KARUKERA |
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POVERTY IS NOT CREATED BY THE POOR
It is created by the structures of society and the policies pursued by society.
Change the structure as
we are doing in Bangladesh, and you will see that the poor change their
own lives.
Given the support of financial capital, however small, the poor are fully capable of improving their lives.
- Muhammad Yunus, Grameen Bank, Founder, father of the microloan.
A SYSTEM SPECIFIC TO INDIA TO MEET THE CHALLENGES FACED BY THE PARAPLEGICS
SAHAI is committed to prevent young adults from succumbing to spinal injuries and saving their families from any economic deprivation. In the process we hope to contribute towards an equitable society where the physically challenged can really lead a dignified and independent life.
It is estimated that in India there are about 2 million paraplegics. Of these, 40,000 are in states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Most of these paraplegics do not have any chance of survival as they invariably succumb to complications such as bed sores, infection and ultimately a slow miserable death.
Over 90% of paraplegics in India come from the low income or lower middle class income group. Since there is no social security system in India and the Government Medical institutions cannot keep patients with spinal injuries in the hospital for any length of time, they are sent home after the initial treatment.
In the last 9 years SAHAI has treated and rehabilitated 262 paraplegics. SAHAI has had the good fortune of excellent doctors in the field of Neurosurgery, Plastic surgery, Orthopedics, Urology, General surgery and general medicine giving their valued time and effort for treating these patients.
The results, especially in paraplegia of the lower thoracic or lumbar spines, has been phenomenal with the patients becoming mobile and totally independent with calipers.
See CASE STUDIES
Project I: SAHAI Spinal Injuries Hospital, Rehabilitation and Training Centre
Project II: SAHAI Prosthetics and Orthotic Research and Training Institute (SPORTS)
Project III: SAHAI Rehabilitation Work Centre
The annual budget of SAHAI is approximately $27,000 now, excluding surgeries performed free of cost by surgeons associated with SAHAI. See more info HERE
DIVERSIFICATION OF BANANA INDUSTRY
Guadeloupean Researcher Nathalie Minatchy creates Banana Juice.
See her site.
See Nathalie's site.
Almost perfect fruit!Dr. Audia BARNETT speaks up.
"I THINK banana is almost a perfect fruit. It is quite nutritious in terms of the profile of nutrients in banana and so at Scientific Research Council (SRC) we are fortunate to have played a role and still continue to play a role both at the primary level and at the value added level...
"The market for neutraceuticals is a booming one, worldwide. Just the fruit (of the) banana is considered a nutraceutical.
Nutraceutical just means that you can eat that fruit whole and, in addition to getting the regular nutritional value in terms of your bodily functions, you get some added health value...
We have looked at
banana flour, which may seem to not really have a place, but this flour
can be used in baked products.
There are several persons or a percentage of the population which is allergic to gluten, for example, so they cannot have wheat flour; banana flour can be used as a replacement. It can also be used in other value added components from the flour.
We also have done banana figs, not just the regular figs but exotic figs coated with toffees, you name it. We have done sauces, like barbecue sauce using banana as the base.
We have done a clarified banana juice which I think has exciting prospects because a lot of persons don't like the heaviness that banana has when they are using it as a component in their punches.
So we have the clarified banana juice which there is a special procedure for that and you know the usual chips and jams..."
Read full article on The Jamaica Gleaner
A banana a day keeps the doctor away!
After reading this, you'll never look at a banana in the same way again!
Bananas contain three natural sugars - sucrose, fructose and glucose combined with fiber.
A banana gives an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy.
Research has proven that just two bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout.
No wonder the banana is the number one fruit with the world's leading athletes.
But energy isn't the only way a banana can help us keep fit. It can also help overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses and conditions, making it a must to add to our daily diet.
Depression
According to a recent survey undertaken by MIND amongst people suffering from depression, many felt much better after eating a banana.
This is because bananas contain tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin, known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel happier.
PMS
Forget the pills -- eat a banana. The vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood.
Anemia
High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anemia.
Blood Pressure
This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it the perfect way to beat blood pressure. So much so, the US FDA has just allowed the banana industry to make official claims for the fruit's ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.
Brain Power
200 students at a Twickenham (Middlesex) school were helped through their exams this year by eating bananas at breakfast, break, and lunch in a bid to boost their brain power. Research has shown that the potassium-packed fruit can assist learning by making pupils more alert.
Constipation
High in fiber, including bananas in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives.
Hangovers
One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover is to make a banana milkshake, sweetened with honey. The banana calms the stomach and, with the help of the honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels, while the milk soothes and re-hydrates your system.
Heartburn
Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating abanana for soothing relief.
Morning Sickness
Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness.
Mosquito bites
Before reaching for the insect bite cream, try rubbing the affected area with the inside of a banana skin. Many people find it amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation.
Nerves
Bananas are high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous system.
Overweight and at work?
Studies at the Institute of Psychology in Austria found pressure at work leads to gorging on comfort food like chocolate and chips.
Looking at 5,000 hospital patients, researchers found the most obese were more likely to be in high-pressure jobs.
The report concluded that, to avoid panic-induced food cravings, we need to control our blood sugar levels by snacking on high carbohydrate foods every two hours to keep levels steady.
Ulcers
The banana is used as the dietary food against intestinal disorders because of its soft texture and smoothness. It is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in over-chronicler cases. It also neutralizes over-acidity and reduces irritation by coating the lining of the stomach.
Temperature control
Many other cultures see bananas as a "cooling" fruit that can lower both the physical and emotional temperature of expectant mothers. In Thailand, for example, pregnant women eat bananas to ensure their baby is born with a cool temperature.
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
Bananas can help SAD sufferers because they contain the natural mood enhancer tryptophan.
Smoking
Bananas can also help people trying to give up smoking. The B6, B12 they contain, as well as the potassium and magnesium found in them, help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.
Stress
Potassium is a vital mineral, which helps normalize the heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain and regulates your body's water balance. When we are stressed, our metabolic rate rises, thereby reducing our potassium levels. These can be rebalanced with the help of a high-potassium banana snack.
Strokes
According to research in "The New England Journal of Medicine," eating bananas as part of a regular diet can cut the risk of death by strokes by as much as 40%!
So, a banana really is a natural remedy for many ills. When you compare it to an apple, it has four times the protein, twice the carbohydrates, three times the phosphorus, five times the vitamin A and iron, and twice the other vitamins and minerals. It is also rich in potassium and is one of the best value foods around.
So maybe its time to change that well-known phrase so that we say,
A banana a day keeps the doctor away!
South India Nature Temple, jan. 2006. ©J.S. 06.
Efforts are being made to set up a St.Vincent and the Grenadines Indian Heritage Foundation.
In August 2005, a group of Indian descendants met and discussed the possibility of establishing a foundation to disseminate and share information about the Indian Heritage of St.Vincent and the Grenadines.
By the end of this month, the foundation should be registered as a legal entity.
An official launching is scheduled to take place on Thursday, June 1.
June this year will mark the 145th anniversary since the first group of Indian Indentured Labourers arrived in St.Vincent and the Grenadines.
Through the foundation a series of activities will be staged leading up to the 150th anniversary of the Indians’ arrival in 2010.
The foundation will also establish a website.
INFO SOURCE : Searchlight.
South India, near Chennai. ©J.S. 2006.
Dessin de François Gabourg, Martinique. ©2006, avec aimable permission de l'artiste.
Règloman 1: lo non lantant.
La mèt dobout, selon la loi promié Zilié 1901, in lantant i apèl: “ Lofis la lang kréol La Rényon”/ “Lofis la lang kréol rényoné”.
Il est créé, conformément à la loi du 1er juillet 1901, une association appelée “Office de la Langue Créole de La Réunion”.
In the Nilgiri Mountains, South India. ©J.S. 2006.
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