficiaries as a group.  

We come across many such women as students  who are single parents, victims of domestic violence etc.

For them this training program gives a scope to be 
independent , to increase their household income 
and  to improve their living conditions.

Visit to Shoshana Medical Centre, Tadiparru village.

Medical Centre, Tadiparru.

Distribution of iron and deworming syrups to kindergarten and primary school children. provided by the Government of A.P

Beside the basic medication, the nurse, Mrs.Veni has the stock from the Government which has to be distributed in the community for children and pregnant women.

Yesterday we met some Anganwadi school children at the Medical centre. Most of them have seasonal problems like cold, cough.

Visit to Shoshana Medical Centre, Swarna and Epurupalem.

 Shoshana health centres working for Rural agricultural health.

Pics from Swarna Village:

For mostly farm workers who are exposed to extreme temperatures , dust and harsh pesticides.

Joint pains and injuries are common.

In order to provide first aid help for the villagers in Swarna village Shoshana started a regular health centre in the year 2012 .

Nurse, Raju giving out medication

Pics from Weavers' Colony, Epurupalem:

Most of the patients are  old people and children getting help during the day and the working people visit the health centre in the evenings.

Martha with the nurse Ms.Buela rani

Shoshana Medical Centres, Prasad nagaram, vittal nagar, Chirala.

Health is intimately linked to these essentials of living like safe housing , sanitation and food security.

Health problems prevalent in the tribal areas are mostly infectious diseases like malaria, tuberculosis , diarrhea apart from mal-nutrition and anaemia.

Although Government is providing health care, some of the areas still lack quality health care. Lack of health related knowledge among the tribes is often exploited by  unqualified medical practitioners who are available at door step.

In order to give access to good health care, Shoshana started health care centres in some rural areas and also urban slums.

Medical Centre, Vittal nagar, Chirala"

Most of the patients come here for breathing,  skin problems and anaemic condition. Giving out iron and vitamin supplements by the nurse Ms.Lavanya.

Pics from Shoshana Medical Centre, Prasad nagaram, Chirala.

Giving Sugar testing and Blood Pressure check ups and medication besides the basic medicine.

Shoshana Medical Centre, Lohiyapuram

Pics from Shoshana Medical Project, Lohiyapuram.


In Andhra Pradesh alone there are many handlooms. Chirala is one of them. Many families are directly or indirectly dependant on them. Each Centre has its unique identity of producing varieties of handlooms products.

Many weavers work for domestic markets on daily wage basis. Wages have not increased for many years. Some sections of hand loom workers are still living in hand to mouth conditions with no house or assets.

Lohiyapuram village is in Vetapalem mandal of Prakasam district. Shoshana started giving basic medical help in this area for the last 8 yrs.  Its a large area with people coming from different communities. The medical centre is located in the weaver's area.

 The nurse giving out the necessary basic medicine. Patients with respiratory problems and frequent diarrhoea. Still some people have no toilet facility in this area.

Open defecation also might be one of the health problems for children.

Shoshana Sewing Projects, Guntur.


Pics from Mutyalareddy nagar, Guntur.

The main aim of this project is to give quality training in Tailoring and Embroidery to
 adolescent girls and women coming from low income families there by providing them an opportunity to learn a skill which in turn could be their first step towards self help.

 The students are provided with a sewing machine after they finish the class conducted over a period of 6 to 8 months.

Pics from sewing project, Nagaralu:

This course gives women different options like taking in tailoring orders and work from home,
 seek employment in garment factories or conduct tailoring workshops.

Martha, Managing Director-Shoshana visits all the projects once a year and supervises the over all growth of the project, takes feed back from the instructors and beneficiaries.


We have regular follow ups with the women who got help and see that they utilize their skill.

Pics from Shoshana Computer Centre, Guntur.

An effort to provide computer training to poor and needy students, Shoshana has sponsored a free computer training classes to students belonging to economically weaker section of the society.


The basic mission of the program is  to enhance computer literacy among the poor students and to make them capable for earning their livelihood.

The group will cover students belonging to  Backward Classes and other lower income groups.
The centre offer Certificate courses in basic computer knowledge as well as Diploma and Advanced courses in Computer Application.

The training focuses on practical skills that students can put to use in a job immediately.