Awareness Program on Usage of Toilet in Boothagudi Village

Department of sociology and Social work organized a programme on Boothakudi village on 16.09.2015  to create awareness about the health and hygiene .The college got a requisition from Madurai Corporation to conduct a awareness programme in Boothakudi village.Boothakudi  is small village which comes under Madurai North Taluk.It has 600 houses in which 50 houses do not have toilet facilities. The people who do not toilet facilities at house go for open defecation which causes many ailments in the village.

OBJECTIVE:

·         To create awareness about the significance of health and hygiene.

·         To make the public to understand the ill effects of open defecation.

·         To create awareness about the financial assistance given by the Government to construct toilets at house.

The entire programme was organized by Mrs.Rajalakshmi,Integrated Secretary and by Mrs.Santharani, Panchayat Leader of Boothakudi.The programme started at 9.00am.The students organized a rally with the beats of Parai.In the rally the students went to all the streets of the village. The rally was set on with waving the white flag by the Chief Guest, Rev.Sr.K.Fatima Mary, Principal, Fatima College. The welcome address was given by The chief Guest addressed the people about the significance of proper toilet usage and the ill effects of open defecation.

The students performed a street theatre with the focus of how the women folk would get affected due to the absence of toilet facilities at house and also about the various diseases caused by open defecation. The street theatre also focused about the Government a scheme which provides financial assistance to construct toilets ate home. The street theatre was very much applauded by the public and they gave constructive feedback.A Quiz programme was conducted for the school students about Health and Hygiene and prizes were given to the winners. The programme came to an end with the vote of thanks proposed by Mrs.Santharani, Panchayat Leader of Boothakudi.

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MEDICAL CAMP - AMBALATHADI VILLAGE

     On  19.08.2015 a medical camp was conducted in Ambalathadi village jointly by GHCL  Private Limited,Paravai, Department of Sociology &Social work, Fatima college, SKG  Multispecialty hospital and Dr.Agarwal’s  eye hospital, Madurai. The objective of this medical camp is to have a complete physical health checkup for all the villagers of all age group. The camp was started at 9.00 AM in the community hall of Ambalathadi village. The MSW students played the role of volunteers in the camp.

           The medical check-up for the following ailments are done in the medical Camp :

·         Blood pressure

·         Hyper tension

·         Diabetes

·         Asthma & other breathing troubles

·         Uterus problems for women

·         Wheezing

·         Visual impairment

·         Hearing problems

·         Knee pain & back pain and other general physical ailments.

            The MSW students made the propaganda about the medical camp in the village and they brought all the villagers to the community hall. The students assisted the old age people and physically challenged people to reach the place of medical camp.

              The primary school students of Ambalathadi village and all the middle school students of Sambakulam village attended the medical camp. On the whole, 478 people attended the medical camo.The MSW students organised the entire program in a systematic way where many students are identified with anemic and breathing troubles. Required medicines had been provided to the physically ill school children and they were instructed to come for follow up. The MSW students learnt the art of organising, crowd management and the process of conducting a community programme.

 

 

DRUG ADDICTION AMONG YOUTH IN MADURAI DISTRICT OF TAMIL NADU

“Drug addiction is a preventable behaviour and it is a treatable disease”

Department of Sociology and Social Work, Fatima College (Autonomous) and ROOTS – a Non Government Organization did a study in Madurai on drug addiction among youth .The objective of the study is to find out the products used as drug and also the reasons for consuming drugs. Students studying 9^th standard to 12^th standard in various schools in Madurai District are observed and necessary interaction was made with the students and teachers of the school.

The study reveals that, there are many forms of drugs  used by youth such as formal drugs  like alcohol, cigarettes, tobacco (ganesh, supari) abin, tablets and injections and  informal drugs  like smelling petrol, kerosene, whitener, milk over with anabond solution, water packet cover with pvc solution, balloon with pvc solution, cool drink with anacin, cigarates with pain relief ointment (zandu bam, vicks).

Prominent findings:

·         The behavior of the students explicit the usage of drugs.

·         The girl students also use the formal drugs

·         The sports students use informal drugs with the thinking that it will boost up their energy.

·         Nearly 25 per cent of the students are drug addicts

·         The teachers are not able to control the students consuming drugs.

Findings relating to reasons for consuming drug

·         Orphan and poor parenting

·         Father being drug addict

·         To increase the body weight.

·         Peer group pressure

·         Beauty consciousness

·         Status improvement

It has felt by the people who made the study is to create awareness among the school students about the ill effects of drug consumption and also required counselling has to be provided for the affected students.