Bapatla

Eight volunteers went to Bapatla to strengthen the program by expanding it to include one additional health worker and a full time gardener. The health worker, Barathi, was hired to work alongside Rachel and Sudharani, but to specialize in the creation of the social support groups. In addition, Rachel and Sudharani traveled to Hyderabad to receive training from Meera Naidu, HEAL’s manager in India. Meera holds training meetings monthly to coordinate efforts and improve effectiveness.

HEAL also hired, Joshua, a gardener who now visits hundreds of families helping them to take advantage of square-foot gardening techniques and cultivate their own supply of nutritious foods.

HEAL members in Bapatla:

Ethan Rogers, Annie Warner , Ryan Darby, Jason Wallace, Peter Ludlow, Jenny Kelsey, Ginger Belnap, and Stephen Nielson